A small Texas town of 70,000 residents discovered their local government sent $4 million annually to Israel, prompting a push to redirect funds to local needs like schools, fire departments, and roads, according to a recent podcast discussion by Ryan Matta Media on X.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott intervened, stating that halting these funds violates state law, specifically referencing a 2017 Texas statute that prohibits public entities from boycotting Israel, as reported by MSNBC on May 1, 2025.
The San Marcos city council considered a symbolic resolution criticizing Israel, which noted that the $4 million in local tax dollars funded Israel’s weapons purchases in 2024, per the same MSNBC report.
Texas has a history of investing in Israel bonds, with the state purchasing $45 million in bonds in 2024 to support Israel amid its conflict with Hamas, bringing the total to $140 million in holdings, according to the Texas Comptroller’s office.
The U.S. has provided Israel with significant military aid, including $3.3 billion annually through the Foreign Military Financing program, with over $17.9 billion allocated in 2024 alone, as detailed by the Council on Foreign Relations on November 13, 2024.
Critics argue that U.S. aid to Israel, often funneled through local and state governments, lacks transparency, with funds entering accounts controlled by Israel, potentially violating the Leahy Law, which bans military funding to units committing human rights violations, per notmytaxdollars.org.
