HOUSTON -- Gov. Greg Abbott rolled out a proposal to lower Texas property taxes and he is hoping to make it the centerpiece of his re-election campaign.

A familiar policy proposal is making a comeback.

"To reign in property tax growth, and to improve transparency and accountability of taxing authorities," said Gov. Abbott said during his prepared remarks in Houston.   

Under the governor’s, local governments could only collect 2.5 percent more property tax revenue per year, unless two-thirds of voters allowed otherwise. It would also require locally-elected officials to vote to increase property appraisals.

"Now this isn't a new novel idea. In fact it is a proven strategy for property tax relief," said Abbott.

The governor stated that other states have used similar plans successfully. The idea isn't new to Texas lawmakers either. The legislature failed to pass similar property tax measures last session.  

"This is absolutely recycled," said Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt. 

Gov. Abbott's measure is again meeting resistance from local leaders like Eckhardt. 

"This attack on local control is an attack on all of us, Republican or Democrat," Eckhardt said.  

Eckhardt said local governments won't be able to generate enough funds for basic services like fire, police, and EMS, saying Abbott is simply raising the possibility of lowering taxes because it's politically convenient.

"It's far riskier to make the hard choices necessary to govern and to find appropriate revenue sources to govern. It's a lot easier to attack those who are governing," Eckhardt said.  

Meanwhile, the Texas Municipal League slammed Abbott's plan.

"Doubling down on a bad idea will not produce meaningful property tax relief for Texans," Texas Municipal League Executive Director Bennett Sandlin wrote in a statement. 

State Republicans and Democrats released predictably split messages. Texas Republican Chairman James Dickey applauded what he called "progress" on property tax relief, while state Democrats labeled Abbott's actions as a "tax smokescreen." 

Public school advocates say the path for real property tax relief is through reforming the way the state pays for public education. 

But for Gov. Abbott, a hope that pushing this old idea now will lead to new victories at the ballot box, and in the legislative session to come.