By Sarah Navoy

Tension is rising between state and city leaders in Texas. In a televised interview, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said that Democrat-run cities are to blame for the “problems in America.”

Monday, Austin Mayor Steve Adler told CBS Austin he was disappointed when he heard the comments.

“It’s been an attack on cities generally across the state,” said Adler. “And when I look at Austin, I think it’s probably an effort to deflect attention from the real problem.”

Mayor Adler went on to say that real problem is the rise in property taxes. He said that issue can only be solved when the legislature fundamentally fixes the school finance system.

Funding the school finance fix is something both the House and Senate haven’t agreed on.

Mayor Adler also pointed to Austin’s low crime and unemployment rate. Both are lower than the state’s rate.

“The cities are the economic engines for the state, the incubators for innovation,” said Adler. “The cities help make our state stronger and we should be celebrating that.”

Both the House and the Senate have passed bills this special session that would preempt local ordinances.