How Many Local Govts. Levy a Property Tax?

Answer: 4,171

That’s right, more than 4,000 local governments—including 1,019 school districts, 1,064 cities, 254 counties, and 1,791 special districts—levied a property tax on homeowners and businesses in 2015, according to the Texas Comptroller’s latest Biennial Property Tax Report. That’s up from 4,128 in 2014 and 2,342 in 2010.

Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Given the huge surge in the number of taxing units, it’s no wonder that Texans are clamoring for structural property tax reform. Few, if any, have the time and resources it takes to keep track of the tax rates set by each of these different entities and conduct a rollback rate petition drive when taxes adopted by one, some, or all get too high.

If local governments want to tax excessively, then the onus should be on them to ask the public for permission.