Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation released a new study that compares property tax levy growth with population and inflation increases in Texas’ most populous cities, counties, and school districts. This study finds concerning fiscal trends prevalent throughout these communities.
“New research suggests that many of Texas’ largest cities, counties, and school districts are taking in far more tax dollars than they should. As a consequence, many families are finding it increasingly difficult to pay for gas, groceries, and rent. It is rapidly becoming a crisis,” said TPPF’s James Quintero. “The first step in combatting this crisis is to educate the public, so that they can intelligently engage their local elected officials with the facts and press for good government changes.”
Key Points:
- Property taxes are growing faster than necessary in many parts of Texas.
- From 2018 to 2022, property taxes outpaced population and inflation in a majority of Texas’ most populous cities, counties, and school districts.
- The delta between property tax levy growth versus population and inflation signals a need for structural tax reform and fiscal discipline.
- An informed electorate is critical to achieving both reform and restraint.
Read the full study here.