Are Brownsville-area governments treating taxpayers well?

To answer that question, I recently gathered data from several different sources—including the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index; Texas Comptroller of Public Account’s Tax Rates and Levies; and Texas Education Agency’s Student Enrollment Reports—to determine the 5-year growth rate of population and inflation as well as property tax levies for the city of Brownsville, Cameron County, and Brownsville ISD. Armed with this information, we can compare the ideal rate of growth (i.e. population and inflation) with the actual rate of growth—and form an informed opinion about the Brownsville taxpaying environment.

So what did the data show? Room for improvement, to say the least.

City of Brownsville

Population & Inflation

  • In 2019, the city’s population totaled 185,489.
  • In 2023, the city’s population totaled 190,158.
  • From 2019 to 2023, the city’s population increased by: +2.5%.
  • In 2019, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, City Avg., All Items) annual avg. was: 255.657
  • In 2023, the CPI annual avg. was: 304.702
  • From 2019 to 2023, the CPI annual avg. increased by: +19.2%.
  • From 2019 to 2023, population and inflation increased by a combined: +21.7%.

Property Taxes

  • In 2019, the city’s property tax levy was $50.1 million.
  • In 2023, the city’s property tax levy was $63.5 million.
  • From 2019 to 2023, the city’s property tax levy increased by: +26.7%.

Cameron County

Population & Inflation

  • In 2019, the county’s population totaled 423,163.
  • In 2023, the county’s population totaled 426,710.
  • From 2019 to 2023, the county’s population increased by: +0.8%.
  • In 2019, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, City Avg., All Items) annual avg. was: 255.657
  • In 2023, the CPI annual avg. was: 304.702
  • From 2019 to 2023, the CPI annual avg. increased by: +19.2%.
  • From 2019 to 2023, population and inflation increased by a combined: +20%.

Property Taxes

  • In 2019, the county’s property tax levy totaled $88.4 million.
  • In 2023, the county’s property tax levy totaled $125.3 million.
  • From 2019 to 2023, the county’s property tax levy increased by: +41.7%.

Brownsville ISD

Enrollment & Inflation

  • In 2018-19, the district’s student enrollment was 44,402.
  • In 2022-23, the district’s student enrollment totaled 37,898.
  • From 2019 to 2023, the district’s student enrollment decreased by: (-14.6%)
  • In 2019, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, City Avg., All Items) annual avg. was: 255.657
  • In 2023, the CPI annual avg. was: 304.702
  • From 2019 to 2023, the CPI annual avg. increased by: +19.2%.
  • From 2019 to 2023, population and inflation increased by a combined: +4.6%.

Property Taxes

  • In 2019, the district’s property tax levy totaled $72.95 million.
  • In 2023, the district’s property tax levy totaled $78.27 million.
  • From 2019 to 2023, the district’s property tax levy increased by: +7.3%.

In each instance—i.e. the city of Brownsville, Cameron County, and Brownsville ISD—the data suggests that local elected officials have grown the burden of government beyond the optimum and made things more difficult for taxpayers. This criticism appears to be especially applicable to county government.

Understanding the evidence, another question then arises: What can we do to better protect Texas taxpayers? Fortunately, I have some ideas (see pgs. 7 – 12).