Texas Tries Again on Reducing Property Taxes
Here we go again. The Texas Legislature is taking yet another whack at beating the court ordered deadline to overhaul the financing of Texas schools. The court ordered the state to fix the problem of having a statewide property tax. The state legislature has six weeks left to come to a solution. I don’t have much confidence in the legislature pass a property tax relief bill or to get along with each other. So far all they have been able to do is to point fingers accusing each other of dropping the ball. This will be the fourth special session in two years to fix the funding problem, not including the regular sessions. From personal experience, I can say property owners need a break. Taxes have gone up every year until they have finally reached the state maximum. Since schools says they need more money, appraisers have dutifully increased property values in order to secure more funds.
With an expanding economy, the state has an abundance of funds, over $8 billion in surplus. According to the AP, Gov. Rick Perry wants the legislature to buy down property taxes by a third with the surplus. Unfortunately, this is only a temporary stop gap measure which will get around the court ordered deadline this year and maybe next, but in the end, the lawmakers are going to have to find an equitable way to finance schools without going after property owners. Frankly, they have had two years to fight and squabble, but have yet to find a solution. I, for one, am ready. Taxes are too high and are not spread out evenly. The Republicans have a majority in the state legislature and a Republican Governor. It time for them to start acting like the majority party. And if the Democrats do not go along, leave them behind. Just fix the problem with our taxes.
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[…] We all know that the Democratic politicians in Washington like to spend money, but I would have thought that local politicians, especially in the very conservative state of Texas, would be a little bit more circumspect in their voicing their ideas on spending. I have chronicled here about Texas’ school spending woes since a judge has ruled the Texas school finance system unconstitutional. The state legislature has tried to solve this problem multiple times with no success, particularly with the Democratic holdouts. The Judge gave Texas until June 1 to come up with an alternative. So far many plans have come and gone and the state still does not have a plan. But now the Democratic Party has shed any semblance of holding down spending. These are quotes from an article from ABC News 13 KTRK out of Houston, Texas. […]