Dick Lavine focuses on building state and local revenue systems that meet Texans’ needs. Before coming to Every Texan in 1994, he was a Senior Researcher at the House Research Organization of the Texas House of Representatives for ten years. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Trustee of the City of Austin Employees Retirement System. He served for many years as a member and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Travis Central Appraisal District and was recently returned to the Board by the voters of Travis County to fill a newly created elective position. He is also a member of the Executive Board of AFSCME Texas Retirees, the statewide union local of retired public employees, and the Board of Directors of Progress Texas Institute, a progressive media organization. The Equity Center named him as a Champion for Equity for his work to reform our tax system to ensure it can adequately support public education and other public services. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, magna cum laude, from Harvard College in 1969, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1975.
Policy areas: State & Local Revenue, Economic Incentives
Where to find me during session: Inside the Capitol, usually on a bench near the Central Court
My surprising hobby: Photography
A substantial drain on future state resources may continue to be the program of school property tax abatements known as “Chapter 313,” after its section in the Tax Code. This
The House Ways & Means Committee will soon hear a very dangerous proposal – HB 59 by Rep. Andrew Murr – which would almost completely eliminate the school property tax that is
Our state’s tax system is upside down. Texas households that are least able to afford it pay the most in taxes as a percentage of their income, while the Texas
On March 1, 2021, Senior Fiscal Analyst Dick Lavine testified before the Texas House Ways and Means Committee. Lavine highlighted the costs of state tax giveaways and exemptions and offered
The 2019 Legislature made an important commitment to improving funding for our public schools. But the disruptions caused by COVID-19 have imposed unexpected new costs on our schools, as teachers
A fair and adequate tax system would allow the state to invest in the building blocks of thriving communities — schools, health care, public safety, roads, and other public services.
Download this report as a PDF For the state to invest in the building blocks of thriving communities — schools, health care, public safety, roads, parks, and other public services
Property-Tax Circuit Breakers A property-tax circuit breaker reduces property taxes that exceed a certain percentage of someone’s income. Circuit breaker programs account for people’s ability to pay when calculating a
The 2019 Legislature made an important commitment to improving funding for our public schools. But the disruptions caused by COVID-19 have imposed unexpected new costs on our schools, as they
Public confidence in our property tax system depends on the perception that all taxpayers are treated fairly, and is the key to providing vital financial support for our schools and
