Testimony against HB 1556 in House Ways & Means Committee
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
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. 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.
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
The House Ways & Means Committee will soon hear a very dangerous proposal – HB 59 by Rep. Andrew Murr – which would almost completely eliminate
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
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
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
A fair and adequate tax system would allow the state to invest in the building blocks of thriving communities — schools, health care, public safety,
Download this report as a PDF For the state to invest in the building blocks of thriving communities — schools, health care, public safety, roads,
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
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
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