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
With resources limited, the focus should be on educational needs, not tax cuts The Texas House Ways and Means Committee, which controls bills related to the state’s revenue system, is
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
The novel coronavirus has upended Texans’ lives and the state’s economy. We do not yet know what “normal” life will look like when this public health emergency has finally passed,
The COVID-19-induced crisis is reducing state revenue, while at the same time increasing the demand for public services. The final impact on Texans and the state economy is far from
Lawmakers Should Not Renew Tax Giveaways without Proper Review A gigantic program that lets companies get out of paying most school property taxes is scheduled to expire at the end
The Texas Senate may soon vote on SB 2, a misguided proposal that would limit the ability of cities and counties to decide how much to devote to police, fire,
Though it is the state’s responsibility to provide a substantial share of school funding, Texas relies heavily on local property taxes to fund our schools. Because property values vary greatly
Recently we dove into why spending caps are horrible ideas if you want to keep local services running (think fire departments, police departments, electric utilities, etc.) while also being able
