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By Giulia Carbonaro
Senior Reporter
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In the latest of his many attempts to curb Texas' high property taxes, Republican Governor Greg Abbott wants to give the state's homeowners the power to weigh in on every hike. It's a move that critics warn could have a dramatic impact on the funding for public services in the Lone Star State.
Newsweek contacted Abbott's office for comment by email on Monday morning.
Why It Matters
While Texas remains a relatively affordable state in terms of living and housing costs, it has some of the highest property taxes in the nation. Texas does not have a state level income tax, but property taxes are levied by local governments, which then use them to finance services including schools, streets, roads, police and firefighters.
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Abbott has made lowering property taxes one of his priorities over the past few years. Last year, a $18 billion tax cut package for Texas property owners was implemented, but the move appeared to have mixed results.
Critics of the moves have raised alarm over how these policies could impact the quality of public services in the state, highlighting the impact specifically on schools.
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What To Know
During his State of the State address earlier this month, Abbott said that local governments in Texas collecting property taxes should receive the approval of a two-thirds majority of voters for every tax rate hike they want to implement. "No approval, no new taxes," he said, according to the Texas Tribune.
Critics say that such a requirement would make increasing property taxes an almost impossible task for local governments that depend on that money to keep providing crucial services like publicly-funded education.
Kevin Brown, executive director of the Texas Association of School Administrations, told the Tribune that funding to public schools has stagnated in the state in recent years, forcing school districts to rely on voters to cover basic costs.
"All of the things that we all see in our own lives, schools are dealing with that, too," said Brown, mentioning the growth of inflation in recent years. "But they're doing it without increased resources from the state."
There are already limitations in place on how much local governments can increase property taxes, based on caps on the annual increase of property values. Under Texas law, homestead properties have a 10 percent cap on how much the appraised value can increase each year.
What People Are Saying
Democratic Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said, according to the Texas Tribune: "We have to respect the people's vote. We shouldn't create a system that allows a minority to thwart what the will of the majority wants."
Angelina County Judge Keith Wright, a Republican, told the newspaper: "Any such proposal could possibly be devastating to rural counties outside of metroplex areas."
Republican Texas State Senator Paul Bettencourt told the newspaper: "I'm a big proponent of people voting on tax increases. I'm not sure a constant barrage is the right way to do it. You want the public to be involved in things that are outside the norm."
Rockwall Mayor Trace Johannesen, a Republican, wrote in a letter to Abbott posted on X: "While we share the goal of property tax relief, these mandates would harm effective local governance. [...] The proposed two-thirds requirement would allow a minority to block essential services and infrastructure benefiting the entire community."
Abbott said during his State of the State address: "We know that many Texans face an affordability crisis. Last session, we slashed your property taxes. But for many Texans, those cuts were wiped out by local taxing authorities that hiked your property taxes even more. That must end this session."
What Happens Next
Abbott has announced property tax relief to Texans as an emergency item on the state legislature's agenda. "We must close local taxing loopholes to ensure hardworking Texans have long-term property tax relief," he said in a recent address to voters published on Facebook.
The Republican governor said he wants to obtain "another $10 billion property tax cut" out of this legislative session. "But that's only going to work if we eliminate the loopholes that prevent local taxing authorities from raising your property taxes. What we must do is require two-thirds voter approval to increase taxes."
It remains unclear whether his proposal for a two-thirds majority of voters to approve property tax hikes will be implemented by legislators.
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