The Real Way To Reduce Your Property Taxes

I’m disappointed that a handful of people successfully blocked passage of property tax reform this summer. However, the greatest frustration to me was that the proposed legislation–had it even passed–would have provided little true relief in Parker and Wise counties.

The real solution is legislation I carried in the House at Governor Abbott’s request. Originally filed as SB 16 and HB 191, it was successfully rolled in to HB 21 last week. The legislation creates the Texas Commission on Public School Finance.

From 50% to as much as 70% of your property tax bill is for public schools. In many districts much of the locally collected school taxes don’t even stay at home but are sent off by a court ordered Robinhood school finance plan. Bottom line, our public schools desperately need an adequate and sustainable funding source and our property owners desperately need relief from school property taxes.

Texas needs a method of school finance that is reflective of our current economy, not the 1940’s economy that designed today’s system. Designing that system will be the job of the new 13 person Commission comprised of legislators, business and civic leaders, tax and education experts. Their goal is to provide recommendations to the Legislature for new funding model that supports an efficient and equitable school finance system.

Texas schools and Texas taxpayers need solutions for overhauling our antiquated system. Here is a message from Governor Greg Abbott on the importance of the Texas Commission on Public School Finance.