Texas property taxpayer protections move forward

Taxpayer Protections move forward


Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston)’s SB 700 was voted out of committee today with bipartisan support and only one "no" vote (Sen. Judith Zaffirini D-Laredo). The bill basically requires a roll back election when local government revenues exceed 8% over the last year. There will be no onerous petition-gathering requirement. TML is already attacking the bill (see the email below) and we need your help to fight back.

Please call your senator in support of Senate bill 700 that improves the transparency of the property tax system. SB 700 does three things: 1. requires appraisals be included in the notice along with the percentage increases for the last five years, 2. requires counties with at least 500,000 people to offer electronic appraisal protest and settlement; and 3. requires rollback elections when the 8% revenue mark is met or exceeded.

This is not a revenue cap, but a revenue disclosure. And though local government officials claim they should not need to hold a vote, they use the excuse that a vote is expensive. That’s an easy one – just don’t collect 8% more from your voters! They also oppose it on the grounds of “local control.” But what constitutes local control more than voters participating in government?

If you didn’t get a substantial property tax cut last year, it is because local governments devoured that school property tax cut. We need SB 700. To find your State Senator, click here: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

Here is an example of your city tax dollars at work, The Texas Municipal League (funded by city tax dollars) opposing this basic taxpayer protection. The email be;pw was sent to all TML members today.

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Subject: TML Legislative Alert -- REVENUE CAP BILL PASSES SENATE COMMITTEE

SB 700 by Sen. Patrick was voted from the Senate Finance Committee today.
As voted from the committee, the bill would require a city to automatically conduct a property tax rate ratification election any time the city adopts a tax rate that exceeds the rollback rate (current law requires a petition from citizens to trigger a rollback election).

Mandatory tax rate elections are an expensive and unnecessary revenue cap on Texas cities.


***Concerned cities should contact their senators now and urge them to oppose SB 700.***


Legislative Services
Texas Municipal League

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As Taxpayer Advocates, we urge citizens to call their State Senators and ask them to SUPPORT SB 700 and call your city council members and ask that they pull out of TML.