Lobbyist vs Taxpayers Square Off in Austin

The first hearings on triggering an election if local government proposes to increase taxes more than 2.5% year over year were held by the Texas Senate yesterday.

The local government lobbyist, paid for with tax dollars, were out in force testifying against any change in local government authority to impose property taxes.

Georgetown is a member of the Texas Municipal League and the membership is funded with tax dollars.

Texas Municipal League, one of the largest government-growth advocates in the Austin lobby, has staunchly opposed efforts to reform skyrocketing property taxes in Texas driving taxpayers out of their homes and businesses. In the organization’s 2019-2020 Legislative Program released ahead of the 86th Legislative Session, they state their adamant opposition to all measures that would reduce a city’s ability to raise rates in any way:

1. Defeat any legislation that would erode municipal authority in any way, impose an unfunded mandate, or otherwise be detrimental to cities, especially legislation that would:

c. impose a revenue and/or tax cap of any type, including a reduced rollback rate, mandatory tax rate ratification elections, lowered rollback petition requirements, limitations on overall city expenditures, exclusion of the new property adjustment in effective rate and rollback rate calculations, or legislation that lowers the rollback rate and gives a city council the option to re-raise the rollback rate.

If you want to rein in the out-of-control growth in your property tax bill. Contact your State Senator,Charles Schwertner or State Representative Terry Wilson and let them know how you feel.