In sum, there’s a yawning gap between the much-ballyhooed Texas miracle and economic reality on the streets of Dallas. And that’s relevant now, because the Legislature opens Tuesday and many economic issues will get a hearing — often in debates on local control.
The beauty of local control is in the eye of the beholder. Statewide leaders warn about the threat from “a patchwork of local laws,” saying it would slow business growth. That’s the rationale for prohibiting large cities from increasing the minimum wage for employers, requiring paid sick time or limiting fracking in certain areas.
In this year’s Lege, property taxes are likely to be the No. 1 fight over local control.
Statewide leaders will push to lower the cap on annual tax increases, which have been climbing along with home values. But capping tax revenue poses a major threat to fast-growing cities that must invest in schools, roads and other infrastructure.
Notice how they imply that the state wants to "cap" tax revenues. That is absolutely not true. The Governor proposes to establish a "trigger" that requires the taxpayers to vote on any tax increase above the "trigger". It is clearly not a cap!
Remember, liberty trumps local control every time. Preservation of individual liberty is the ultimate goal of our republic.
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