Abbott, Patrick, Phelan race to negotiate priority issues as deadlines loom
Seeking to avoid a special session, the state leaders discuss school choice, property taxes and grid reform. Full Story
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![Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in the governor's office on Monday, May 22, 2023.]()
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Economic incentives clear Senate committee as negotiations continue
Lawmakers are trying hard to come up with an agreement on how to replace an embattled 20-year tax abatement program for big companies that expired in December. Full Story
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![A working pump jack sits near wind turbines on the Cline Shale near Maryneal, south of Sweetwater, on April 16, 2013.]()
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Texas House approves property tax bill with changes the Senate might not like
House lawmakers added a significant boost to the Senate’s proposed homestead exemption and tacked on a contentious idea to lower the state’s appraisal cap. Full Story
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![A construction crew works on a new home on March 14, 2022 in Midland.]()
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Why tax policy experts fear the Texas House plan to lower property taxes could have dire ripple effects
Both the House and the Senate’s proposals on property tax cuts would give modest savings to the typical Texas homeowner, but critics say the House plan could create vast inequities and disproportionately benefit wealthy homeowners. Full Story
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![A home in a Houston neighborhood on Dec. 14, 2022.]()
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Texas House passes $12 billion property tax relief package, setting up fight over appraisal cap with Senate
House Speaker Dade Phelan has said tightening the appraisal cap is the best way to cut property taxes, but Senate tax-cut proponents, housing experts and business groups predict the move would have dire consequences. Full Story
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![An East Austin neighborhood.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Rift grows between Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan over how to cut property taxes
The Senate wants to raise the homestead exemption. The House wants to tighten the appraisal cap. Both chambers’ leaders are skeptical of each other’s proposal. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan, left, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, center, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
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TribCast: Weighing Donald Trump’s support among Texas Republicans
In this week’s episode, we discuss the Texas reaction to the indictment of Donald Trump and check in on how the leaders of the Legislature are getting along. Full Story
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![Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends his first campaign rally after announcing his candidacy for president in the 2024 election at an event in Waco, on March 25, 2023.]()
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Texas Senate passes $16.5 billion package to lower property taxes
The proposals target the taxes homeowners pay and require school districts to lower their tax rates. Full Story
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![Homes in Austin on Feb. 21, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
The Texas House and Senate differ on how to cut property taxes. Here’s what their proposals say.
Cuts to school property tax bills. Bigger tax benefits for homeowners. A controversial idea to limit property tax growth. Here’s what you need to know about the brewing property tax debate at the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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![An Aerial image of a suburban neighborhood in San Marcos on October 18, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House’s property tax bill calls for $17 billion in cuts, tighter appraisal cap
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan’s proposal reveals the different roads the Texas House and Senate want to take on property taxes — and the fight that might emerge between the two chambers this session. Full Story
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![Construction workers build houses in the new Teravista neighborhood in Georgetown on May 18, 2016.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Here’s what you need to know about the fight over property tax cuts in the Texas Legislature
Republicans are wrestling over how much of the state’s nearly $33 billion budget surplus to spend on property taxes. Democrats have their own ideas about what to do with the cash. Full Story
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![An Aerial image of a suburban neighborhood in San Marcos on October 18, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Supreme Court says it can’t force the state to process deluge of applications for tax break expiring this year
The program, known as Chapter 313, provides companies with billions of dollars in property tax breaks. The court said it is up to the Legislature to make the call on what to do as the program is set to expire and the state is swamped with applications. Full Story
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![State Comptroller Glenn Hegar speaks at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2022.]()
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Companies say they’re being denied Texas tax breaks as a state agency is overwhelmed with applications
Hundreds of businesses have sought tax savings from the state before the Chapter 313 program expires. Two companies say they are missing out despite being eligible. Full Story
![State Comptroller Glenn Hegar speaks at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2022.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: How much will Texas spend on tax cuts?
On this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with James and Karen about property taxes and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s legislative priorities. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick discussed the state budget and legislative priorities at a press conference at the Capitol in Austin on Wednesday.]()
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Texas voters approve two modest property tax relief measures
The state’s high property taxes have taken center stage as Texas’ real estate market explodes and drives up home values. Full Story
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![New home construction in east Longview's Mission Creek subdivision on Friday December 17, 2021. (Michael Cavazos/Photo)]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Here’s how two Texas constitutional amendments could lower some property taxes
The propositions on the May 7 ballot would lower property taxes by shifting more public school costs to the state. But the measures’ language can be hard to understand. Full Story
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TribCast: Melissa Lucio gets a late reprieve
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Jolie about the stay of execution in Lucio’s case and with Josh about property taxes in Texas. Full Story
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![State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas, speaks at a rally organized at Dallas City Hall to free Melissa Lucio on April 7, 2022.]()
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As Texas home values skyrocket, state officials wrestle with how to slow property tax increases
Texas school districts, cities and counties rely heavily on property taxes to pay for roads, libraries, police, firefighters and public schools. But lowering tax bills has long been a difficult endeavor. Full Story
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![An Aerial image of a suburban neighborhood in San Marcos on October 18, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Property tax relief that doesn’t lower your tax bill
Texas lawmakers tried to lower property tax bills during their 2019 session, and a new report says they put a dent in the problem: Taxes aren’t rising as quickly as they would have. But they didn’t solve it: Property taxes are still rising. Full Story
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![A recently sold new home in east Longview's Mission Creek subdivision on Dec. 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas government’s favorite local tax
State lawmakers will tell you they hate property taxes as much as anyone. But the state itself doesn’t levy the tax — local governments do. And lowering it in a meaningful way would require state officials to raise taxes or cut programs. For them, talking about it is easier than doing something. Full Story
![An Aerial image of a suburban neighborhood in San Marcos on October 18, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune