The latest property taxes news from The Texas Tribune.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen did not close the door on passing a sales tax swap with a simple majority instead of the current approach requiring two-thirds support of lawmakers and voter approval. Full Story
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Texas legislators have two versions of their sales-tax-for-property-tax swap in motion, and if they run out of time, lawmakers have more tricks in their pocket. If they don't get the property tax cuts they want, it won't be because of end-of-session deadlines. Full Story
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The revision was made in the House. But the high-priority property tax bill is expected to head to a conference committee, where negotiations could change or remove the provision. Full Story
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The Senate Education Committee approved the school finance bill in a hurried meeting Wednesday. The full Senate is now expected to vote on the legislation Friday. Meanwhile, a House panel advanced a proposal to let voters decide whether a sales tax increase should fund property tax relief. Full Story
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Lawmakers are in their last month of a regular session, with their priority issues — public education and property taxes — still incomplete. If they can't finish without a special session, they'll run into someone else's deadlines; school districts write budgets and set tax rates in June. Full Story
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The House approved the bill designed to slow local property tax revenue growth, but made the bill contingent on the passage of a school finance bill, which is still pending in the Senate. Full Story
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An amendment added to a Senate property tax bill ties it to school finance — a signal the Texas House doesn't want to leave the harder-to-pass education bill behind. Full Story
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A House panel lowered the Senate's cap on how much school property taxes can grow without voter approval, a move billed as symbol more than substance. Full Story
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The bill differs in significant ways from the version the House approved this month. Full Story
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The end of the legislative session — deal-making time — is looming, and the priorities set out by the state's top leaders three months ago remain undone. In fact, those centerpiece school finance and property tax measures aren't even teed up for the final negotiations. Full Story
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Three quarters of the way into the legislative session, lawmakers are still juggling several proposals related to school district taxes, including some that would not provide any tax relief. Full Story
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It's hard to gather support for the state's most persistent problems when you're also pressing forward with issues that divide and anger Republicans and Democrats. It's also business as usual in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Patrick and Shannon about the fight over property taxes at the Texas Lege and the House Speaker’s fiery exchange with a gun rights activist at a GOP fundraiser. Full Story
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Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have already signaled opposition to the proposal from Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen. Full Story
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Top Republican leaders have proposed raising the sales tax and using the money to lower local property tax rates. Wealthier Texans and businesses would likely benefit, while poorer Texans would likely pay more. Full Story
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Lawmakers have proposed swapping higher sales taxes for lower property taxes — but leaving the final decision to voters. They don't have to do it that way, but it could move the blame from them — to the rest of us. Full Story
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After a key Republican holdout agreed to bring a priority bill to the floor, the upper chamber increased an election trigger on revenue increases from 2.5% to 3.5%. But now both chambers must reconcile how they want to tackle rising school district taxes. Full Story
The Texas Legislature is in its biennial spasm of drama, with big bills stuck and some state leaders saying it will take a special session to get property taxes, school finance and all of that done. But they have six weeks to go, and they often do their big work on deadline. Full Story
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"I respect our Senate rules, but I do not intend to let a procedural motion stop the Senate from passing this important bill," the lieutenant governor said. Full Story
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The state's top three leaders bet everything on public education and property taxes this year, but they can't get where they're going — especially if they want to cut property taxes — without bringing some Democrats to their side. Full Story
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