Texas Attorney General blocks 130 cities from raising property taxes
The Texas Tribune • • nation
Key Points:
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has informed over 130 cities they cannot raise property taxes due to non-compliance with Senate Bill 1851, which requires annual financial audits and statements.
- Senate Bill 1851 aims to limit property tax increases by cities that fail to conduct and disclose financial audits, as part of a GOP effort to control Texas's high property taxes.
- Paxton’s office identified approximately 135 cities, including Alpine, Balch Springs, Victoria, and Wimberley, as non-compliant, with investigations ongoing.
- Small cities have expressed concerns that the audit requirements and tax penalties disproportionately strain their limited resources and budgets.
- Larger cities such as Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Corpus Christi were initially investigated but are not currently barred from raising property taxes.