Laredo Times

Vance Ginn, citing committee sessions in a June 13 newsletter, outlined the importance of reducing property taxes for all Texans. 

Ginn, the chief economist for the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), explained in previous research piece cited in the newsletter that the tax levy in Laredo grew faster from 2016 to 2020 than the preferred rate of growth during that period.

“No matter how you slice it, Texans everywhere need property tax relief,” Ginn said in the newsletter. “Whether rich or poor, urban or rural, homeowner or renter, Texans face an affordability crisis that can be helped with property tax relief. And they want it now."

Ginn referenced previous reporting by the Austin Journal on comments he made to the Senate Finance Committee about what could be done to lower property taxes. He noted that a proposal could cut property taxes statewide by as much as 80%, with the state’s budget surplus being used to reduce maintenance and operations taxes by next year, when they would be sunset.

Renae Eze, press secretary for Gov. Greg Abbott, said the governor supports the plan to tap the state’s surplus to ultimately ease the tax burden for residents in Laredo and across Texas.

“He [Abbott] strongly supports using the state surplus to reduce the amount of property taxes owed and will work with the Legislature in the next session to do it in an efficient way that will ensure it endures for years to come, rather than as a one-time buy down,” Eze told the Journal. “And under his Taxpayer Bill of Rights, Gov. Abbott will continue working to deliver substantial and lasting property tax cuts.”

Texas Public Policy Foundation noted on its website that from 2016 to 2020, Dallas’ property tax levy jumped 56.5% to $1.3 billion, up from $863.9 million. The report also noted that combined inflation and population grew 6.4% during that period, a difference of 50.2% between the two indexes.