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Texas House Parliamentarian Sharon Carter, listens as state Reps. Cody Vasut, R-Angleton (from left), Richard Hayes, R-Hickory Creek, Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, and Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, negotiate in the lower chamber on April 10, 2025.

$337 billion, two-year budget gets Texas House approval

Read full article: $337 billion, two-year budget gets Texas House approval

The lower chamber’s plan largely aligns with the Senate’s proposal and puts billions toward teacher pay, border security and property tax cuts.

Sarah Rojo in her home in Gardendale on Feb. 23, 2025. Rojo owes thousands in property taxes, made worse by the 20% extra fee that a private, law firm hired for collections, tacked on to the top of her debt.

In Texas, private firms cash in on property tax late fees, piling debt onto struggling homeowners

Read full article: In Texas, private firms cash in on property tax late fees, piling debt onto struggling homeowners

Texans who fall behind on their property taxes face one of the most punitive systems in the nation, where private collection companies can tack up to 20% onto their bill.

The Ector County Courthouse in Odessa on Nov. 7. Officials plan to build a new courthouse that doesn't have leaking pipes and rats.

Why a West Texas county is building a new courthouse even after voters rejected the proposal

Read full article: Why a West Texas county is building a new courthouse even after voters rejected the proposal

Officials took the extraordinary step of taking on new debt to replace the old courthouse, which has been plagued by rats and other pests, elevator breakdowns and flooding.

Completely eliminating Texas' high property taxes would have cost the state $81.5 billion last year or more than half the state's current two-year budget state budget officials told Texas senators Wednesday.

Texas would need about $81.5 billion a year to end property taxes, officials say

Read full article: Texas would need about $81.5 billion a year to end property taxes, officials say

Texas Republicans have been trying to reduce the state’s high property taxes for years, but some acknowledge eliminating them would be too expensive.

Save on taxes on purchases of most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks

Texas tax-free weekend returns Aug. 9-11 to help you save money on back-to-school items

Read full article: Texas tax-free weekend returns Aug. 9-11 to help you save money on back-to-school items

The first day of school will be here before you know it, and you’ll likely want to get the most bang for your buck when shopping for back-to-school materials. Those looking to save can take advantage of this year’s tax-free holiday weekend in August.

Texans in more populous counties are electing appraisal district board members for the first time. Appraisal districts determine property values, a figure that helps determine tax bills.

Texans get their first crack at electing the people overseeing the state’s complicated property appraisal process

Read full article: Texans get their first crack at electing the people overseeing the state’s complicated property appraisal process

In the state’s larger counties, voters can now elect people to the agencies that appraise property values.

Episode 3 explores the heart of a neighborhood in transition and the struggle for the community to define itself

Dignowity Hill: A neighborhood with history on every corner struggles to define itself

Read full article: Dignowity Hill: A neighborhood with history on every corner struggles to define itself

The view of downtown from many of the homes in the Dignowity Hill neighborhood is second to none, but they also have a front-row seat to some of the city’s biggest issues: homelessness, gentrification and rising property taxes.

Texas voters are deciding 14 constitutional amendments, including propositions that could lower property taxes and increase funding for certain infrastructure projects.

Texas voters gave retired teachers raises and approved new infrastructure funds as most constitutional amendments passed

Read full article: Texas voters gave retired teachers raises and approved new infrastructure funds as most constitutional amendments passed

Voters approved a massive property tax cut and several other measures, but refused to raise the mandatory retirement age for judges.

Early voting has begun in the Nov. 7 constitutional amendment election. It includes a proposition that could provide property tax cuts to homeowners and businesses.

Texas proposition lets voters decide whether to cut property taxes for homeowners and businesses

Read full article: Texas proposition lets voters decide whether to cut property taxes for homeowners and businesses

Proposition 4 could usher in a bevy of property tax changes. That includes using $12.7 billion from a record state budget surplus to lower school district taxes.

Alpine ISD Superintendent Michelle Rinehart points to heaters that need to be upgraded inside a classroom at Alpine Elementary School on Aug. 4.

How a state effort to fund Texas schools equitably is shortchanging dozens of rural districts

Read full article: How a state effort to fund Texas schools equitably is shortchanging dozens of rural districts

For decades, the Texas comptroller’s office has double-checked property valuations across the state, which help determine how much school districts can levy in property taxes. But when state and county appraisers disagree, districts can end up with big holes in their budgets.