(Texas Scorecard) – As Texas lawmakers began filing legislation for consideration next year, one state representative submitted a series of proposals to require more transparency and accountability from local government officials who impose property taxes.
Tuesday was the first day lawmakers could “pre-file” bills for consideration during the 89th legislative session, which begins in January.
State Rep. Brian Harrison (R–Midlothian) pre-filed 30 bills, including several aimed at protecting property taxpayers, and posted them in a thread on X.
“We must restore fiscal responsibility to local government,” admonished Harrison.
First on Harrison’s list was House Bill 250 to require voter approval for all property tax increases.
“Property taxes are unethical and should be eliminated,” wrote Harrison. “Until then, any property tax hikes should require an election.”
Harrison also filed House Bill 698 to eliminate property taxes “within five years.” The bill establishes an interim committee of House and Senate members to determine how to replace lost property tax revenue.
“Never ending property taxes are unethical, immoral, inconsistent with private property rights, preclusive of home ownership, and must be abolished,” he posted.
Harrison’s House Bill 774 would force local governments to use any surplus revenue to reduce property taxes “on our way to fully abolishing them.”
Another Harrison proposal, House Bill 217, would require a 60-percent supermajority vote to raise property taxes.
Responding to requests from voters facing a barrage of advertising for school bonds and tax hikes, Harrison also filed House Bill 919 to stop tax dollars from being used to campaign for higher property taxes and House Bill 953 to prevent contributors to bond campaigns from profiting off the bond-funded projects.
“Outrageous taxpayer-funded electioneering for bonds and VATRE’s (aka tax hikes) has been happening all across Texas. That must end,” he posted.
“I’m sick of people getting rich off of tax hikes,” added Harrison.
Harrison’s House Bill 929 would defund the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)—“a liberal, extremist, taxpayer-funded lobbying organization that hates parents, lobbies against education opportunities for poor families, and supports men in girls’ locker rooms.”
“TASB weaponizes my constituents’ money against them, their values, and their children. They must be stopped,” wrote Harrison.
Other transparency measures filed by Harrison include:
— House Bill 829 to require “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE” language on school bond ballot propositions to be in bolded size 42 font.
— House Bill 948 requiring government employee salaries and contracts to be posted online.
“We must bring transparency back to government.” Harrison wrote.
Several of Harrison’s proposed measures fulfill requests by taxpayers and advocates like Amy Hedtke.
“Let’s see if you guys can pull it off,” Hedtke told members of the Senate Local Government Committee during a hearing last week on increasing voters’ control over property taxes.
The Texas Legislature’s next regular session begins on January 14, 2025.