Yesterday, floor debate on HB 2 was postponed until this Monday, April 15, and SB 2 was not considered although it can be called up at any time. Your diligence in contacting lawmakers to explain how these bills threaten essential county government services has made a difference.
Don’t stop now!
Legislators are considering amendments to HB 2 and SB 2, including some that change the revenue cap every year based on the inflation rate. Annual variations in the revenue cap will confuse property taxpayers, make budget planning increasingly difficult, and result in a less transparent tax system. Making property tax calculations more complicated is not transparency and goes against the open-government principles for which county officials are known.
Also, neither bill contains protections from state-mandated costs. While the Texas Legislature can require counties to take on responsibilities, the state does not have to provide funding for those programs and services. That means those costs are paid for by local property taxpayers. If this seems wrong to you, please tell your legislators that state-mandated costs should not be counted against the revenue cap.
Take action today!
Please call your state senator and state representative and share how the revenue cap in HB 2 and SB 2 will impact your county services, such as public safety, disaster response and economic development.
Legislators will surely be talking to constituents about these bills throughout the weekend. Make sure they hear from you, too.