How to Lower Property Taxes

HOW TO LOWER PROPERTY TAXES:

Right now, ISD School Boards are powerless to lower tax rates because every time revenue increases from higher valuations, the state reduces its contribution, forcing the district to pay more each time. This means that rates reach the maximum level and can never come down. Do the following:

1. Keep the current tax rate cap. The goal is to move it down, not up. 2. Pass a law that says that the state must be an equal partner in education for each district. This means that 50% commitment is determined BY THE LOCAL REVENUE GENERATED AND NO OTHER WAY. The state must fully match local revenue to attain 50%. No numbers games. 3. Put in a rider to protect poor districts which currently receive more than 50% from the state. 4. Sit back and watch the rates come down while most districts actually have more money. The whole purpose of having a school board is to have people IN THE COMMUNITY in charge of this because they pay that tax, too. As the state contribution moves up, local obligation lessens, and the school board in most districts will be able to slowly lower rates over time. This ensures that property taxes stay in the district and do not assist the state with other programs. With the higher obligation to the state, yes, it will have to raise more money. However, this shouldn't require anything as drastic as a state income tax. Instead, how about bringing back the corporate taxes that we used to have in the first place to do that very thing? Corporate Texas needs to carry its share rather than local property taxes carrying them.