Tag Archives: sales taxes

Yes, they really are now pushing a sales tax for property tax swap

Posted on April 11, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Some bad ideas never die. Texas’ top three political leaders — Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen — threw their support Wednesday behind a proposal to increase the sales tax by one percentage point … Continue reading →

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Inevitably, we come back to a sales tax/property tax swap

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s an idea we just can’t seem to quit. Texas lawmakers are considering an infusion of $9 billion to improve public schools and lower property taxes over the next two years. The additional $6.3 billion in the classroom is being … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS and sales taxes

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This ruling will be good for Texas. Texas stands to gain hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue after the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that states may force online retailers to collect sales tax even when they … Continue reading →

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From the “Nothin’ but good times ahead” department

Posted on January 31, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Given the good economic conditions in Texas right now, you’d think the budget outlook would be better than it is. The Texas economy is growing healthily, but that doesn’t mean state budget writers will have more money at their disposal … Continue reading →

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State of the County 2017: Ed Emmett versus state leadership

Posted on December 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you heard was a fight breaking out. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett on Tuesday used his annual State of the County speech to blast state leaders who he said attack local governments and seek to cut needed taxes … Continue reading →

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Emmett calls for changes to county’s flood strategy

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. Calling Tropical Storm Harvey’s devastation a “game-changer,” Harris County Judge Ed Emmett on Monday called for a sweeping reexamination of the region’s flood control strategy, a process that could include billions of dollars to upgrade aging dams, … Continue reading →

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The “border adjustment tax” is a sales tax increase by another name

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s a feature, not a bug. Retailers across Texas and the country are warning that a proposed border adjustment tax would increase the cost of imports and, by extension, the price of food, clothing and other consumer goods. Texas companies, … Continue reading →

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Time once again to talk about the Super Bowl and its economic impact

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’re less than 100 days out from Super Bowl LI here in Houston. I don’t know how much people who are not directly involved in the planning and execution of it are thinking about that. The economic benefits of hosting … Continue reading →

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Our tax system isn’t quite as stupid as it could be

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good news! A Texas Supreme Court ruling has spared the state from having to issue billions of dollars in tax refunds to oil and gas drillers — a prospect that had had threatened to shake up the next legislative session. … Continue reading →

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Council unanimously passes Turner’s first budget

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good job. Mayor Sylvester Turner achieved his goal of securing unanimous passage of his first general fund budget Wednesday morning, a month ahead of the typical schedule and after an unusually brief and uncontentious discussion of council members’ proposed changes. … Continue reading →

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Have I mentioned lately that the revenue cap is stupid public policy?

Posted on April 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Because it is. Sales taxes are Houston’s second-largest source of revenue for the general fund, which pays for most core services. Just as concerning for city officials, however, was more news about the city’s largest general fund revenue source: property … Continue reading →

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Final Four weekend was pretty good for Houston

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll take it. Beyond the basketball court, the Houston economy appears to be the big winner of the Final Four. Across the city, several restaurants, bars and hotels reported big boosts in customers and cash flow, as an estimated 70,000 … Continue reading →

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Lawsuits and low oil prices

Posted on April 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Both are threatening the next Texas budget. Last week, lawyers for the state of Texas got the latest in a string of bad legal news. A lawsuit challenging the state’s foster care system as inhumane appeared to gain steam when … Continue reading →

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The Supreme Court hears that case about how stupid our tax system is

Posted on March 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot of money riding on the outcome. With billions of dollars at stake, the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a tax showdown whose outcome could shake up the next legislative session while straining the historically friendly … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court to decide just how stupid our tax system is

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, goody. The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear arguments in a case that could deliver a multi-billion windfall to struggling oil and gas producers by taking a major bite out of state tax revenue. The issue before the … Continue reading →

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We have a messed up tax system in this state, part deux

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sooner or later, it’s going to collapse under its own weight. The state’s highest civil court last week agreed to hear a case hinging on whether metal pipes, tubing and other equipment used in oil and gas production should be … Continue reading →

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We have a messed up tax system in this state

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The latest exhibit: The volatile oil and gas industry already has prompted Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar to reduce his state revenue estimate, but that may not be the last of the bad budget news. A court decision potentially could cost … Continue reading →

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The Prop 7 funds are already being claimed

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready for a lot more road construction in the near future. Voters have a little more than a week to decide whether to give Texas highways a $2.75 billion annual funding boost, but Houston-area officials are already making plans … Continue reading →

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Revisiting the Texas-Amazon sales tax deal

Posted on August 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman looks back and concludes it was a pretty good deal all around. In 2012, the state rolled the dice on a controversial deal with e-commerce giant Amazon.com. To end a two-year battle, Texas said it would drop a … Continue reading →

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BP settlement cash

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. The city of Houston, Harris County and Metro netted $23 million in compensation from BP for revenue they could not collect in the wake of the company’s 2010 Gulf oil spill, officials announced Thursday. Houston will pocket about $12.2 … Continue reading →

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Circling back to city finances

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. This time, [City Finance Director Kelly] Dowe insists, the $126 million deficit he projects for the budget year that starts next summer is not going to disappear, as past projected shortfalls have. … Continue reading →

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Sales tax revenues take a dip

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t freak out just yet, but do be a little worried. Houston’s 53-month consecutive span of year-over-year sales tax revenue gains has come to an end, five months into an energy slump analysts said could dent the city’s economic numbers … Continue reading →

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Meet your Constitutional amendments

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

A pretty uninspiring bunch, if you ask me. Now that the dust has settled on the 84th Texas Legislature, voters are getting the first official look at which constitutional amendments they will be voting on come November. Texas Secretary of … Continue reading →

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Budget deal

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

What Christopher Hooks says. Texans, you can put down your pitchforks and douse your torches: The edibles you’ve squirreled away in your emergency bunkers can be safely consumed. Life can begin anew. The tax cut war between House and Senate … Continue reading →

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House passes sales tax cut

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Over to you, Danno. The Texas House tentatively approved a $4.9 billion tax relief plan Tuesday that includes a cut to the state’s sales tax, marking a clear line in the sand against the Senate, which favors property tax cuts. … Continue reading →

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Bill filing deadline has passed

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Believe it or not, we are almost halfway through the legislative session, and we have now passed the point where new bills can be filed. Racing to beat a deadline for filing bills, state lawmakers on Friday submitted hundreds of … Continue reading →

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Voodoo economics

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Also known as Dan Patrick’s budgetary contortions. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, joined by the Texas Senate’s lead budget writers, announced “a new bold proposal” Wednesday morning to allow lawmakers to cut property taxes and pay down the state’s debt without … Continue reading →

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The games our tax system plays

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I find this just fascinating. It’s been described as bribery, taxation without representation and a shady political maneuver. Others have called it an innovative way to deal with budgetary problems and get things done. Ever since Texas lawmakers made it … Continue reading →

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From the “Simple answers to simple questions” department

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman asks “Would Dan Patrick’s tax plan lower your taxes?” Efforts to shift toward sales tax in lieu of property and income taxes have in recent years gained momentum in Republican-led states — even as economists warn that this … Continue reading →

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The Lite Guv debate

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It was lively, and it was a good reminder of who Dan Patrick really is. In the only scheduled debate in their race for lieutenant governor, state Sens. Dan Patrick and Leticia Van de Putte faced off on Monday night … Continue reading →

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Dan Patrick sightings

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I doubt that the Chron’s calling out of Dan Patrick had anything to do with him appearing in public, in the daylight, where there might be people that don’t vote Republican, but it was good timing anyway. Now that Patrick … Continue reading →

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Teacher health insurance costs

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another thing on the list of things the Legislature needs to deal with but won’t. Health care insurance costs for hundreds of thousands of Texas teachers and other public school employees are scheduled to go up again this fall, prompting … Continue reading →

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Collier’s sales tax criticism of Hegar makes the news

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

That’s how you do it. Democrat Mike Collier, a certified public accountant from Houston, will start airing television ads criticizing opponent Glenn Hegar, a Republican state senator from Katy, for his support to phase out property taxes and increase state … Continue reading →

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Collier hammers Hegar for property tax idiocy

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good. During the recent Republican primary for state comptroller, state Sen. Glenn Hegar repeatedly endorsed eliminating local property taxes in Texas. Borrowing from GOP opponent Debra Medina’s 2010 playbook, Hegar urged a shift to sales taxes to make up the … Continue reading →

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