Tag Archives: property taxes

Who’s willing to pay for more flood mitigation?

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Harris county’s four commissioners said Wednesday they could support either a property tax increase or reallocation of funds in the county budget to better fund flood control projects after a series of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged Commissioners Court, density, Ed Emmett, flooding, Gene Locke, Harris County, Harris County Flood Control District, Jack Cagle, Jack Morman, property taxes, Steve Radack | 3 Comments

Straus wants to study school finance

Posted on June 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I appreciate the effort, but I plan to keep my expectations low. Citing a recent Texas Supreme Court decision that upheld the state’s public school funding system while deeming it “undeniably imperfect,” state House Speaker Joe Straus on Thursday ordered … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Dan Patrick, Joe Straus, lawsuit, property taxes, school finance, schools, Senate, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege, vouchers | 1 Comment

We’re still lousy at funding schools

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. Texas still ranks in the bottom third of states in spending per pupil in the U.S., with essentially no change in either amount or standing, a new study shows. The finding doesn’t help, and could … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged budget, business margins tax, lawsuit, National Education Association, pre-kindergarten, property taxes, school finance, schools, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege, TSTA, Wallace Jefferson | 1 Comment

First look at how HISD will balance its budget

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Seems to be fairly well-received. The Houston school district’s interim superintendent on Thursday rescinded his proposal to reduce funding for gifted students amid concerns from parents and board members. At the same time, Ken Huewitt proposed bolstering the budgets of … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged budget, deficit, HISD, HISD Board of Trustees, Houston, Ken Huewitt, property taxes, school finance, school finance reform, schools, The Lege | 5 Comments

Turner announces his budget

Posted on April 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Utilizing a shared sacrifice approach, Mayor Sylvester Turner today unveiled a proposed Fiscal Year 2017 General Fund budget that eliminates a projected $160 million shortfall that was the result of cost increases, voter imposed revenue limitations, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged budget, deficit, economy, Houston, layoffs, pension fund, property taxes, revenue cap, Sylvester Turner, TIRZ | 16 Comments

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 →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged budget, deficit, economy, Houston, Houston City Council, Kelly Dowe, property taxes, revenue cap, sales taxes, Sylvester Turner, The Lege | 7 Comments

Doing more to get tax breaks

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see about this. Companies seeking city tax breaks soon could get a boost if they commit to providing additional community benefits – such as workforce housing, paid internships for low-income students or jobs for those who previously were incarcerated … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged budget, Good Jobs First, Houston, property taxes, Sylvester Turner, Texas Organizing Project | 3 Comments

What kind of ruling might we expect in the school finance case?

Posted on March 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

KUHF explores the possibilities. Four major scenarios to watch for: The Texas Supreme Court could not rule at all. Instead, it could send the case back to the lower court to see if the latest $2.5 billion dollars to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged budget, CPPP, lawsuit, MALDEF, Paul Bettencourt, property taxes, school finance, schools, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

HISD girds for budget cuts

Posted on February 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to the job, Ken Huewitt. Isn’t this fun? Houston’s deputy superintendent on Thursday presented the school board with the deepest round of proposed budget cuts since 2011, leaving principals to decide between slashing staff, supplies, field trips or other … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged budget, HISD, HISD Board of Trustees, Houston, Ken Huewitt, lawsuit, property taxes, school finance, schools, Spring Branch, Supreme Court, Sylvester Turner, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

Things are tough all over

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

HISD faces a big deficit: Houston ISD leaders are bracing for a projected $107 million budget shortfall that, in a worst-case scenario, could prompt the district to slash jobs. During the school board meeting Thursday, however, officials pledged to try … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged budget, deficit, Harris County Appraisal District, HISD, HISD Board of Trustees, Houston, Ken Huewitt, lawsuit, property taxes, revenue cap, school finance, schools, special session, Supreme Court, Sylvester Turner, The Lege | 2 Comments

Exxon Mobil fighting its tax bill

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Of course they are. Exxon Mobil is fighting the Harris County Appraisal District over the $1.04 billion value placed on its sprawling new office complex in Spring, just south of The Woodlands. The oil giant, which has been guarded about … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged Exxon Mobil, Harris County, HCAD, lawsuit, property taxes | Comments Off

Selecting a successor for El Franco Lee: What I’m looking for

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Building on what we discussed last time, what am I, as one of maybe 100 people who has the privilege of selecting a Democratic nominee to take El Franco Lee’s place on the November ballot – and most likely, on … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged Commissioners Court, El Franco Lee, Election 2016, Harris County, jail overcrowding, jails, Medicaid, property taxes | 6 Comments

Republicans sure are hoping to get a bailout on school finance

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Am I the only one who thinks that a lot of this sounds like wishful thinking? The Texas Supreme Court may punt in a far-reaching school finance case, asking a lower court to assess the Legislature’s latest efforts on public … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged budget, Greg Abbott, Jimmie Don Aycock, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Mike Schofield, Nathan Hecht, property taxes, school finance, schools, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Two school finance stories

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Tough times in the oil patch mean tough times for school districts in the oil patch. The U.S. shale boom flooded the state’s public schools with a gusher of cash, but that windfall is disappearing nearly as fast as it … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged budget, charter schools, lawsuit, Permanent School Fund, property taxes, school finance, schools, Supreme Court, Texas, Texas Charter School Association, The Lege | Comments Off

Keeping an eye on Katy ISD

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This could be interesting. Some of the details of George Scott’s “shadow school board” are still that – shadowy. But as the conservative blogger has assembled a group to meet regularly to reach its own conclusions about the business of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged Gayle Fallon, George Scott, Harris County Hospital District, Katy, Katy ISD, Kickstarter, property taxes, schools, standardized testing, Texas | 1 Comment

The Woodlands versus its neighbors

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. The Woodlands prides itself on being the best-planned community around, with tree-studded neighborhoods, miles of trails, sprawling parks and a town center with a distinctly urban feel. Across Montgomery County, however, some … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged bond referendum, density, Election 2015, Houston, Montgomery County, property taxes, The Woodlands, traffic congestion, Woodlands Township | 3 Comments

When might we get a Supreme Court ruling on school finance?

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

When they’re damn good and ready is the usual answer for Supreme Court rulings, but in the case of school finance lawsuits they usually act with some measure of speed. Given past rulings and politics — three justices on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, budget, Election 2016, lawsuit, primaries, property taxes, school finance, schools, Supreme Court, Texas, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, The Lege, Zaakir Tameez | Comments Off

Once again to the Supreme Court for school finance

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Like deja vu all over again, and again and again and… The Texas Supreme Court is again faced with determining whether the state’s method of funding public schools is unconstitutional, the latest in a series of school finance challenges stretching … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, budget, Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton, property taxes, school finance, schools, STAAR, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege, Wallace Jefferson | 2 Comments

Supreme Court to hear school finance appeal in September

Posted on July 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Mark your calendars. The Texas Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Sept. 1 in the long-running case challenging the state’s school-finance system. “We are very pleased that the court is moving so expeditiously,” attorney David Thompson, representing the Houston Independent … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, budget, Equity Center, Greg Abbott, HISD, Jimmie Don Aycock, lawsuit, property taxes, school finance, school finance districts, school finance reform, Supreme Court, Texas, Texas Taxpayer & Student Fairness Coalition, The Lege | Comments Off

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 →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged ballot order, Constitution, constitutional amendments, Election 2015, property taxes, sales taxes, Texas | 4 Comments

Compromise property tax appraisal bill signed

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s better than nothing, though not by that much. Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a bill that partially closes a loophole that allowed a powerful oil company to take back millions in tax dollars from Houston-area school districts while draining … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Drew Darby, Harris County Appraisal District, Jim Popp, Kelly Hancock, lawsuit, property taxes, Real Values For Texas, sales price disclosure, Senate, Texas, Texas Association of Appraisal Districts, The Lege, Valero | Comments Off

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 →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged budget, business margins tax, Comptroller, Dan Patrick, economy, Glenn Hegar, property taxes, sales taxes, Senate, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Where the education reform bills stand

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the attempt to take a first stab at school finance reform did not make it to the House floor. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t some action on school-related issues. This Chron story from the weekend recapped a … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged budget, Dan Patrick, Dennis Bonnen, Donna Campbell, Harold Dutton, HISD, Jimmie Don Aycock, Joan Huffman, Larry Taylor, North Forest, parent trigger, property taxes, Raise Your Hand Texas, recapture, Sarah Davis, school finance, schools, Senate, standardized testing, Sue Deigaard, Sylvester Turner, Terry Grier, Texas, The Lege, virtual schools, vouchers | Comments Off

Mayor Parker’s last budget

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here it is. Despite sounding the alarm for months that a multimillion dollar deficit could force service cuts, new fees and employee layoffs, Mayor Annise Parker rolled out a $5.1 billion city budget on Tuesday that largely preserves spending levels … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged Annise Parker, body cameras, budget, Election 2015, Houston, Houston City Council, Mayor, property taxes, revenue cap | 1 Comment

Three bad bills

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Bad bill #1: State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, has been trying for months to pass legislation that would make it tougher for local entities to bring in more tax revenue by taking advantage of rising property values. On Thursday, he … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Attorney General, Brandon Creighton, contested case hearing, Election 2015, Geanie Morrison, HISD Board of Trustees, Houston, Houston City Council, lawsuit, local control, Mayor, Paul Bettencourt, property taxes, school finance, Scott McCown, Senate, Supreme Court, Sylvester Turner, TECQ, Texas, Texas Municipal League, The Lege | 3 Comments

Trouble in tax cut paradise

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

What if you propose a tax cut but the beneficiaries of it say they’d rather the money went to something else? Major business groups pushed back Friday against a multibillion-dollar package of tax cuts advancing in the Texas Senate, calling … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged Association of Electric Companies of Texas, business margins tax, Dan Patrick, Election 2014, Jane Nelson, Lite Gov, property taxes, Senate, Texas, Texas Association of Business, Texas Association of Manufacturers, Texas Association of Realtors, Texas Chemical Council, Texas Oil and Gas Association, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association | Comments Off

Compromise bill to reform property tax appraisals

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Better than nothing, I guess, but not clear to me yet how much better. State lawmakers are looking to partly close a tax loophole that has allowed big companies to drain tens of millions of dollars from local government coffers … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged budget, Drew Darby, Harris County Appraisal District, Jim Popp, Kelly Hancock, property taxes, Real Values For Texas, Rodney Ellis, Senate, Texas, Texas Association of Appraisal Districts, The Lege, Valero | Comments Off

Reforming property tax appraisal protests

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) releases the following statement regarding Senate Bill 1084, his bill to create a fairer property tax appraisal system in Texas: “Homeowners and local communities across Texas are shouldering an unfair burden when large … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Comptroller, Harris County Appraisal District, lawsuit, Legislative Budget Board, property taxes, Rodney Ellis, Senate, Texas | Comments Off

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 →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged budget, Dan Patrick, Jane Nelson, Joe Straus, Juan Hinojosa, Kevin Eltife, property taxes, rainy day fund, sales taxes, school finance, Senate, spending cap, surplus, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Revenue cap will stay in place

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Boo, hiss. Houston voters will not be given the option this fall of passing a property tax hike after a City Council committee on Thursday unanimously recommended leaving the city’s much-maligned revenue cap alone. […] The topic has received less … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged budget, Clarence Bradford, Houston, Houston City Council, Oliver Pennington, property taxes, revenue cap, Stephen Costello | 6 Comments

We can always pay for tax cuts later

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Item One: Texas House leaders said Monday they can cut taxes by more than the $4 billion initially proposed by their Senate counterparts, upping the ante for the high-profile issue despite other looming big-ticket state needs. “We really believe that … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged budget, business margins tax, Dan Patrick, Greg Abbott, Jane Nelson, Jessica Farrar, Kevin Eltife, Lyle Larson, property taxes, Senate, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

State of the county 2015: Please cooperate more

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett makes his eighth State if the County address. In his eighth State of the County address, Emmett had choice words for both Austin – which is weighing a reduction in property taxes that form the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged annexation, Astrodome, Ed Emmett, Harris County, Harris County Judge, health care, Houston, Medicaid, property taxes, revenue cap, The Lege, Urban Land Institute | 1 Comment

Tax cuts >>> public education

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Well, what did you expect? Senate budget writers have enjoyed praise from conservatives for their focus on tax cuts, but they’re about to get an earful from educators who think their promises could cost Texas public school students. The starting … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged Association of Texas Professional Educators, budget, Jane Nelson, property taxes, schools, Senate, Texas, Texas Classroom Teachers Association, The Lege | Comments Off

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 →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged annexation, Harris County, Houston, income tax, MUDs, property taxes, sales taxes, The Lege | 1 Comment

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