The High and Rising Burden of Property Taxes.

Originally published at Texans for Fiscal Responsibility and full testimony there. 

​The following piece is taken from Dr. Vance Ginn’s Testimony to the Texas House Select Committee on Sustainable Property Tax Relief:

Over the last decade, the Texas Legislature has made some progress in providing property tax relief, but the housing affordability crisis demands more action. Moreover, property taxes are not just a financial burden but are fundamentally immoral as they force Texans to perpetually rent from the government, functioning as unrealized capital gains and wealth taxes paid annually. This system makes it difficult for many families to build or pass on a legacy. As noted in the following three charts, property taxes have risen too fast for too long.