Taxes
Texas attorney general tells 4 cities to drop tax hikes amid investigations into incomplete audits
Read full article: Texas attorney general tells 4 cities to drop tax hikes amid investigations into incomplete auditsMost of the cities — Odessa, La Marque, Tom Bean and Whitesboro — said they are following the law and Ken Paxton’s office is jumping the gun on enforcing new state rules.
Texas Senate fast tracks THC ban, flood prep and bathroom restrictions for transgender people
Read full article: Texas Senate fast tracks THC ban, flood prep and bathroom restrictions for transgender peopleSenators moved fast on Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda for the second special session. With House Democrats back in Texas, bills can now move through that chamber.
Explained: The Harris County early childcare program backed by Lina Hidalgo
Read full article: Explained: The Harris County early childcare program backed by Lina HidalgoAfter a heated day in commissioners court, commissioners voted to censure Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo after her tax hike proposal for early childcare failed.
$1.5B film incentive bill signed into law, encouraging more movies, TV shows set in Texas to be shot in Lone Star State
Read full article: $1.5B film incentive bill signed into law, encouraging more movies, TV shows set in Texas to be shot in Lone Star State“This victory belongs to every crew member, storyteller, entrepreneur, and advocate who believes in the power of Texas-made media,” Media for Texas said in a joint statement. “We’re proud to say: this is just the beginning. The future of film is Texas. #ComeAndFilmIt”
Gov. Abbott to sign record-breaking property tax relief bills into law
Read full article: Gov. Abbott to sign record-breaking property tax relief bills into lawHomeowners are one step closer to property tax relief with Governor Greg Abbott set to sign two bills after lawmakers approved $22.7 billion in property tax cuts this session.
The state of Gov. Greg Abbott’s emergency items: Will property tax and school finance get reformed?
Read full article: The state of Gov. Greg Abbott’s emergency items: Will property tax and school finance get reformed?The governor has laid out his legislative priorities. In our latest "Under the Dome" episode, we look at the challenges lawmakers face in addressing the issues of property taxes and school finance.
‘Come and film it’: Texas House passes film incentive bill, strengthening major step for media production industry
Read full article: ‘Come and film it’: Texas House passes film incentive bill, strengthening major step for media production industry“This victory belongs to every crew member, storyteller, entrepreneur, and advocate who believes in the power of Texas-made media,” Media for Texas said in a joint statement. “We’re proud to say: this is just the beginning. The future of film is Texas. #ComeAndFilmIt”
Texas House and Senate lawmakers have laid out their property tax cut proposals. How do they compare?
Read full article: Texas House and Senate lawmakers have laid out their property tax cut proposals. How do they compare?House and Senate lawmakers plan to spend at least $6 billion on property tax cuts, but haven't yet agreed on how much relief should go to homeowners over businesses.
What’s in Spring Branch ISD’s $631.5M bond proposal? A lot of fixes for sports facilities
Read full article: What’s in Spring Branch ISD’s $631.5M bond proposal? A lot of fixes for sports facilitiesWith over 7,600 students participating in athletics and another 750 in bands and cheer squads, the district says these upgrades are vital for success and safety.
Airbnb has collected nearly $35 million in tourism taxes on behalf of Houston hosts
Read full article: Airbnb has collected nearly $35 million in tourism taxes on behalf of Houston hostsAirbnb announced it has been collecting and remitting $13.5 billion in tourism taxes on behalf of hosts worldwide. In Texas, as of 2024, Airbnb has generated $105 million, with $35 million of that coming from Houston alone.
Taxpreparer charged after helping clients file false tax returns for more than 4 years
Read full article: Taxpreparer charged after helping clients file false tax returns for more than 4 yearsFrom 2017 to 2021, the taxpayer allegedly added false credits or deductions on tax returns to fraudulently lower her clients’ overall tax liability.
Billions more for tax relief and border security under budget approved by Texas Senate
Read full article: Billions more for tax relief and border security under budget approved by Texas SenateNext step will be action in the state House, where budget writers have different plans for distributing property tax help.
In Texas, private firms cash in on property tax late fees, piling debt onto struggling homeowners
Read full article: In Texas, private firms cash in on property tax late fees, piling debt onto struggling homeownersTexans who fall behind on their property taxes face one of the most punitive systems in the nation, where private collection companies can tack up to 20% onto their bill.
Texas ranked among highest tax rates in the US, WalletHub says
Read full article: Texas ranked among highest tax rates in the US, WalletHub says“Texas residents also don’t pay income tax, but spend 1.58% of their income on real estate taxes, one of the highest rates in the country,” the report claimed.
Texas Senate unanimously approves tax cuts for homeowners
Read full article: Texas Senate unanimously approves tax cuts for homeownersThe marquee proposal would increase the amount of a home’s value exemption from school taxes to $140,000 from $100,000. The legislation must win approval from the House next.
Tax season is here! Here’s what Harris County officials say you should know before filing
Read full article: Tax season is here! Here’s what Harris County officials say you should know before filingThe Harris County Tax Office will be holding a press conference to discuss important information for property owners in the Houston area as tax season nears.
Why a West Texas county is building a new courthouse even after voters rejected the proposal
Read full article: Why a West Texas county is building a new courthouse even after voters rejected the proposalOfficials took the extraordinary step of taking on new debt to replace the old courthouse, which has been plagued by rats and other pests, elevator breakdowns and flooding.
Texas lawmakers target property taxes, abortion and gender transition care in first bills for the 2025 session
Read full article: Texas lawmakers target property taxes, abortion and gender transition care in first bills for the 2025 sessionTuesday marked the first day lawmakers could file bills for next year’s legislative session.
Audit for major U.S. energy company CenterPoint after poor response post-hurricane
Read full article: Audit for major U.S. energy company CenterPoint after poor response post-hurricane“We can look at how they evaluate customer needs for where the mobile generation needs to go, including looking at their emergency operation plan and how it deals with this,” PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson said.
Texas would need about $81.5 billion a year to end property taxes, officials say
Read full article: Texas would need about $81.5 billion a year to end property taxes, officials sayTexas Republicans have been trying to reduce the state’s high property taxes for years, but some acknowledge eliminating them would be too expensive.
Houston tax preparer admits to falsifying returns, resulting in over $100K in losses
Read full article: Houston tax preparer admits to falsifying returns, resulting in over $100K in lossesCourt records claim Guevara admitted to placing $26,857 in fake business losses that resulted in a tax loss to the U.S. of $13,390 on that return. He took responsibility for $123,458 in losses to the IRS and will be paying that back as restitution.
Texas Republicans have tried to rein in property taxes for five years. Has it worked?
Read full article: Texas Republicans have tried to rein in property taxes for five years. Has it worked?Texas has spent billions of dollars to drive down property taxes. Many homeowners saw a significant tax cut last year, per a Texas Tribune analysis.