This report discusses fiscal 2015, the most recent year for which data is available, in which local debt outstanding, or the amount of unpaid principal on debt owed by Texas’ political subdivisions, grew to an estimated $212.4 billion, “an increase of $20.09 billion (10.4 percent) over the past several years” (Texas Bond Review Board, 2). To help rein in the growth of local government debt, state legislators should require political subdivisions to provide voters with more information at the ballot box for each new debt proposition.
Taxes & Spending
Just the Facts: Property Taxes in Texas’ Most Populous Cities, Counties, and School Districts 4th Edition
Property taxes imposed by local governments have, in many instances, outpaced population growth and inflation. As a result, Texans pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation. Key points: Property taxes are assessed and collected by local governing bodies. The State does not levy a property tax. Local governments levied $89.4 billion in...
April 3, 2026