The growth of municipal property taxes has steadily increased over the past twenty years, fast outpacing population and inflation growth. Although the Texas Legislature has provided cities with a tool to lessen the tax burden on residents — allowing cities to exempt up to 20 percent or $5,000 of the value of a homestead residence from municipal taxation — many cities have not yet made use of this permissive tool. Thus, the following ordinance gives practical effect to the Legislature’s homestead exemption.
The debate questions Americans want answered
It’s just a shame the media in control of the debate will be unlikely to focus on the most vital issues. The media have begun their predictable lead-up to the first presidential debate slated for June 27 with the usual question — “Do debates really matter?” — before answering it themselves. As Politico’s Jack Shafer...