Texas’ local property tax is big and fast-growing. In fiscal 2013, local governments received in excess of $45 billion in property tax revenue, making it the single largest tax imposed in the Lone Star State. Of the total levy, school district taxes represented more than half of the overall burden, at $24.9 billion. The number of taxing jurisdictions levying a property tax grew to more than 4,000 statewide, an increase of 10.6% compared to a decade prior.
Hijacked: How the Bond Process is Being Used Against Taxpayers
School bonds are one of the main instruments contributing to Texas’s local government debt, which is currently over half a trillion dollars. Key points: As of 2026, school bond debt in Texas is over $236 billion. In May of 2023, Texas passed 79% of the 245 bond proposals put on the ballot, costing taxpayers $22.9...