Tax increment financing (TIF) is a public financing tool that uses increased property tax revenue within a designated area for redevelopment projects. TIF advocates believe it helps redevelop blighted areas that would not otherwise see private investment, and thereby increases total economic growth in the area. However, serious concerns exist regarding Texas’ use of TIF.
My Journey to Understand El Paso’s Lobbying Expenses
In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed a law (House Bill 1495) to help correct “unethical political behavior” at the local level. One key provision in the law requires political subdivisions to disclose the amount of money being spent to lobby the legislature in their proposed budgets. As more fully articulated in Sec. 140.0045 (b)(2) of...