The Conservative Texas Budget (CTB) limits the Legislature’s increase in appropriations for the 2018-19 biennium to no more than population growth plus inflation. As the budget heads to the conference committee for final negotiations before consideration by both chambers, the passed versions of SB 1 by the Senate and the House indicate that they can keep appropriations below the CTB limits.
Taxes & Spending
Assessing Tax Trends in the City of Dallas
Does history suggest that property taxes are too high in the city of Dallas? And, if so, have local decision-makers actively helped or hurt the situation? To help answer these questions, let’s review the city’s 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and gather four types of data—i.e., tax levies, local population, total tax rates, and taxable values—over a 10-year time horizon. Using these audited estimates, we can gauge the growth of government (i.e., tax levy trends), assess its reasonability...
February 18, 2026