In FY2017, Texas Child Protective Services (CPS) removed 19,782 children from their homes. From November 2016 to November 2017, removals increased 18.1%. More children are entering foster care than exiting (3% more in FY2016, 5% more in FY2017), contributing to a crisis in foster care capacity and increasing the state’s reliance on congregate care.
Eliminating the School M&O Property Tax
Texas has some of the highest property taxes in the nation. In 2014, the Tax Foundation reported that Texas had the sixth highest effective property tax rate. In 2016, more than 5,100 local tax jurisdictions levied $56.1 billion in property taxes, or $2,000 on average for every Texan—man, woman, and child. And property taxes continue...