CSHB 3167 seeks to expedite the permitting process so that there is greater predictability for developers and lower costs for consumers. This bill would streamline the development and permitting process by requiring jurisdictions to conduct more thorough initial reviews followed by substantive comments on an application that the developer can then address. After the developer addresses the initial round of substantive comments, the jurisdiction will only be permitted to re-review the amendments, without any availability to review any other parts of the application that were not initially deemed deficient.
Taxes & Spending
Assessing Tax Trends in the City of Austin
Does history suggest that property taxes are too high in the city of Austin? 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 19, 2026