According to Texas Almanac, it is estimated that there are more than 3,000 unincorporated towns within the state of Texas (Texas Almanac, n.d.). An unincorporated town “does not have a local government,” but exist “by tradition,” and “typically do not have elected officials at the town level” (Rampage, 2021). Furthermore, unincorporated areas “are not part of a city,” as “the county has authority for law enforcement and road maintenance. Their local ordinances, rules, and police regulations are usually
codified” (OER Commons, n.d.).
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