The Texas Public Policy Foundation recently commissioned Stephen Moore, Donna Arduin, and Arthur B. Laffer to evaluate the state’s fiscal health. This synopsis summarizes the serious problems diagnosed by the economists as well as the prognosis for a healthier Texas economy.
Taxes & Spending
Assessing Tax Trends in the City of Arlington
Does history suggest that property taxes are too high in the city of Arlington? 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 20, 2026