The May 21 higher education conference designed for regents appointed to the state’s major university systems explored the rising cost of higher education, the quality of higher education in Texas, and the roles and responsibilities of regents. This publication provides important resource information on each of those areas, as well as the solutions for how to strengthen higher education in Texas.
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