Because school facilities taxes are part of many taxpayers’ total school property tax bill, the way that facilities are funded should be a fundamental part of comprehensive school finance reform. The growing investment of state tax dollars to help local school districts pay off facilities debt lends particular urgency to the need for state policymakers to establish standards, accountability, and controls for the debt that local school districts elect to incur and pass along to every taxpayer in the state.
Tracking Local Government Debt in Texas: 2016 – 2025
Local governments in Texas have accumulated excessive public debt. Strict reforms are necessary to restore fiscal discipline. Key points: In fiscal year 2025, local government borrowing reached nearly $561 billion in combined principal and interest, which is $17,706 in debt per capita. From 2016 to 2025, total local debt rose from $331.8 billion to $561...