Two priority bills of the Center for Effective Justice are on their way to the governor’s desk following approval today. The House concurred with Senate amendments on HB 2291 by Rep. Joe Farias, the juvenile victim-offender mediation bill. Both chambers have also approved the conference report on SB 103 by Rep. Juan Hinojosa, the Texas Youth Commission reform bill. Marc Levin, the Center’s director, has provided substantial input to legislators on both of these important bills.
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