Texas’ franchise tax was expanded in 2008. With four years’ experience in collecting what is referred to as the “margin” tax, it is clear that abolishing the margin tax is the right “fix” for Texas.
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Chuck DeVore is the vice president of national initiatives at the Foundation. He writes about the economy and how energy, tax and regulatory policies influence general prosperity, and he frequently appears on Fox News. He also guides the Foundation’s growing national work in criminal justice reform. He authored the book The Texas Model: Prosperity in the Lone Star State and Lessons for America.
James Quintero is the policy director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Government for the People campaign. Since joining the Foundation in 2008, Quintero has focused extensively on: state & local government spending, taxes, debt, public pension reform, annexation, and local regulations.
Texas’ franchise tax was expanded in 2008. With four years’ experience in collecting what is referred to as the “margin” tax, it is clear that abolishing the margin tax is the right “fix” for Texas.
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Property taxes imposed by local governments have, in many instances, outpaced population growth and inflation. As a result, Texans pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation. Key points: Property taxes are assessed and collected by local governing bodies. The State does not levy a property tax. Local governments levied $89.4 billion in...
Every year, local governments in Texas spend millions upon millions to influence state-level policymaking. These advocacy campaigns are funded with tax dollars and often employ external lobbyists (i.e. registered lobbyists), internal lobbyists (i.e. intergovernmental relations personnel), and pro-government associations (i.e. Texas Municipal League, Texas Association of Counties, Texas Association of School Boards, etc.). One local...
The 45th Legislature established the Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act (TLFFRA) in 1937 to create local retirement systems for the benefit of full-time, part-time, and volunteer firefighters in participating cities. At the time, lawmakers intended to create a general governance structure while still “leav[ing] administration, plan design, contributions, and specific investments to each system’s...