Public pension costs represent a significant portion of city and county government spending. As public pension costs rise, the risk increases for taxpayers and beneficiaries alike. Transferring control of these plans to local voters is a good first step toward more sustainable pensions statewide.
Assessing Tax Trends in Hidalgo County
Does history suggest that property taxes are too high in Hidalgo County? And, if so, have local decision-makers actively helped or hurt the situation? To help answer these questions, let’s review the county’s 2023 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...