Basic economics explains that taxes on businesses are simply passed onto taxpayers in the form of higher prices, lower wages, and fewer jobs. In other words, businesses do not pay taxes; taxpayers do. This has been at the heart of the discussion about the business tax in Texas known technically as the franchise tax but commonly called the “margin tax.”
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