SB 449 would prohibit Texas' local governments from issuing capital appreciation bonds, an exotic type of municipal bond that defers payment of principal and interest for many years, sometimes decades, putting in jeopardy future taxpayers.
Assessing Tax Trends in the City of Ft. Worth
Does history suggest that property taxes are too high in the city of Ft. Worth? 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...