Texas’ property tax is big and fast-growing. In 2016, more than 5,100 local tax jurisdictions levied more than $56 billion in property taxes, making it the single largest tax imposed in the Lone Star State. Of the total levy, school district taxes accounted for the bulk of the burden at $29.9 billion followed by cities ($9.2 billion), counties ($9 billion), and special districts ($8 billion). On a per capita basis, Texas’ property tax is large enough to collect more than $2,000 from every man, woman, and child in the state or more than $8,000 from a family of four.
Ban Foreign Funding in Ballot Propositions
Despite federal laws prohibiting foreign funding of candidate elections, foreign individuals and entities are still able to fund campaigns related to state and local ballot initiatives in multiple jurisdictions, creating a loophole that hostile foreign actors can exploit to influence American elections. Key points: Federal law prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to candidate campaigns or...