Just as Texas has become the national leader in deregulation of telecommunications, it should also become a national leader in reducing telecommunications taxes. The recommendations in this paper would save Texans over $382 million per year. But only if a concerted effort is made to reduce government reliance on these existing tax revenues.
Small Towns, Big Tax Increases
The city of Whitesboro ignited a firestorm recently when officials suggested adopting a tax rate that would have skyrocketed the average homeowner’s property tax bill by 61 percent. The initial public hearing to discuss the matter drew hordes of angry Whitesboro residents who voiced their discontent. So much so, in fact, that city councilmembers tabled...