What is ‘Fair’?
What to know: President Biden’s tax plans are based on his notion of “fairness.”
The TPPF take: The notion of fairness is subjective.
“Because everyone drafting or revising the tax code views fairness differently, this approach to fiscal policy has helped turn the tax code into a complicated nightmare,” says TPPF’s E.J. Antoni. “The result is an amalgamation of confusion which no sane person could possibly examine and then diagnose as being ‘fair.’”
For more on tax “fairness,” click here.
Houston Has a Problem
What to know: The city of Houston is planning to increase its budget by hundreds of millions dollars this year, and plug the budgetary holes with federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
The TPPF take: ARPA funds are almost guaranteed to grow government and make it a bigger burden on Texas families.
“States with respectable fiscal track records, like Texas, are being punished while irresponsible state and local governments, like Houston and Austin, are being rewarded,” says TPPF’s Vance Ginn. “Given the strings attached, if the state accepts ARPA funds, Texas’ approach should be a pro-growth, long-term strategy to strengthen the state while assisting struggling Texans still affected by the pandemic and the shutdowns.”
For more on APRA funds, click here.
Good Protests
What to know: The deadline for Texas property owners to protest their appraisals is nearing.
The TPPF take: Most, if not all property owners should protest their appraisals.
“It’s no secret, property values are on the rise in Texas,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “Appraisals have arrived and the deadline to protest them is just around the corner. More than ever, Texans should be protected from escalating property taxes. One thing you have the power to do directly is protest your property tax appraisal.”
For an instructive video on just how to protest your appraisal, click here.