It’s Back
What to Know: Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke has resurrected the debunked claim that Texans pay more in taxes than Californians do.
The TPPF Take: No, Texans don’t pay more taxes than Californians.
“Californians pay $6,813, per capita in state and local taxes each year, according to the Tax Foundation. Texans pay $4,481 per year, per capita,” says TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “That’s about two-thirds of what Californians pay. Where’s the misinformation coming from? It’s in a 2018 report from the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), a left-leaning group funded by organized labor.”
For more on Texas vs. California, click here.
This is the Way
What to Know: Hays County has lowered its tax rate (though due to individual appraisal increases, some property owners may still see higher tax bills).
The TPPF Take: More local governments should lower their tax rates. Now is not the time for a bigger tax burden on Texas families.
“Next session, the Texas Legislature has a golden opportunity to use surplus and savings to permanently compress the school district M&O property tax in a big way. Over time, policymakers can eliminate it entirely thereby removing a major burden on homeowners. This should be a top priority next session,” says TPPF’s James Quintero.
For more on property taxes, click here.
We Have Oil at Home
What to Know: The White House tried—and failed—to convince OPEC+ to increase oil production in hopes of seeing lower gasoline prices by the midterm elections in November.
The TPPF Take: President Biden once lamented he doesn’t “have a magic wand” to make fuel prices lower.
“But there is a magic wand to fix skyrocketing energy prices and inflation, or, rather, a magic word,” says TPPF’s Jason Isaac. “It’s ‘reverse’—reverse the disastrous anti-energy policies that are making global energy shortages far worse. The more scarce oil is, the more expensive it is. It follows that any laws, taxes, fees, or regulations from the federal government that make producing, refining, and distributing oil more difficult also make it more expensive for consumers.”
For more on gas prices, click here.