Gov. Greg Abbott traveled to Fort Worth to promote his property tax reform legislative proposal, holding up Tarrant County as a model for local governments across Texas after the county adopted a resolution endorsing his agenda.
The governor’s office said in an Aug. 20 news release that Abbott joined Tarrant County officials to highlight the proposal, which he has framed as a way to keep Texas affordable. The county adopted the endorsing resolution the previous week, according to the release.
“It is very achievable for jurisdictions across the entire state to do exactly what Tarrant County has done,” Abbott said in the release. “And that is to cut property taxes while fully funding operations in a robust, growing city like Fort Worth and county like Tarrant County.”
During his remarks, the governor said local governments must live within their means, just as families and the State of Texas do, according to the release. He called on jurisdictions across the state to follow Tarrant County’s lead in stewarding taxpayer dollars responsibly.
The office outlined five components of the reform and reduction program: empowering voters to roll back tax increases, requiring what it called common sense local spending limits, creating appraisal predictability, requiring two-thirds voter approval for tax increases, and curbing appraisal growth for all property owners. The release said the agenda would build on earlier efforts that drove down local property taxes and expanded homestead protections.
Abbott was joined by Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare, Precinct 3 Commissioner Matt Krause and Precinct 4 Commissioner Manny Ramirez, the release said. The governor’s office said the property tax reform agenda will be pursued in the next legislative session.