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Latest Update: Friday, 18 November, 2022 Select #Tags for additional articles:#Electricity #PropertyTax

Summary: State civics is an integral part of Willow Park civics and of Willow Park Civics. Here's a rundown of some of the bills filed on the first day of pre-filing for the 88th Legislative Session. Willow Park Civics is providing a blog of articles on specific legislative topics, during the 88th Texas Legislative Session. Latest Update: Tuesday, 22 November, 2022 Tags:#StateLegislation Here's a rundown of some of the bills filed on the first day of pre-filing for the 88th Legislative Session. Illegal Voting Felonies, ‘Save Women’s Sports Act,’ and School Choice Among Bills Filed on First Day of Pre-Filing The Texan 16 November 2022 Excerpts Here's a rundown of some of the bills filed on the first day of pre-filing for the 88th Legislative Session. Over 900 bills were filed on Monday, the first day of pre-filing, ahead of the 88th Legislative Session that begins January 10, 2023. Among those ranks include bills to eliminate a portion of property tax bills, restore the felony penalty for illegal voting, and expand last year’s prohibition against men competing in women’s sports to colleges. Each chamber has the top set of bill numbers reserved for priority legislation; the Senate set aside the first 30 and the House the first 20. The very first bill filed was state Rep. James Talarico’s (D-Austin) HB 21 to establish an independent redistricting commission made up of citizens drawn out of a pool of applicants. The first Senate bill filed came from state Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) — who filed the first 40 bills in the upper chamber. Senate Bill (SB) 31 would allow interconnection of the ERCOT power grid to surrounding regional grids, something Democrats have called for in the wake of February 2021’s grid collapse. The move would open the door for federal regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which has dissuaded the Texas Legislature from taking that route already. Shortly after, state Rep. Valoree Swanson’s (R-Spring) “Save Women’s Sports Act” was filed as HB 23, which prohibits biological males from competing in women’s sports at the college level. The Legislature passed a similar law last year for kindergarten through 12th-grade sports, and Swanson announced last month she would file the college extension ahead of the 2023 session. In a related topic, two bills filed aim to prohibit gender modification surgeries and procedures on minors — an issue that died in the Texas House last session, and which Gov. Greg Abbott has since tried to address bureaucratically. Among the crop of contentious items this session will be possible “school choice” legislation. Abbott has doubled down on his support for some form of school choice reform, but few details have been discussed. On Monday, state Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) filed HB 176, which lays out a plan for school choice: creating the Texas Parental Empowerment Program and establishing a tax credit for parents to pay for tuition at accredited schools under the program. State Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) filed a few education-related bills, includingSB 164 that would require public schools to teach a course “focus on the principles underlying the United States form of government, the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and the writings of the founding fathers of the United States.” After swinging for the fences last session and passing both the Texas Heartbeat Act and the abortion trigger ban — the latter of which became even more substantial when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June — legislators have other ideas on the abortion issue. State Rep. Cody Vasut’s (R-Angleton) HB 60 would add a section in the state’s enrichment curriculum that requires “instruction that human life begins at conception and has inherent dignity and immeasurable worth from the moment of conception.” HB 61 by state Rep. Candy Noble (R-Lucas) would prohibit local governments from using taxpayer dollars to facilitate abortions — something places like Austin have done over the last couple of years. Gov. Greg Abbott has called for using “at least half” of the state’s projected $27 billion budget surplus to reduce property taxes. Legislation toward that end will likely be among either chamber’s priority slates. However, a related issue did receive notice on pre-filing day. State Rep. Tom Oliverson’s (R-Cypress) HB 174 would eliminate the school district Maintenance & Operations (M&O) tax rate — which Abbott has backed in some fashion — by using $0.90 of every surplus dollar to buy down those rates. The conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) has pushed this plan for a while; in its estimation, Texas could eliminate entirely that component, which is the largest portion of tax bills, in 10 years. State Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano) filed a similar bill as HB 612. State Rep. Andrew Murr (R-Junction), whose bill to eliminate the ISD M&O rate didn’t advance last year, re-filed the same legislation this year as HB 29. But it does not prescribe a replacement for the funding the rate brings in, only tasking a committee to decide on something by the beginning of 2026, the date at which that rate component would be prohibited. HB 70 by state Rep. Donna Howard (D-Austin) would eliminate sales taxes on feminine hygiene products such as tampons — something Abbott stated his support for this summer. Much of House leadership’s priority criminal justice reform package did not pass last year, and a return next session of those that failed is likely. Among them is state Rep. Matt Schaefer’s (R-Tyler) HB 69 which reforms the practice of civil asset forfeiture by raising the standard from the lesser “preponderance of evidence” to the stricter “clear and convincing evidence.” Schaefer also filed two disaster powers-related bills: HB 119 which would establish judicial review for local disaster orders, and HB 154 which would ban state and local mask mandates. State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) and Middleton filed companion bills banning vaccine mandates in Texas. Elections will again be a topic next session — if not the all-consuming one it was last year — and a number of related bills were filed on Monday. The most significant is Murr’s HB 39 which would restore the penalty for illegal voting to a state jail felony. During last year’s second special session, Murr was carrying SB 1 — the large election reform bill — through the House when it was amended by state Rep. Steve Allison (R-San Antonio) to make illegal voting a Class A Misdemeanor. Slaton filed HB 239 to close primaries in Texas, something that gained more relevance over the summer when the Texas GOP opened its own pathway to closed primaries at the state convention. Toth’s HB 221 would make school board elections partisan affairs, requiring candidates on the ballot to have an “R” or “D” next to their name. And Swanson’s HB 190 would require local ballot propositions to mirror exactly the language on its corresponding circulated petition — a point of contention in certain localities, including Austin, as local officials try to influence the outcome of referendums by tweaking the language on the ballot. State Rep. Brooks Landgraf’s (R-Odessa) HB 187 would require all local bond elections to occur on the November uniform date, which tends to have higher voter turnout than the May local elections — an effort to grow the number of taxpayers providing say on the issuance of debt. And state Rep. Mike Schofield’s (R-Katy) HB 445 would allow citizens to sue localities that spend more on a project than a bond proposition approved. State Rep. Erin Zwiener’s (D-Driftwood) HB 75 would add college identification cards to the list of valid forms of voter ID provided they’re from a Texas university. Schofield also filed a bill to adopt Daylight Saving Time full-time. And in one of her first pieces of legislation, state representative-elect Ellen Troxclair filedHB 553 that would ban localities from establishing Universal Basic Income programs — which her old stomping ground of Austin, for which she previously served as a city councilwoman, approved earlier this year. With 56 days until the 88th Texas Legislature gavels in, there is a lot of time for members to pre-file legislation. But the big-ticket items — the ones with the blessing of House and Senate leadership — are likely to be held close to the vest until after the session gets underway. First Day of Prefiling Statistics, 88th Regular Session, Legislative Reference Library of Texas, 17 November 2022

Latest Update: Friday, 26 August, 2022 Tags: #PropertyTax #Finance City and county budgets and tax rates

Summary: Since Property Tax Appraisals are about to accost your mail box and your wallet, here is collection of articles on how to protest your property tax appraisal. This information will be updated often, so bookmark and ya'll come back. Latest Update: Thursday, 21 April, 2022 Texans Prepare to Protest Property Appraisals Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, 05 April 2022 Excerpt Many Texans began receiving their property appraisals from their respective appraisal districts this week. We have heard from many who report higher than expected appraisals, fearful of yet even more increases in their property tax burdens. Are you prepared to protest them? What Can You Do? If you are a property owner you can generally do three things to ease your property tax burden: Protest Your Appraisal As a taxpayer, it behooves you to protest your appraisals every year with your appraisal district. The appraisal paperwork you were sent should provide you with all of the details as to how and when to protest. The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) recently shared a ‘Best Practices’ primer with tips on what information to have available and how best to do so. You have the ability to do things like request the evidence for your perceived appraisal and the right to protest said appraisal. Generally, they count on most property owners not protesting. Homestead Exemption If you have not already, ensure your primary residence has a homestead exemption. This exemption removes a portion of your home’s value from the tax calculation, thereby lowering the taxes owed. You can find out whether your residence qualifies here. An exemption also qualifies property owners for what is considered the ‘homestead cap’, limiting the appraised value of your home to no greater than 10 percent per year. Dialogue With Your Elected Officials It should go without saying that one of the best ways to ensure your taxes stay reasonable is to engage your elected officials at both the local and state levels. Though it is state lawmakers who have the ability to reform how the property tax is collected it is ultimately local officials primarily making the decisions about the rates and what it is used for. Eliminate the Property Tax At TFR, we believe the levying of the property tax is immoral and that it should ultimately be eliminated. There are several alternatives to the tax that could be administered in a more equitable manner but it could also be an option to eliminate and not replace the tax, whereby instead forcing the government to actually cut spending on frivolous things. It has been reported that state lawmakers can expect nearly a $25 billion surplus next legislative session. TFR believes that the surplus should be returned to its rightful owners, you the taxpayer, in the form of tax relief. Republicans have controlled every statewide office and the state legislature for nearly two decades. Despite this and promises to address the ever-increasing property tax burden, they have merely continued to allow the budget to grow and instead provide trinkets of ‘property tax relief’ by ‘slowing the rate by which it grows’. Taxpayers should demand better. Resources: Willow Park Civics > Issues > Property Tax [end]

Latest Update: Friday, 02 September, 2022 Tags: #Finance #PropertyTax Current news articles on Texas

Summary: Texas continues to collect increasing tax revenue every month. In September, sales tax revenue totaled $3.69 billion, 17.2% more than last September; Sales tax accounts for 56% of all tax collections and is the largest source of funding for the state budget. Latest Update: Wednesday, 19 October, 2022 Revenue continues to pour in, $3.7 billion in sales tax collected in September The Center Square 05 October 2022 Excerpts Texas continues to collect increasing tax revenue every month. In September, sales tax revenue totaled $3.69 billion, 17.2% more than last September, Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. Overall, total sales tax revenue for the three-month period ending in September was up 14.9% compared to the same period a year ago. The majority of September sales tax revenue is based on sales made in August and remitted to the agency in September. Sales tax accounts for 56% of all tax collections and is the largest source of funding for the state budget. “State sales tax collections continued to climb rapidly in September, with solid growth in receipts from all major economic sectors,” Hegar said. “Surging receipts from nonretail sectors indicate that the exceptionally strong spending by businesses in recent months continued unabated. Spurred in part by inflation in building materials and other business input prices, the mining, construction, manufacturing and wholesale trade sectors have each exhibited double-digit growth in sales tax remittances for 10 or more consecutive months.” He also noted that receipts from retail trade and restaurants grew moderately and at less than the rate of consumer price inflation. This suggests that Texas households are prioritizing their spending on necessities like rent, groceries and transportation, items not subject to sales tax, in response to inflation. However, receipts from online shopping, building material and home improvement stores, and automotive dealers and parts stores all saw double-digit increases compared to last September. Receipts from clothing, electronics, appliances, furniture and home furnishings stores remained steady. Receipts from general merchandisers, sporting goods and hobby stores were down from a year ago. The largest amount of sales tax paid came from motor vehicle sales and rental taxes totaling $616 million; motor fuel taxes totaled $328 million. Both were up 13% and 2%, respectively, from last September. Alcoholic beverage taxes totaled $138 million; hotel occupancy taxes totaled $57 million; both were up 13% and 11%, respectively, since last September. But the consistent bulk of taxes paid, as has been the case nearly every month this year, has come from the Texas oil and natural gas industry. Willow Park Sales Tax Projection Worksheet During their 12 July 2022 Budget Workshop, the city council had in-depth presentations and discussion about the Willow Park 2022 - 2023 city budget and tax rates, including the following: preliminary 2022 - 2023 budget for all department video / audio of in depth discussion of proposed budget and tax rate. current debt​ in .pdf Sales Tax Projection Worksheet in .pdf City of Willow Park, Sales Tax Report January 2022 [end]

Summary: “My goal is to eliminate the school property taxes imposed in the state of Texas so that people can genuinely own their own home without being taxed out of it,” Abbott said. Latest Update:Tuesday, 18 October, 2022 “My goal is to eliminate the school property taxes imposed in the state of Texas so that people can genuinely own their own home without being taxed out of it,” Abbott said. Abbott, O’Rourke spar over immigration, abortion and Uvalde shooting in debate, Texas Tribune, 30 September 2022 The two candidates were also asked about how they would provide long-term tax relief for Texas property owners. O’Rourke said he would do so by finding new sources of revenue like expanding Medicaid, which would provide some relief to taxpayers who are paying for uncompensated indigent care in their communities. He also said he’d increase the state’s share of public education funding to 50% and make corporations pay their “fair share” of property taxes, and he said the legalization of marijuana could create an additional revenue fund for the state. Abbott said he wanted to use half of the state’s estimated $27 billion surplus next session to provide homeowners with property tax relief by driving property tax rates down. Texas Governor Commits to ‘Eliminate School Property Taxes’ Texas Scorecard, 04 October 2022 In what one pro-taxpayer group called a “bombshell,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said last week that he supports eliminating property taxes. Lawmakers begin filing bills on November 14 for the next Texas Legislative session, which begins January 10, 2023. Abbott Backs Eliminating Largest Component of Property Tax Bills in Texas, The Texan, 12 May 2022 The governor of Texas now supports eliminating the largest component of Texans’ rising property tax bills. Governor Greg Abbott told KPRC 2 Houston this week, “I strongly support using the state surplus to reduce the amount of property taxes owed.” He then stated the Texas legislature should eliminate the school district Maintenance and Operations (M&O) tax rate in a lasting manner, not a one-time buydown. “This has to be done in a way so mathematically it can be calculated so if we put in a billion or five billion whatever, it will be enduring for every year into the future,” he added. Put together, this outline of a policy is essentially the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) plan called “Lower Taxes, Better Texas.” Willow Park Civics Research Willow Park Civics > Issues > Property Tax [end]

Latest Update: Tuesday, 27 June, 2023, Monday, 13 March, 2023 Select #Tags for additional articles: #PropertyTax

. • Tags: #FortWorthWater #WastewaterTreatmentPlant #Finance #Streets #CityHall #PropertyTax • Note: #PropertyTax • Background : Providing the name, phone number, and email address of our designated officer

Summary: The Willow Park City Council approved the budget and tax rate for Fiscal Year 2022-23 at the Sept 13 City Council meeting. And they made a video to explain the basics. Latest Update: Thursday, 22 September, 2022 The City of Willow Park has produced a video to explain the basics of the city budget and the city property tax rate. Three and a half minutes well-spent. Watch it on Youtube. WPC Research: WPC Blog > 13 September 2022 Council Meeting Willow Park Civics > City Documents > Finance - Budget, Taxes, Debt willow Park Civics > Resources > Glossary - Finance, Budgeting, and Taxes [end]

for Canvas at Willow Park • Tags: #Finance #FortWorthWater #WastewaterTreatmentPlant #StormDrainage #PropertyTax #Finance #PropertyTax • Exhibits : Public Meeting and Hearing on the Tax Rate •   Willow Park Civics #Finance #PropertyTax • Background : As has been discussed previously, and voted on during the August

posted 16 November • Tags: #WastewaterTreatmentPlant #DevelopmentSouth #Finance #EMSFirePoliceAmb #PropertyTax #PropertyTax • Background: The current two-year term of the five-member board of directors ends on December