TheChismarkPaper

Research & analysis on Texas property tax policy.
Advancing sustainable relief through data-driven insight.

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

If Texas eliminates school property taxes, the cost of education doesn't just disappear. You aren’t eliminating a tax; you’re choosing a different one or sacrificing stability.

Replacing property taxes means either spiking the sales tax to nearly double the national average, gambling on temporary state surpluses, or draining our rainy day fund.

When school funding shifts entirely to the state, local communities lose their voice. Before we change the system, we must understand it. Watch the full breakdown.

@GregAbbott_TX
@LtGovTX
@TexasHouse
@TexasSenate

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Removing a tax does not remove the cost of the services it funds.

Schools, roads, police, and fire protection still require funding. If one revenue source disappears, another must take its place.

The real question is not whether services are funded. It is how they are funded.

@GregAbbott_TX
@LtGovTX
@TexasHouse
@TexasSenate

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Texas did not become an economic powerhouse by accident.

For decades, families, entrepreneurs, and employers have chosen Texas because of the environment we built together.

As new tax proposals are debated, one question deserves careful consideration:

Are we preserving the advantages that attracted growth, or gradually changing them?

This is not an argument. It is a question.

And questions are where good policy begins.

What do you think?

@GregAbbott_TX
@LtGovTX
@TexasHouse
@TexasSenate
@granitewinger

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Property taxes are a proportional system.

The total tax burden is divided across the tax base, meaning your bill is based on your share. If values rise across the community, what matters is how your property compares to others.

That is why accurate valuations are critical.

@GregAbbott_TX
@LtGovTX
@TexasHouse
@TexasSenate

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

IS THERE A GENERATIONAL DIVIDE?
The property tax debate isn’t just about taxes.
It’s about whether we still view schools, roads, and community infrastructure as shared responsibilities—or simply personal expenses.
If previous generations paid it forward, should we?
What do you think?
Join the conversation.
https://t.co/33hKLlyEHZ

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

One of the most important things to understand about property taxes:

Taxes do not create services. Services create the budget.

Local governments first determine the cost of schools, roads, police, fire, and emergency services. Tax rates are then calculated to fund those budgets.

That is why serious conversations about lowering property taxes also have to include conversations about spending, budgeting, and community priorities.

Property taxes are tied directly to the cost of the services communities rely on every day.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

One of the biggest misunderstandings about property taxes is that there is no single “property tax.”

Your bill is actually a combination of multiple taxing jurisdictions, including schools, cities, counties, hospital districts, community colleges, and other local entities depending on where you live.

Each jurisdiction sets its own budget and tax rate. Your final bill is simply the combined result of all of those individual decisions.

Understanding that structure is essential if we want productive conversations about property tax reform.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Texas built its economy around a different tax structure than many states.

We do not have a state income tax or corporate income tax, so property taxes play a larger role in funding local services and infrastructure.

Every tax system has tradeoffs. Texas chose a more market-based model tied more closely to economic growth, and that approach has coincided with strong population growth, business investment, and one of the strongest economies in the country.

That does not mean the system is perfect, but large structural changes should be approached carefully. Big systems are interconnected, and policy decisions have long-term consequences.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Texas built a different tax structure than many states.

We do not have a state income tax or corporate income tax, which means property taxes carry more weight in funding schools, infrastructure, and local services.

Every system has tradeoffs. States with strict property tax caps often shift pressure into other taxes or budget areas.

Texas chose a model where property values move more closely with the market. That approach has challenges, but it has also coincided with strong economic and population growth.

Good policy is about understanding how the full system performs over time, not chasing simple answers.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Texas structured its economy differently than most states.

We do not have a state income tax, which means property taxes play a larger role in funding schools, infrastructure, emergency services, and local communities.

The challenge is not pretending taxes can disappear. It is building a system that remains stable, balanced, and sustainable while supporting long-term growth.

Texas made a deliberate choice about where to place taxation, and understanding that structure matters if we want serious conversations about reform.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Residential and commercial property owners are not opponents in the tax system.

In many Texas counties, the tax burden is shared relatively evenly between both groups. That means new development, industrial growth, and data centers do more than create jobs. They also diversify the tax base and add more contributors helping fund infrastructure and local services.

Texas’ economic growth has been driven in large part by commercial investment, and future policy reforms should be careful not to discourage the very growth that strengthens communities and supports homeowners.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Capping commercial property values and ending annual reassessments may sound appealing, but history shows the unintended consequences can be severe.

If you cap values, the tax burden shifts elsewhere:
• Higher sales taxes
• Budget instability
• Infrastructure & school funding pressure

And when reassessments happen every 5–8 years instead of annually, taxpayers often face massive sticker shock later.

Texas updates values every year — both up AND down. That transparency matters.

Property taxes feel heavier because they’re visible. But visibility is not the same thing as unfairness.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Texas has been winning corporate relocations because companies aren’t just choosing low taxes — they’re choosing an operating environment.

Property taxes fund:
• Infrastructure
• Roads & logistics
• Schools
• Quality of life

Those aren’t separate from economic development. They ARE economic development.

Property taxes aren’t just a cost. They’re the product that makes Texas competitive.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership #EconomicDevelopment #CorporateRelocation #Infrastructure #TexasEconomy #Business #Education #DFW #Growth

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

When home values fall, you might expect taxes to fall too.

But taxes are not just about assessments.

ART: Assessment × Rate = Tax

If budgets stay high, tax rates can rise even in a downturn.

That is why focusing only on property values misses the full picture.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Texas is in the middle of one of the biggest property tax debates in state history, and many of the proposals being discussed could carry long-term consequences for the future of our economy, local communities, and the Texas model itself. Moments like this require careful consideration of both the opportunities and the tradeoffs tied to structural change.

Thank you to D CEO for the feature during such an important moment, and thank you to my incredible team and leadership at Ryan. This conversation is much bigger than any one company or person.

The ideas being debated right now touch issues such as local vs. state control, long-term revenue sustainability, the balance between different forms of taxation, appraisal methodology and market timing, and the relationship between commercial and residential taxpayers within the system.

We need to step back. We need to educate ourselves before making changes to a system that impacts schools, emergency services, infrastructure, community development, and local representation every single day.

Complex systems rarely respond well to overly simple answers. Texas has been the strongest economy in America for more than a decade because of long-term thinking, economic competitiveness, and a balanced approach to growth. Let’s not bulldoze the ranch to fix a fence post.

Education is my call to action in this moment. If you want to better understand how the Texas property tax system works, I encourage you to explore the resources at https://t.co/33hKLlyEHZ.

https://t.co/LTqGAvU3Wh

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Some proposals call for eliminating property taxes.

But Texas already has one of the strongest economies in the country.

So what problem are we solving?

These taxes fund schools, infrastructure, and communities. The real question is what replaces them and who bears the consequences.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Why are property taxes going up?

Texas chose no income tax and a moderate sales tax. That puts more weight on property taxes.

As values rise, rates should fall to keep bills stable.

But when budgets grow too fast, tax burdens rise.

The issue is not just values. It is spending.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Rising property values are getting the blame.

But appraisals don’t create taxes. They measure value.

Blaming an appraisal is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.

The real driver is the budget and what we choose to spend

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Texas chose local control for a reason. And by most economic measures, it is working.

But not everyone feels that success equally.

First-time homebuyers are entering the market later, taking on more risk, and carrying a heavier burden.

If we care about strong communities, we need to start there.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership

[TheChismarkPaper @ChismarkPaper]

Eliminating property taxes sounds simple until you ask the real question:

What replaces the largest local revenue source in one of the world’s largest economies?

In Texas, it’s not about if it’s eliminated it’s about what comes next, and who pays the price.

#PropertyTax #TexasPolicy #PublicFinance #TaxReform #LocalGovernment #CivicLeadership