Corpus Christi Sun

Rising property tax rates continue to be a problem in Texas, with a Tax Foundation study reporting the state has the sixth highest property taxes in the country and a separate study by the Balance stating Texas rounds out the Top 10 worst states when it comes to the issue.

The results by the Tax Foundation study, released last July, and the Balance report, updated Feb. 8, are similar to those of the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), also reported last month.

"It’s not a stretch to say that property taxes are out of control in the Lone Star State,” TPPF Policy Director James Quintero, wrote in the report. “As a result, local governments are getting rich while families are forced to make hard decisions.”

The report, "Just the Facts: Property Taxes in Texas’ Most Populous Cities, Counties and School Districts 2nd Edition," states Texas property taxes are “the largest tax assessed in Texas.” As recently as 2019, nearly half of all tax dollars collected in the state came from property taxes. The report also noted that there were 4,256 separate property taxing units in the state that year, some of which overlapped.

TPPF also states in its report that "the laws and systems surrounding Texas’ property tax are notoriously complicated, oftentimes requiring a taxpayer to seek help through consultants, accountants, advocates, and attorneys."

Corpus Christi's property tax grew 44.7% from $118.6 million to $171.6 million from 2016 to 2020, according to a report published by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The combined population and inflation for the city grew by 5.4% during that time, resulting in a difference of 39.3%. The same report found property tax increases for Texas' most populous cities, compared to the tax's preferred growth rate, which is a combination of inflation plus population growth, outpaced this preferred rate over the same four-year period.

While property taxes are typically imposed at the local level, the basic structure for how they are administered is typically set by state law.