Want real property tax relief, Texas? Austin needs to step up and do this

Texas’ top leaders wanted to get out in front of the property tax issue. They mostly succeeded in getting ahead of themselves.

While we appreciate Gov. Greg Abbott’s and state House and Senate leaders’ desire to show unanimity with each other, and common cause with a tax-tapped public, their trumpeted agreement to cap yearly growth in local property taxes at 2.5 percent isn’t the magic bullet they appear to be hoping it is.

For one thing, it wouldn’t cut demand for government services in one of the fastest-growing states in the nation. Rather, it would primarily strap local elected officials with the burden of making do — and label them the bad guys when they fall short of what’s needed.

A cap on tax growth sounds good — until you need an investment in infrastructure, manpower and basic services. The Fort Worth area, for instance, is one of the booming areas of the country. Mayor Betsy Price jokingly calls the city the leading place to leave U-Hauls.

If the proposed cap on local government budgets had been in place last year, Fort Worth would’ve had to cut over $21 million in spending — and no doubt essential services.

It’s also hitting the easy button for state leaders to put budget limits on local governments — which are basically providing mandated services on behalf of the state.

Nowhere is that truer than in school funding. While the state constitution vests responsibility for public education with the state, local school districts have picked up increasing shares of the cost. In 2017, says Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley, local governments chipped in $8 billion more for education than the state did.

This is where state leaders are getting ahead of themselves. How are they going to boost education spending as promised while capping local districts’ ability to raise those funds?

Even if the 2.5 percent cap passes — such an effort died in the legislature two years ago when proposed caps were two times higher and two times easier for local governments to live with — will the state step up to adequately fund schools? Judge Whitley estimates for the state to be an “equal partner” in the funding of public schools it would have to come up with perhaps $7 billion a year in new money.

There was no mention of the state doing anything close to that in the governor’s and legislative leaders’ jubilant press conference Thursday announcing the proposed cap.

An artificial, one-size-fits-all statewide cap is a blunt instrument for such a delicate matter as balancing the types and amounts of taxes placed on the tax-weary.

State leaders are absolutely right that property owners are crying out for relief. This just isn’t it. Hamstringing local governments won’t do what needs to be done. We urge state leaders to do the harder math now, and find the funds to provide real relief to local property tax payers.

Don’t just put the blame and onus on local government officials for high property tax bills due to their picking up the lion’s share of school funding.

Find a way to help relieve the situation.