With inflation and property taxes squeezing residents, governments need to slash spending

Your property valuations arrived recently, and you may have greeted the news inside with some curses. Curses for your local appraisal district and curses upon state lawmakers for their failures to rein in property taxes in the last legislative sessions.

No one I know enjoys paying taxes, yet we all have baseline expectations of our city, county and state governments. We all want the highest-quality education for our kids, the vast majority of whom are in public schools. We want safe communities, well trained and fully equipped fire and police. We enjoy the amenities of parks, libraries, and recreation centers. All of this is paid with our tax dollars.

There is no question that we must pay taxes to provide the necessary services and the desired amenities. The question of how we tax ourselves is always a fair one. There are benefits and drawbacks to any of the taxing options, so substantive consideration of each is well in order.

The question of how much we tax ourselves is largely up to us by way of our local elected officials. Do your local elected officials know what your priorities are for the city/county budget?

The real question is not of dollars, but rather of priorities. What do we want the government to provide and do for us, and are we willing to pay for it?

Tarrant County and much of North Texas have enjoyed strong economic growth leading to significant annual appraisal increases. Our elected officials have not recently faced the very hard choices that are necessary in tough economic years.

Arlington faced hard times in the earlier 2000s, when tourism and sales tax dollars fell. The City Council reduced library hours, put park improvements on hold and limited employee pay raises until the economy rebounded.

Today’s elected officials are blessed with healthy economic growth, rapidly rising housing prices and strong growth outlooks. Budget choices are much easier with a flush checkbook, but should we spend all the money each year? Shouldn’t some of it go back to the taxpayers?

While our economic outlook may seem strong, inflation is very real, and Tarrant County’s residents are paying much more at the pump and at the grocery store. Even baby formula is in short supply, with empty shelves in many area stores.

Facing a year with skyrocketing inflation, supply chain shortages, stagnant wages, and stock market unrest, residents are looking for leaders to lead, to give some relief. I challenge our local elected officials to take a very hard look at their budgets for cuts — real, meaningful cuts that will allow a significant reduction in the property tax rate for this upcoming year.

One way to reduce budgets is to cut some amenities, preferring that to cuts across the budget. That would allow for a lower tax rate — meaningfully lower in some cases.

Sales tax, property tax and franchise tax are generally the means to generate the money to support the government and schools. We must pay for police, fire, schools, roads and bridges and maintain water, sewer and trash service. How much more we want government to provide beyond that is entirely up to you, the voters, and what you’re willing to pay for.

So, speak up and let them know!

Your local elected officials will be doing budget workshops for the next fiscal year, which runs from October through September. The conversations and priorities are being crafted now, in May and June.

Each of us should give some serious thought to what we want our cities and county to provide for us. Now is the time to start those conversations.

This story was originally published May 13, 2022 at 7:06 AM.