Critics of a proposal to limit property value increases to reduce homeowners’ property tax burden say the measure would destabilize the housing market and cause cities to raise other taxes to compensate.

Lawmakers and tax experts alike are rejecting proposals to cap year-over-year increases in appraised home values, and hence property taxes, for Texas homeowners, calling it a Band-Aid that simply shifts the tax burden to other property owners and distorts the real estate market, reports Jeremy Wallace in the Houston Chronicle.
“Though some Texas counties saw single-family home values rise 20 percent or more on average in 2022 (in Harris County, it was 21 percent; in Bexar County it was a whopping 28 percent), the experts see appraisal caps as a stopgap that ultimately won't drive tax bills down.” According to experts, some renters and business owners could see higher tax bills, while the wealthiest homeowners would benefit the most from appraisal caps. Currently, while appraisals are not capped, property taxes can only increase by 10 percent every year.
Appraisal caps are one of several recent proposed measures aimed at reducing taxes for homeowners in the state. Two state bills passed in 2019 limited school tax increases and overall tax growth without voter approval, and Governor Greg Abbott “promised to use at least $13 billion of the budget surplus for ‘historic’ property tax relief.”
FULL STORY: Many Texans want appraisal caps for property tax relief. Here’s why they won’t fly in Austin.

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Philadelphia Is Expanding its Network of Roundabouts
Roundabouts are widely shown to decrease traffic speed, reduce congestion, and improve efficiency.

Why Bike Lanes Are Good: An Explainer for the US Transportation Secretary
Sean Duffy says there’s no evidence that bike lanes have benefits. Streetsblog — and federal agencies’ own data — beg to differ.

California Invests Additional $5M in Electric School Buses
The state wants to electrify all of its school bus fleets by 2035.
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