#TXLEGE: House greases skids for school district property tax hikes....

"But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God."
Nehemiah 5:15

Earlier today, by a 90 to 49 margin, the House approved HB 486 (VanDeaver):

Relating to the calculation of the rollback tax rate of a school district. 

This bill would change the formula by which the limit for school districts to raise taxes without voter approval is calculated; Empower Texans has more from earlier this month:

Currently, voter-approval is required for any district seeking to raise property taxes above the state defined “rollback” rate. The new proposal (HB 486), authored by liberal Republican State Rep. Gary VanDeaver of Clarksville and liberal Democrat Donna Howard of Austin, would give “certain” districts the ability to avoid the current limit.

Which districts, you ask? Any district that’s already asked voters to raise property taxes since 2006. This fact is left out of the bill’s subject line, but is plainly stated in its analysis published online.

The stealthy measure is crafted with clever language that leaves the current limit in place, but provides an escape route for tax-hiking districts. It accomplishes this by creating a less restrictive standard that very few districts would ever exceed, ensuring they’re unaccountable to future taxpayers.

The new “limit” is egregious. It would amount to the maximum property tax rate a district has levied since 2007, which would now include all outstanding bond debt.

In other words, it'll be significantly easier for school districts to raise taxes without voter approval.

Because who cares about Texans getting taxed out of their homes when bureaucrats need to get paid.

Bottom Line: This bill BETTER be d.o.a. in the Senate....