Published: November 12, 2008 09:30 am         

Tax reform tops King’s plan

Weatherford Rep. seeks to revamp school funding

Phil Riddle

editor@weatherforddemocrat.com

State Representative Phil King has a full slate of issues to carry to Austin when the 81st regular session of the Texas Legislature meets in January.

King’s list of planned legislation is geared heavily toward property tax relief.

According to the District 61 representative, he will file legislation to pass a constitutional amendment to require any state budget surplus to be used to buy down property taxes. Additionally he plans to propose reform to the current appraisal system.

In a recent guest editorial, King wrote of his plans to overhaul the property tax system of funding public schools and replacing it with a “fairer, simpler, broad-based consumption tax that will give homeowners the promise of one day owning their home free and clear of banks and the government.”

He cited the Legislature’s attempt at easing the tax burden of Texas homeowners with $14 billion in tax cuts in 2007, which, according to King, was all but eaten up with increases in local tax rates, boosts in property appraisals and voter-approved bond debt.

“As a result of these local-level tax hikes, property tax relief has been wiped out for many Texans,” King said. “For example, 18 percent of the average Texan’s home mortgage payment goes toward property taxes every year.”

He said with Democrats narrowing the once-healthy GOP majority in the House, passage of any legislation could face opposition.

“It could be difficult to get legislation passed,” he said, “especially legislation to restrict the growth of government.

“The most difficult one will be the constitutional amendment to help with property taxes,” he said. “The government likes to spend money.”

King calls the current property tax situation in Texas a “crisis,” and likens it to the sub-prime lending crash.

“Schools must be funded,” he said, “but the current financial crisis underscores that the property tax system is akin to sub-prime mortgage lending: You can get into a house, but the long-term price you must pay is too great to bear.”

In addition, King says he’d like to legislatively address competition in electric utilities, and the newly formed Trinity Groundwater Conservation District in the upcoming session.

     

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