GALVESTON, TEXAS — Gov. Greg Abbott highlighted plans to eliminate property taxes used to fund public schools as he met with Galveston County commissioners on Tuesday and later spoke to Texas oil and gas producers at a conference.
The proposal, first unveiled late last year as part of his campaign promises to lower property taxes, envisions funding public education entirely through the state rather than relying on homeowners.
Abbott cited Galveston County as an example of a growing county that has managed to keep spending under control and live within its means, urging other local jurisdictions to follow suit.
Abbott argued that rising property taxes are partly due to increased spending by local taxing jurisdictions, such as school districts, and pointed to the state’s multi-year budget surpluses as sufficient to cover public education costs.
“The state should be fully responsible for funding education in the state of Texas as opposed to your homestead,” he said. Galveston County Judge Mark Henry noted that the county’s property tax rate has dropped nearly 50% over the past 15 years, emphasizing that limiting expenditures to core government functions is key.
Later in the day, Abbott spoke to oil and gas producers, praising workforce development projects, efforts to address Texas’ water needs, and a new oil field theft prevention unit created by the Texas Department of Public Safety. He then returned to property tax reform, proposing appraisal limits, restrictions on local governments’ ability to raise taxes, and giving homeowners the right to vote on new property tax increases.
Abbott claimed that these measures would cut most Texans’ property tax bills by more than half. His proposals come as public schools continue to face funding challenges, alongside a $1 billion voucher-like program he has promoted to allow taxpayer funds to be used for private school tuition.