Of the six largest cities in Texas, Austin is the one with the lowest property tax rate. But does that tell the whole story?
- Austinites pay a little more than 50 cents in taxes for every $100 of property valuation.
- People in Houston pay about 64 cents.
- People in Dallas pay almost 80 cents.
But taxes are just one part of the equation. Home values are a huge driver. When you account for that sole factor Austin becomes the Texas city with the second highest tax payment, according to PolitiFact Texas.
As part of ongoing talks over Austin’s city budget, the city is considering a tax increase – from the current 50.29 cents to 51.14. And some people are asking why that’s the case in a city as successful as Austin.
Listen to KUT News’ report on the city budget in the player above. You can read an overview of the city budget online. The Austin City Council takes up budget deliberations Tuesday and Wednesday. Final adoption of the budget is set to begin September 9.
