http://capitolannex.com/2007/01/15/tax-rebates-are-an-emergency-kids-are-not/ Outside Austin, But Terribly Well Connected Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:59:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 http://capitolannex.com/2007/01/15/tax-rebates-are-an-emergency-kids-are-not/comment-page-1/#comment-99702 David Siegel Tue, 16 Jan 2007 15:26:35 +0000 http://capitolannex.com/2007/01/15/tax-rebates-are-an-emergency-kids-are-not/#comment-99702 You are totally correct about the over-65 freeze, which is one of the biggest sacred cows around. Lots of 0ver-65s can pay their full property tax bill without blinking, while plenty of Under-65s who are struggling to raise a family while holding two jobs need some help. Most states deal with this with a "circuitbreaker" that guarantees that your property taxes will never be more than a certain percentage of your income. Texas could definitely use one of those -- plus maybe an income tax to knock down the property tax for everyone (see Bullock Amendment). You are totally correct about the over-65 freeze, which is one of the biggest sacred cows around. Lots of 0ver-65s can pay their full property tax bill without blinking, while plenty of Under-65s who are struggling to raise a family while holding two jobs need some help. Most states deal with this with a “circuitbreaker” that guarantees that your property taxes will never be more than a certain percentage of your income. Texas could definitely use one of those — plus maybe an income tax to knock down the property tax for everyone (see Bullock Amendment).

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