Christian Files Bill To End All Property Taxes

One of the Texas Legislature’s most notorious anti-tax advocates has filed legislation which would stop use of property taxes in Texas as a means of funding government. If passed by the legislature, voters would have to approve a constitutional amendment which would require all property taxes to be abolished by 2014.

HB 4184 by State Rep. Wayne Christian (R-Center), claims it seeks to find a “more equitable” means of funding government in Texas. However, it fails to state what that mechanism is and leaves it to future legislatures to “enact a fairer system of fully funding political subdivisions of this state.”

The bill, if passed (and if the attached constitutional amendment by voters were approved) would eleminate property taxes for school districts, counties, cities, and a number of special districts ranging from Emergency Services Districts to waste districts.

The bill would ultimately require the state to significantly increase sales taxes at all levels to astronomical proportions or institute an income tax, or possibly a tiered income tax where citizens pay separate income taxes to the state and each political subdivision of which they are a resident, similar to what is done in states like Ohio, where some cities are allowed to levy municipal income taxes.

Seeing Christian introduce the legislation should come as no surprise to anyone. It was a pledge he made during his campaign last October against Democrat Kenneth Franks.

What, exactly, would replace property taxes is anyone’s guess. Conservative groups like the Texas Public Policy Foundation and the Texas Conservative Coalition (whose indicted spokesman Christian brought into his district for a town hall meeting) advocate various plans, most all relying heavily on very regressive sales taxes.

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