CORSICANA, TX — State leaders in Austin want to limit how much local governments can raise taxes in a year.
They say any group that wants more than a 2.5 percent increase in property taxes will have to get approval from voters.
The plan has lots of people talking, including two men with similar backgrounds, but different views on the subject.
Jon Wilson didn't intend to become a crusader, but when property tax reform came up in the Texas Legislature, he felt he had to speak up to his city council.
He moved to Corsicana from California, one of the first states to address zooming property taxes with Proposition 13. This is a move he says created a tax system of haves and have-nots.
"He basically told me that his house was worth 150-200 percent what mine was worth, but he was paying 1/6 of the tax," Wilson said.
Wilson says the state still struggles with basic expenses.
That's why he opposes Governor Abbott's 2.5 percent annual limit on property tax hikes in Texas without voter approval.
"Government can't just keep taxing us as citizens,” said Steve Jessup, of the Navarro County Republican Party.
Jessup also lived in California when Proposition 13 passed, but says Texas needs to keep taxes from pricing people out of their homes.
"And so therefore we need to have some sort of way of being able to control that," said Jessup.
Meantime, property tax reform has become a sort of political football.
Across Texas, lots of local governments have come out against the governor's plan, notably Waco and McLennan County.
Governor Abbott said on Twitter: "Waco officials want to tax their citizens more & make up excuses why."
He also went on to call out the county judge reminding him counties don't fund education.
Last year, Waco collected $5.2 million extra in property tax revenue just from increases in property values without raising taxes.
Wilson says local leaders should make the call on property taxes.
”If my local city council or county board decides to raise my taxes 20 or 40 percent or whatever it is, and I don't get something back for that. Then they're going to vote out next time around,” Wilson said.
