Texas Property Taxes Will Never Go Down

Despite state-level efforts to reduce property taxes in Texas, local Independent School Districts (ISDs) often neutralize these cuts by issuing new bonds and increasing spending, assuming voters won’t notice the offset. Texas public schools spent $93 billion last year and now hold over $200 billion in bond debt—funded entirely by local property taxes. Yet, only about 40% of this spending, and none of the bond debt, is tied to improving educational outcomes. Instead, the majority supports a network of vendors, consultants, lobbyists, and associations that benefit from the system without being held accountable.


These entities are often granted monopolies over services like construction, financial consulting, and non-teacher professional training, frequently recommended by associations such as TASB. Profits from these arrangements are used to sponsor association events, fund political front groups, and run campaigns promoting increased education spending. In return, these groups support politicians who protect the system. Voter-approved bond packages are heavily influenced by well-funded propaganda, leading to massive payouts for contractors—for example, in Northside ISD, a $1 billion bond resulted in firms receiving $337 million after contributing just $180,000 to the campaign. Similarly, in Prosper ISD, a $2.7 billion bond led to average contracts of over $11 million from average contributions of just $4,600. This cycle of spending and borrowing continues, with little to no impact on student achievement or property tax relief.

Categories: Elections