1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The push to eliminate school property taxes is concerning and could have severe consequences for public education funding in Texas. Property taxes are currently the main source of revenue for school districts, providing essential funding for teacher salaries, educational programs, facilities, and operations. Doing away with this stable funding source without a viable replacement risks leaving schools underfunded and unable to meet the needs of students. While property taxes can burden homeowners, especially with rising property values, completely abolishing them is not the solution. The focus should instead be on providing meaningful, sustained property tax relief through mechanisms like the tax compression plan passed in 2019. This allows tax rates to decrease as property values rise, easing the burden on homeowners over time without undermining school funding. Using the state's budget surplus to further buy down school property tax rates is a reasonable approach in the short term. However, relying solely on surplus funds that fluctuate with economic conditions is not sustainable long-term. We need a stable, dedicated revenue source to adequately and equitably fund public education for all Texas children. I urge you to prioritize preserving Texas's strong public education system by maintaining the school property tax structure, while continuing efforts to provide property tax relief through rate compression and other targeted measures. Our children's futures depend on ensuring schools have the resources they need to provide a quality education.