Not Exactly Comparing Apples to Apples

To the Editor:

I feel obliged to comment on a recent letter from our prior county judge, and what he had to say about county property taxes. What he said about the people moving here having lots of money is most certainly true. That is obvious by the exorbitant prices they are paying for property and homes here. And yes, this is driving our appraisals up, which in turn, results in all of us paying higher property taxes.

What I do not understand is why he chose to bash Governor Abbott? Especially when it is Governor Abbott who is calling special sessions to ensure that the Texas House and Senate iron out the differences in their plans that will result in property tax relief for all homeowners.

Additionally, in the final comment where he mentions that the average Texan pays $3,746 in property taxes compared to $1,113 in California. It’s important that we not take this out of context. The statement is true. But, it needs clarification as to why.

As you may not be aware, the state of California, as do 41 other states, impose a state income tax on their residents while Texas does not. According to Forbes Advisor, if you have a personal income of $70,000 per year in California, you will pay $11,221 in state income taxes. This effects everyone, and not just property owners. This is of course why they are able to keep their property taxes lower. Plus, on top of the state income tax, you are still required to file a federal income tax return.

Thanks for the informative letter, Judge. But let’s just be sure we’re comparing apples to apples when we look at the overall tax burden on Texans. Remember that it’s not just property taxes that are calculated when looking at the overall attractiveness of living somewhere. Could it be that the conservative government we currently have in place in Texas leaves us with much more disposable income than the 42 states that require their residents to pay state income taxes?

It’s fairly obvious that the people coming here in droves from the highly taxed states such as California know this.