Raising taxes is always a dangerous proposition for a Texas lawmaker and Republicans may have a finesse. The idea is to do it with a constitutional amendment and eventually leave it up to us, the voters.
Austin GOP strategist Bill Miller says it’s risky.
"Tax questions are tricky, irrespective of what the question is or what the purpose is."
But Miller says this is a clever idea.
"I think it's a smart play by the Republicans to put it on the ballot -- make it a constitutional question; absolutely brilliant way to approach it."
Miller says we're early in the process.
"As we start discussing this today people haven't heard enough about it, they don't understand the choice, and they don't understand the question. But by the time the question is put before them, if it is, they will understand it and I think it will be their decision and they'll own it."
The idea would be to pay down property taxes with the revenue from an increased sales tax.