A new report confirms what many Texans suspected---that we have some of the highest property taxes in the nation. The WalletHub study ranks Texas seventh for highest real estate property taxes among all U.S. states and territories. The state's property tax on the median Texas home value is $2,922, while the Texas tax on the median U.S. home value is $3,703.
State Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) tells KTRH that he and fellow lawmakers are well aware that Texas property taxes are too high. "In some cases, we actually peaked out as the third highest (property) tax rate state in the nation, chasing Illinois and New Jersey---and those are states that you don't want to be chasing," says Bettencourt. "That's why in the last legislative session we passed Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 3, which really start taking tax rates down as values go up."
Bettencourt predicts that Texas' ranking for property taxes will improve in the next couple of years as the relief package passed last year fully takes effect. "These new laws are really going to roll back tax rates as values go up starting in 2020, and you'll see it in this year's tax bill," he says.
There is some good news for Texans. Texas is one of 23 states with no vehicle property taxes. "We're actually ranked number one on vehicle taxes," says Bettencourt. "Which means we don't pay vehicle taxes for the personal use of automobiles in the state of Texas."