Photo: Moment RF
The Galveston County city of La Marque is facing major budget issues. The city previously had just two weeks’ worth of funds and is now trying to jack up property taxes to fill the gap—despite questions about the legality of the hike.
So how did the financial situation get so bad? Galveston County Commissioner Robin Armstrong thinks the answer is simple. “Oftentimes, it is a result of management at the local level—and a result of overspending at the local level,” he said.
Essentially, like Harris County and even the city of Houston in years past, a focus on spending motivated primarily by political interests—rather than the statutory requirements of local government—has led to extremely tight budgets.
Attorney General Ken Paxton has weighed in, warning that the property tax hike could violate recently passed and signed state law. Armstrong believes this could spark a legal battle. “La Marque is going to have to ultimately follow the law,” he said. “I suspect the AG is gonna win, and they’re not gonna be allowed to just indiscriminately raise taxes like this.”
The state legislature passed a law during the 89th session that requires any city raising property taxes to be in compliance with financial audit reporting requirements. Because La Marque was late in sending its audits to the state, it is not in compliance.