We have to contend with two levels of taxation; the national level, which is going beserk, and the state and local level, which is rising automatically!

On the national level, the American people voted in a President and Congress who believe in government control instead of individual freedom, and it takes taxes, lots of taxes, to give government control (with an accompanying loss of freedom for you and me).

On the state and local level, most taxes can be influenced by a vote. For example, if enough people resent a sales tax, they can vote those out who established the sales tax.

BUT, property taxes are NOT subject to a vote by the people. We are burdened with a system that was installed in the 1970’s that causes our property taxes to rise each year, automatically.

Here’s how our terrible Texas property tax system works:

Each taxing district (there are a lot of them: city, college, drainage, hospital, navigation, county, school, etc.) has two factors that determine our property taxes. 1. The tax rate, set by each taxing district, and 2. the assessed valuation. “Assessed valuation” is a fancy term for market value, because the Texas Constitution says that property tax value must be tied to market value.

While each taxing district sets its own tax rate, the assessed valuation is set by the Appraisal District. The Appraisal District looks at the market value, sees that it has gone up, and the assessed valuation goes up the same amount. Ergo! Each taxing district in Brazoria County (there are 51 in the county) gets an increase in property tax revenue, automatically, each year, whether they need it or not! (Of course, they always need it). They haven’t had to raise their tax rate because they get increases automatically.

This has resulted in property taxes on our homes doubling in the last seven years!

And the nasty little secret is, we have no vote to influence the situation. The Appraisal District is doing what they do legally. The system is insulated from a vote of the people.

For example, when we protest a property tax increase to a school board member or a city council member, we are told, "We didn't increase your taxes". But when they accept the increase, they ARE increasing our taxes.

Is there anything we can do about it? Yes, but not until the next Legislature. A group of us (including you, if you want to work with us) are going to petition for a Constitutional Amendment in the next Legislature to change the requirement that property taxes be tied to market value. When that is done a "Cost" based system will be recommended that will take the Appraisal Districts out of the picture and cause each taxing district (city, school, etc.) to raise its own tax rate if they want more tax revenue. After then, no school board member or city council member will be able to say, “We didn’t raise your taxes”. The new system will stop “Taxation Without Representation” which is what we really have with the present Market Value/Appraisal District system.

Vote “NO” to any new taxes until the system is changed. In the meantime, demand that the taxing authorities do what WE have to do - be more careful with their spending.

Because the property tax system is so unfair, costly, and vote-resistant, we will not vote for the school bonds or any other bonds, no matter how badly the money is needed.

On November 3rd, tell our school (and other taxing districts) that we are Taxed Enough Already!

We recommend a "No" vote on Amendments 1, 2, 3, and 5; and “No” to the Alvin ISD school bonds.

Amendment #1

We are paying sufficient taxes; we will not vote for "tax increment financing" as specified in Amendment 1.

Amendments 2, 3, & 5

Our property tax system is out of control. The Amendments simply provide band-aids on our cancerous property tax system.

ISD School Bonds

The schools and other taxing districts have shown no fiscal restraint; in fact they have acted irresponsibly with the automatic increases they have received. It's got to stop!

If you want to work with us, respond by e-mail, and we will tell you how.

PAUL SAID TO”EXPOSE THE WORKS OF DARKNESS” (Eph 5:11)
You can reach Mr. Murphy at willmurf1@yahoo.com
www.murphy-properties.com