AUSTIN, Tx., December 10, 2025: Yesterday, Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a press release announcing that his office has launched an investigation into “unlawful tax increases.”
According to the press release, Paxton’s office will be reviewing the financial records of almost 1,000 Texas cities to ensure they are following the new state law, SB 1851, that requires government officials to transparently inform Texas property taxpayers about “raising taxes above the no-new-revenue rate.” The new state law that took effect on September 1 bars cities from raising taxes from the previous year if they have not published annual audited financial statements within 180 days after the city’s end of its fiscal year.
Joe Moody and Claudia Ordaz were excused as absent for the vote that included several items on May 10, 2025. Eddie Morales, Jr. voted in favor of the tax reporting requirements, while Vince Perez voted against it. Mary E. González did not cast a vote on the legislation although records she was present that day and voted on other legislation. However, she voted in favor of it on the Second Reading of the bill…