Local governments that collect property taxes — including cities, counties and school districts — should have to win approval from a two-thirds majority of voters if they want to raise their tax rates, Abbott said.
“No approval, no new taxes,” he said earlier this month during his State of the State address.
Putting every proposed tax rate increase before the voters would have widespread implications for localities’ ability to keep up with demand for services as the state booms, local officials, school advocates and tax policy experts said. As Texas’ population grows, so does the need for roads, schools and public safety, they said. Requiring any tax increase to clear a two-thirds majority vote is a nearly impossible task — and would make it easy to kill any measure aimed at providing basic services…