While most Texans are struggling to keep up, the state reported today that cities are reaping a 9.2% increase in sales tax collecitions over last year. Even as inflation plagues Texas families, it produces more sales tax revenue so maybe local governments should return some of this windfall.
The windfall is even greater for other local entities. The 126 special-purpose districts are raking in 20.1% more compared to last March. The ten local transit agencies are receiving 10.6 percent more.
Such increases have been in the norm in recent years, but rather than return money to taxpayers, most local governments are just spending it, and in some instances, topping it off with new bond measures, taxes, and fees. If runaway inflation continues and no mechanism like revenue caps is put in place to return some share of these windfalls, government will continue to grow even as Texans must work harder to make ends meet.
Check out today’s story on these windfalls at: https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2008/03/10/daily37.html?f=et51&ana=e_du
