Houston City Council will hold the first of three property tax hearings in city hall chambers.

Mayor Sylvester Turner proposed an 8.9% increase in the city’s property tax rate, not excluding those that have lost or damaged property from Hurricane Harvey. After public pushback and increased federal funds, Turner says his planned rate proposal will now be cut in half. Though he has not publicly given a specific revised rate, his office says they expect to generate around $50 million whereas the previous proposal would have brought in $113 million.

Houston taxpayers are facing the ramifications of the worst storm the region has seen in recent history and the last thing they need is a property tax increase. The fact that the mayor considers cutting his rate proposal in half as “relief” shows that the concern is less about those trying to rebuild and more about generating revenue for the city during the short window of time that he is legally allowed to bypass the voter-imposed property tax cap.

Taxpayers should plan to attend the hearings and speak out against this increase. The hearing dates and times are as follows:

September 25th, 6 p.m.

October 2nd, 6 p.m.

October 11th, 9 a.m.

Council vote: October 18th

All hearings will be held at Houston City Hall, 901 Bagby Street, Houston, TX 77002.

Charles Blain

Charles Blain is the president of Urban Reform and Urban Reform Institute. A native of New Jersey, he is based in Houston and writes on municipal finance and other urban issues.

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