Legislation to rein in property tax collections would have slowed the pace of property tax increases in three Central Texas cities had the measures been in place since 2013, but taxes still would have increased every year, an American-Statesman analysis has found.

AUSTIN — GOP leaders in the Texas Legislature said this is the year they would finally deliver property owners the tax relief they’ve been demanding. First, lawmakers passed legislation that slows how fast property tax bills rise. They called it one of the most transformational tax changes the Legislature has ever passed.

Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders want to ask voters in November whether to dedicate a one percent hike in the sales tax to raise billions for buying down property taxes.

The marquee effort to constrain property tax growth is likely to reach the Texas House floor this week in what promises to be a free-wheeling debate.

Texas lawmakers have given property tax reform top billing this legislative session, and they agree that tamping down school taxes is the best way to lower Texans’ tax bills.