Citing economic concerns from the coronavirus pandemic, some local officials in Texas have asked state leadership to consider freezing property appraisals at their 2019 values to protect against a drastic increase in property taxes.

For Immediate Release                                                              Contact: Kirsten Voinis JUNE 8, 2020                                 …

With the COVID-19 pandemic putting unforeseen pressure on homeowners, it’s not the time to raise property taxes to make up for lost sales tax and other revenues…

While a state lawmaker’s call for a freeze on property values could provide some semblance of relief for homeowners amid the COVID-19 economic downturn, it’s the municipalities setting the tax rates that can provide real help, an Austin economic policy group says.

In states of emergency caused by flooding or other natural disasters, local taxing bodies are given latitude to raise property taxes to help cover costs, but the coronavirus presents a different kind of emergency, Dale Craymer, president of the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association (TTARA), told The Center Square.