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.

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.

After a key Republican holdout agreed to bring a priority bill to the floor, the upper chamber increased an election trigger on revenue increases from 2.5% to 3.5%. But now both chambers must reconcile how they want to tackle rising school district taxes.

It’s hard enough to tackle property taxes in Texas without confusing the issue with misinformation, but those criticizing lawmakers for removing the School Property Tax language from House Bill 2 (HB 2) are in fact doing just that. They want you to think that the legislature is turning its back on school tax relief.