School Finance Trial Begins The largest school finance trial in the state’s history began on Monday in the 250th District Courtroom of Travis County Judge John Dietz. Four different groups of plaintiff school districts, as well as the “Efficiency Intervenors” (Texans for Real Efficiency and Equity in Education and Texas Association of Business) and Charter…

Supreme Court Again Upholds Franchise Tax in Nestle II Nestle USA challenged the constitutionality of the franchise tax by alleging that it violates the Texas Constitution’s equal and uniform taxation requirement as well as the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection, due process guarantees and its commerce clause. In a 7-2 opinion by Justice Hecht, the Court…

Supreme Court Hears Nestle II This morning the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in round two of Nestle USA’s direct appeal alleging that the franchise tax statute is facially unconstitutional. Nestle contends that the differing exemptions and multiple tax rates in the franchise tax violates the equal and uniform provision of the state constitution, as…

Interested in Chapter 313? Conference Call Scheduled Chapter 313 of the Tax Code allows school districts to offer temporary limitations on the taxable value of certain new investments. The law is slated to expire at the end of 2014, and TTARA will be working hard this coming legislative session to reauthorize it. In advance of…

The email update is available here: http://www.ttara.org/files/document/file-503253c284d19.pdf