Raves, Rants & Roses

RANT: Property owners living in the cities and towns of Texas are handcuffed and shackled by some of the highest property tax rates in the nation. And, the combined tax rate in the city of Tyler (city, county, junior college and ISD) is among the highest of the high.

Even though the tax base is growing annually, the city, county and school system propose new bond issues which will, inevitably, require higher tax rates. Forgive me if I'm too dense; maybe it's a senior moment. But, with the increased tax base (new subdivisions, new homes, new businesses, etc.) why can't the four taxing authorities budget for improvements based on the increased income from the improving tax base?

As a local realtor, I hear from numbers of people interested in moving to this area; but when they are made aware of the tax rate on the homes that they might wish to purchase, they simply decide to go elsewhere.

When I read the property tax comparisons between communities around the country, I feel like our taxing authorities must be tax-and-spend Democrats rather than East Texas conservatives. Every time they want something, it's property owners that end up paying for it.

If their ultimate goal is to destroy Tyler's real estate values, and ruin the real estate business, they're going about it the right way.

John C. Martin
Tyler