Texas Comptroller Don Huffines Highlights Urgent Need for Property Tax Reform at Ad Valorem Taxation Seminar

August 27, 2026

(SAN ANTONIO) - Texas Comptroller Don Huffines delivered remarks today at the Annual Legal Seminar on Ad Valorem Taxation, emphasizing the growing burden of property taxes on Texas families and outlining his office's efforts to modernize tax administration, increase transparency and strengthen taxpayer protections.

Huffines believes that rising property taxes represent "the single biggest threat to the continued level of economic success we have experienced over the last decade," pointing to the increasing share of monthly mortgage payments consumed by property taxes, insurance premiums and interest costs. For many families, he said, property taxes are now one of the single biggest barriers standing between them and their first home.

Huffines called on local governments to reduce property tax rates, citing rising sales tax revenues - including $1.4 billion in sales tax allocations distributed this month, a 13% increase over last year - as evidence that local entities have room to cut.

"When sales tax collections are climbing that fast, local governments have room to bring property tax rates down," Huffines said. "Local governments must be more conservative in how they spend, period. Every dollar a city or county council doesn't spend is a dollar they don't have to tax away from a homeowner."

Huffines affirmed his commitment to working with state leadership to advance meaningful tax relief during the next legislative session. Over the last several sessions, the state has directed billions of dollars toward compressing school district tax rates and increasing homestead exemptions.

Huffines noted that he has already initiated a full performance review of agency operations and launched the Taxpayer First Project, a major reform effort aimed at ensuring fair, consistently applied tax rules and more efficient tax administration. He described the project as "the most significant reform of tax administration by a Texas Comptroller in decades."

He also announced forthcoming performance reviews of school district spending, reiterating that "administrative bloat has no place in the classroom budget" and that dollars should reach teachers and students rather than expanding central administration.

"Where we find waste, we will report it to the Legislature and to the people of Texas, and we will keep the pressure on until more of every education dollar ends up where it belongs - in the classroom," Huffines said.