Lowering and Limiting Working & Middle Class Property Taxes

Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) mailed 2019 Notices of Value for property taxes last week. Now is the time to make sure you are not paying more than your fair share by protesting your property taxes.  Fair Play Property Tax is a 501(c)(3) charitable, nonprofit organization. Fair Play can provide free property tax protest services to qualified homeowners in East Austin.

Fair Play can speak with you to determine whether you qualify for any property tax exemptions which can significantly lower and limit your property taxes. Those include homestead exemptions for: 1. Homeowner living in your own home, 2. Disabled person 3. Person 65 or over, 4. 100% disabled vet or surviving spouse, and others. See the forms here: https://www.traviscad.org/forms/forms-exemptions/.

Want to learn more?

Come to the Austin Revitalization Authority’s Property Tax Town Hall at the Connelly-Guerrero Center on Saturday, May 4, 1:00-3:00 PM. Fair Play Property Tax will be available to enroll qualified homeowners for free services.

It seems that every Texas State Legislative session, a handful of legislators attempt to change our state’s property tax system for the worse. This year, “Republican leaders have proposed raising the sales tax to lower local property tax rates. Wealthier Texans and businesses would likely benefit, while poorer Texans would likely pay more…” A Texas Tribune analysis found that increasing the sales tax to buy down property tax rates would likely raise the percentage of income that the bottom 80% of Texans spend on taxes. Only the top 20% of Texans — those in households earning more than about $150,000 — would probably see a reduction in the percentage of their income that they pay in taxes.”  (Texas Tribune, Edgar Walters and Aliyya Swaby)

The City of Austin protested TCAD’s system that taxes commercial properties “at a fraction of their value while placing the larger property tax burden on homeowners.” (Gau and Radebaugh, 2015) That system has not changed. The large corporations continue to benefit at the expense of Austin homeowners and, by extension renters.We believe it is important to become informed on property tax matters. The best way to fight oppressive policies is through community organization and collective action. Again, we hope to see you at Austin Revitalization Authority’s Property Tax Town Hall at the Connelly-Guerrero Center on Saturday, May 4, 1:00-3:00 PM. www.fairplaytax.org

Bridging the Gaps with Blackshear Bridge, 2019-40-20 distributed to Blackshear-Prospect Hill Neighbors by Huston-Tillotson University students and friends. Thank you!