The Texas Attorney General’s Office today requested to intervene in a lawsuit involving the City of Austin’s attempt to raise property taxes on its citizens by challenging state tax policy – without input from lawmakers or taxpayers. The city’s effort to rewrite Texas tax law would put all property owners in the state at risk of higher taxes.
“The City of Austin has made it clear they want one thing and one thing only – more tax revenue,” Attorney General Paxton said. “Austin’s plan would expose every property owner in Austin, and ultimately all of Texas, to the potential of higher property taxes, and it’s the duty of this office to give Texas taxpayers a voice and defend state law.”
This case stems from a lawsuit filed by the City of Austin against the Travis Appraisal Review Board, appealing what it characterized as an “undervaluation” of certain commercial properties. The city also seeks to void Texas tax law and policy, challenging the constitutionality of the state’s tax appraisal system. Specifically, Austin is attempting to invalidate Texas’ non-disclosure law – which prevents taxing authorities from forcing property owners to disclose personal information regarding purchases and sales. Doing away with this protection would affect all Texas property owners, commercial and residential alike.
The district court barred Texas homeowners from intervening in the lawsuit. Because the city is attempting to rewrite Texas tax law and taxpayers are entirely unrepresented, the Texas Attorney General’s Office is asking to intervene.
To view the state’s petition to intervene, please visit: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/files/epress/2015_10_29_COA_Petition_in_Intervention.pdf