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Category Archives: Fiscal
Police Ratio
The proposed 2015-2016 City of Austin budget increases the number of sworn police officers per capita.
Posted in Fiscal, Public Safety
Better Budget
A budget proposal that lowers new taxes while enhancing affordability and equity.
Posted in Fiscal
Patrolling Police Spending
The study justifying substantial increases in Austin’s police staffing doesn’t present any evidence that its recommendations are the most effective way to reduce crime. Public safety has grown dramatically as a share of total City government spending. The shift happened between … Continue reading
Posted in Fiscal, Public Safety
“Save Our Mansions” exemption fuels inequality
The percentage-based homestead exemption is an unfair tax shift that will disproportionately benefit the wealthiest homeowners. More effective affordability alternatives should be pursued instead.
Posted in Fiscal
Mansion Exemption Alternatives
I asked a dozen of the most policy-minded critics of the “mansion exemption” for alternative ways of spending approximately $30 million annually to boost Austin’s affordability. Here are the four main themes that came across in their responses. The 20% … Continue reading
Undoing HEx’s spell
There are better tools to solve the ‘affordability’ problem than a 20% homestead exemption (HEx). Here’s what progressive, fiscally-responsible Austinites must argue.
Posted in Fiscal
Homestead Exemption Effects
Adoption of a 20% homestead exemption (HEx) would shift City taxation away from affluent, low-density Council districts towards the middle-class and Latino neighborhoods.
Posted in Fiscal
Hahn Shoots First
Amy Everhart of Hahn Public wrote a fantastic memo on what to expect from the next Austin City Council. Here are three points to add to her mix of high-quality insights.
Posted in Development, Fiscal
The Homestead Exemption debate in 2 minutes
A City of Austin 20% homestead exemption is a tax shift policy that is likely to get a lot of attention from the incoming City Council. Here’s what you need to know.
Posted in Fiscal
10 bucks or 10,000 homes
A homestead exemption based on a fixed percent of home value is a regressive and ineffective affordability policy. It engenders a permanent loss of much-needed revenue for public investments. Spending directly on policies that promote abundant housing supply is an … Continue reading
Posted in Fiscal
