The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence just published their 50-State Property Tax Comparison Study for Taxes Paid in 2022.
The study found that among the 50 largest cities in the United States, El Paso has the 3rd highest property tax rate (2.347%) for a median valued home ($152,800), just behind Detroit and Portland. We were also 3rd in 2021. (p. 66)
Coincidently, KFOX14 just aired a report on Smartasset’s claim that El Paso has the 12th highest property tax rate among all American cities, but the reporter made the classic mistake of confusing “property tax” with “property tax rate,” so her report is inherently deceptive.
Let us remember that the total tax burden of El Paso homeowners is not as high as in numerous other cities because our property values are lower (although our wages are also lower).
Nevertheless, our top-three ranking for tax rate does not reflect well upon our community.
Our five local taxing entities need to come together and agree on a long-term strategic plan to lower our total tax burden so that we can compete better with other Texas cities.
I would be in favor of conducting a full structural audit of the three school districts that are within El Paso County, eliminating a couple hundred high-paid bureaucrats and consolidating where possible, and capping the school districts’ share of our tax bill at 40%.
It can absolutely be achieved.