Texas Tax Reform Commission to Hold Hearings in Laredo, Weslaco

AUSTIN – The Texas Tax Reform Commission will meet Thursday, Jan. 26, in Laredo and Friday, Jan. 27, in Weslaco to gather recommendations on how to reform the state tax structure.

The hearings are part of a series of public hearings the commission will hold across the state to gather input from Texans on how to modernize the tax structure and reduce property taxes. The public is invited to participate.

The 24-member, bi-partisan commission was created by Gov. Rick Perry in September 2005. It is chaired by former Texas comptroller John Sharp. Since then, the Texas Supreme Court has ruled the state’s current school property tax structure unconstitutional and has given lawmakers until June 1 to devise a different tax system and lower school property taxes.

The governor has outlined five key principles to guide the commission’s deliberations on tax reforms. Perry said our new tax structure must be fair, broad-based, modern, understandable to taxpayers and competitive with other states “so that Texas can continue to attract jobs by maintaining the best business climate in America.”

Details of the Laredo and Weslaco meetings and later meetings of the commission are as follows:

Thursday, Jan. 26

• 5:00 p.m. (CST) – Laredo
• Texas Tax Reform Commission to hold public hearing.
• Laredo Community College Main Campus
• De La Garza Building, Room 101
• West End Washington Street
• Laredo, TX 78040

Friday, Jan. 27

• 10:00 a.m. (CST) ­– Weslaco
• Texas Tax Reform Commission to hold public hearing.
• South Texas College
• Mid-valley campus
• Lecture Hall, Room G191
• 400 N. Border
• Weslaco, TX 78596

Tuesday, Feb. 7

• 5:00 p.m. (CST) – Texarkana
• Texas Tax Reform Commission to hold public hearing.
• Location TBD

Monday, Feb. 13

• 10:00 a.m. (CST) – Abilene
• Texas Tax Reform Commission to hold public hearing.
• Location TBD

Tuesday, Feb. 21

• 10:00 a.m. (CST) – Nacogdoches
• Texas Tax Reform Commission to hold public hearing.
• Location TBD

Tuesday, Feb. 28

• 10:00 a.m. (CST) – Midland
• Texas Tax Reform Commission to hold public hearing.
• Location TBD