Read more: Local, State, Politics, Debra Medina, Property Taxes, Gubernatorial Candidates, Judge Arthur Ware, Tax Collector, Texas
AMARILLO,TEXAS -- One of the state's republican gubernatorial candidates is proposing getting rid of property taxes altogether.
On the surface it may sound like a good deal Debra Medina is offering to let texans keep the money they send to county tax collectors, but there's got to be a balance struck.
Currently, property taxes bring in about $39 billion statewide, and in order to recoup the lost revenue if they are cut, Medina is proposing an increase in the state's 8.25 percent tax rate.
The money would all be sent down to Austin where the state government would then decide how to re-distribute the wealth with little or no local control.
Judge Arthur Ware says he questions the idea. "Your literally giving the upper government entities control of everything you do and that's the problem with the Fed. They want control of the states, the states want control the cities and counties and those of us on the bottom, are just trying to figure out how to survive on what we have.
Proponents add that higher taxes might result in more residents shopping online or across Texas' borders to save money.
