Here’s what you need to know about the fight over property tax cuts in the Texas Legislature

An aerial view of a suburban neighborhood in San Marcos on Oct. 18, 2021. Property tax cuts will be one of the main topics of debate during the 2023 legislative session. (Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune)

Property tax cuts will be one of the dominant topics of debate during this legislative session, and the fight over how much to spend on them is starting to take shape.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have filed dozens of bills aimed at curbing the state’s high property tax burden. Texas Republicans, who campaigned heavily on cutting homeowners’ exorbitant property tax bills, are particularly focused on the issue. With the state sitting on a nearly $33 billion budget surplus, Gov. Greg Abbott has made a big promise: using half of that money to reduce property owners’ tax burden.