FORT WORTH, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott lauded Tarrant County as the perfect example of how to create meaningful tax relief for residents during a Thursday press conference, where he discussed his four-point plan to lower property taxes.

On Aug. 13, the county Commissioners Court first discussed its budget and tax rate for next fiscal year, which starts in October. They are also responsible for the JPS Hospital District.

As county staff presented the numbers at that meeting, the proposed lower tax rate for Tarrant County and JPS will save the typical homeowner roughly $82. After the press conference Thursday, Republican County Judge Tim O’Hare said the calculations presented were off and the true savings will be more substantial.

If the proposed tax rates pass in September, it’ll be the fourth year in a row the Tarrant County Commissioners Court has lowered property taxes for homeowners.

“Overall, the county property tax rate is down 17% from when we got there,” said O’Hare, who joined the court in January 2023. “The hospital district property tax rate is down 29.2% since we got there, and our overall county budget is down $70 million from when we walked in the door in 2023.”

Abbott thanked O’Hare and Republican commissioners Manny Ramirez and Matt Krause for the example they’ve set for other local governments.

Democrat commissioners Alisa Simmons and Roderick Miles were not present. Both condemned the tax cut last year as cutting into bone, not reducing fat from the county and hospital district budgets.

Simmons, who is running against O’Hare in November, criticized the governor’s plan in a statement for imposing “sweeping restrictions on the local governments responsible for roads, courts, law enforcement, public health and other essential services.”

She said she supports “meaningful” property tax relief, but added that a lower tax rate alone doesn’t indicate sound fiscal management.

“As we review Tarrant County’s proposed FY2027 budget, we should be asking whether recurring revenues cover recurring expenses, whether reserves are being used for ongoing obligations, and whether infrastructure and other necessary investments are being deferred,” she said,

“It is very achievable for jurisdictions across the entire state to do exactly what Tarrant County has done,” Abbott said, “and that is to cut property taxes while fully funding operations in a robust, growing city like Fort Worth and county, like Tarrant County.”

The governor also spoke on his plan to permanently reduce property taxes, which he posed as a promise to Texans if he returns to office after the November election. Abbott will be up for his fourth term against Democratic nominee Gina Hinojosa, a state representative from Austin.

Abbott’s plan includes a limit on local entities’ spending, requiring any tax increase have approval of two-thirds of voters, cap appraisals to no more than 3% and end public school districts’ reliance on homeowners’ property taxes for funding.

He said instead, the state would fund public schools. In 2025, state lawmakers approved a bill raising the basic allotment for public education, but local districts said it wasn’t nearly enough. Texas public schools are funded through various sources such as local property taxes, state funding and federal grants.

Abbott said his property tax plan would force local governments and school districts to be more responsible with their budgeting.

“It’s tough, but it needs to be done,” he said.

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