Fact check: Where Texas governor candidates stand on property taxes

Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Oct 5, 2026

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Though the state does not collect a property tax, the topic has become a big issue in the race for Texas governor.

A homeowner’s bill is based on their appraised home value and the tax rates set by local governments, including the county, city and school district. Lawmakers in Austin indirectly impact the tax burden by creating homestead exemptions and limiting the growth of local tax rates.

Here’s where Republican Governor Greg Abbott and Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa fall on the issue.

Issue: Property taxes

Greg Abbott, Republican

Abbott recently visited Tarrant County to promise lower property taxes and praise the Republican Commissioners Court members for diminishing their tax rate four years in a row. He said every other county in Texas should follow their lead.

If he returns to office for a fourth term, Abbott vowed to permanently reduce property taxes with his four-point plan.

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

At the Tarrant County visit in August, Abbott said his property tax plan would force local governments and school districts to be more responsible with their budgeting.

Gina Hinojosa, Democrat

One of Hinojosa’s campaign promises is to put more money in Texans’ pockets, and part of that plan is to use savings from ending corporate subsidies to cut property taxes. According to her campaign website, she aims to eliminate residential property tax altogether.

Hinojosa, a state representative from Austin, has committed to reducing property taxes, but wants to do so in a way that doesn’t hurt the Texas economy, public schools and working families, according to a September press release.

On the Austin school board, Hinojosa voted to lower the property tax rate three times from 2012 to 2016.