Download the “Your Tools for Tracking Your Tax Dollars” (PDF, 586K) worksheets.
Exercising Your Power as a Taxpayer
Get involved.
Attend hearings and meetings of taxing entities that affect you. Learn the faces and know the reasons and arguments behind tax decisions. Vote. Make your voice heard.
Put Yourself in the Know
Download the “Your Tools for Tracking Your Tax Dollars” worksheets for steps on finding and documenting the local tax information you want to know. These worksheets were recently updated with tips for tracking your local debt burden.
The Comptroller’s report series “Texas, It’s Your Money” will look at broader issues that impact Texas taxpayers every day. Go to TexasItsYourMoney.org.
Texas open meetings laws require all local governments to post their meeting agendas at least 72 hours before the meeting begins. Many post notices online, others post on notice boards at the door of city hall or in the county courthouse hallway.
The Texas Comptroller’s Leadership Circle website is a good place to start looking for local government websites.
If something you’re interested in is on the agenda – with few exceptions – it has to be discussed publicly. Learn more about Texas open meeting law in this helpful guide Open Meetings Handbook.
Download details of the creation and dissolution procedures that apply to each type of special purpose district and any actions taxpayers can take.
Learn the basics of taxation.
You don’t have to know enough to become an accountant, but it’s good to have a general understanding of how our state and local tax systems work.
Understand Texas Local Property Taxes
The Texas Comptroller’s office offers extensive information on Texas’ local property tax at the Property Tax Assistance site on Window on State Government.
Know Who Gets Your Sales Taxes
To learn the appropriate state and local sales tax rate for any address in Texas, use our online Tax Rate Locator.
Know your rights under the law.
You are entitled to a series of protections and remedies under Texas law if you disagree with the value assigned to your property, or the property tax levy due.
Understand Your Options
Find out what action you can take to protest your property valuation. See the Comptroller’s Property Taxpayer Remedies page.
Know What is Taxable
To see the rules that guide businesses about what they must levy sales tax for, visit the Comptroller’s Frequently Asked Questions.
Know where your tax dollars go.
Find out how transparent the governments that tax you are with their financial information.
Become Informed About Local Taxes
The Your Money and the Taxing Facts report is the first in a series that examines the issues that impact Texas taxpayers every day.
Study the interactive maps that provide a close-up view of the taxing entities and levies and revenues in each Texas county, as well as the other Comptroller tools and resources.