Tax Limits and Truth in Taxation

States curtail the ability of local governments to increase property taxes, most commonly through limitations on increases in tax rates, assessed values, and tax levies. Many states allow the local jurisdictions to override the limit by majority vote of the electorate or some other mechanism. Some states also require full disclosure to the public of any changes in the tax revenue even without a change to the tax rate. These “Truth in Taxation” provisions may require special taxpayer...  

States curtail the ability of local governments to increase property taxes, most commonly through limitations on increases in tax rates, assessed values, and tax levies. Many states allow the local jurisdictions to override the limit by majority vote of the electorate or some other mechanism. Some states also require full disclosure to the public of any changes in the tax revenue even without a change to the tax rate. These “Truth in Taxation” provisions may require special taxpayer notices and public hearings or other procedural steps. This table provides details on limits and disclosure requirements adopted by each state, including the terms of each limit/disclosure requirement and a description of the override process. The initial construction of this table relied heavily on the ACIR report produced by Daniel Mullins and Kimberly Cox (1995). Scholars using our table to do research on tax limits and truth in taxation should also cite their work as foundational in the field. (Mullins, Daniel and Kimberly Cox. 1995. Tax and Expenditures Limits on Local Governments, M-194, Washington, DC: Advisory Commission on Inter-Governmental Relations.)

Summary tables are available for assessment limits, levy limits, rate limits, revenue and expenditure limits, and truth in taxation.