Texas Property Tax Reform for a High Growth State

A public policy framework focused on transparency, sustainable school funding, and infrastructure finance.

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The Chismark Paper

Independent Policy Framework for Texas Tax Stewardship, School Finance Stability, and Long-Term Growth

Texas is experiencing once in a generation growth. How the state manages this moment will shape home affordability, school stability, and infrastructure capacity for decades.

The Chismark Paper presents an independent, practitioner-authored framework focused on converting today’s growth into permanent prosperity through disciplined stewardship rather than short-term reactions.

Read the Full Paper
Legislative brief infographic

  • Prosperity Lockbox Protections

  • GEAR 2.0 government efficiency review

  • Innovation and AI revenue stewardship

  • Texas property tax reform

  • Texas school funding reform

  • Endowment-based school funding stabilization

  • Long-horizon property tax relief design

  • Texas Family Infrastructure Fund

  • Texas Growth Dividend framework

  • Texas infrastructure funding

What This Paper Addresses

Media and Industry Coverage

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Full Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary

  2. Introduction

  3. What ‘Cap & Cut’ Actually Does

  4. Case Studies

    1. California

    2. Colorado

    3. Arizona

    4. North Carolina

    5. Michigan

    6. Kansas

    7. Cook County/Chicago

    8. Florida

  5. Why These Failures Would Be Worse in Texas

  6. The Texas Plan

  7. How We Pay For It - The Bluebonnet

  8. Prosperity Engine

  9. Closing Remarks

  10. Call To Action

  11. About the Author

Access the full chismark paper
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Legislative Brief

This two-page working brief summarizes the full Chismark Paper for legislative staff.

Access the legislative brief

Chismark Briefs

A series of formal policy briefs expanding on key elements of the framework.

Brief No. 1 - The Case for Thoughtful Tax Stewardship in Texas

brief no. 1

Brief No. 2 - The Texas Growth Dividend

brief no. 2 - coming soon

Brief No. 3 - The Texas Family Infrastructure Fund

brief no. 3 - coming soon

Brief No. 4 - Innovation Stewardship and the AI Opportunity

brief no. 4 - coming soon

About the Author

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Ryan Chismark is a Texas property tax policy expert specializing in public finance, valuation systems, and infrastructure funding in growth jurisdictions. A Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), he has built his career analyzing, valuing, and advocating for complex properties across the country.

Recognized by D CEO Magazine as one of the 500 most powerful business leaders in Texas and twice featured as the “Face of Property Tax,” Ryan is widely regarded as a clear, accessible voice on Texas’s rapidly evolving tax landscape.

He has spoken nationwide at industry forums, universities, media segments, and Texas legislative hearings, helping shape policy conversations for lawmakers, school districts, businesses, and families.

A husband and father of three, Ryan came to Texas to be part of the Texas Miracle and is committed to protecting the long-term affordability and prosperity of the state he now calls home.

Media and Legislative Inquiries

Email
rchismark@meritax.com