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Gov. Greg Abbott
Gov. Greg Abbott
Image 2 of 27 | 2017 new and proposed property tax rates in Houston-area cities
City of Houston
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.63875 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,278
City of Houston
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.63875 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,278
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City of Humble
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.225471 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $451
City of Humble
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.225471 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $451
Photo: Houston Chronicle
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City of Pasadena
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.584259 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,169
City of Pasadena
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.584259 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,169
Photo: Kristi Nix
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City of Cleveland 
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.53568 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,071

City of Cleveland 
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.53568 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,071
Photo: Vanesa Brashier
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City of Sugar Land
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.31762 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $635
City of Sugar Land
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.31762 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $635
Photo: Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle
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City of League City 
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.565 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,130
City of League City 
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.565 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,130
Photo: Mike Snyder/Houston Chronicle
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City of Conroe
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.4175 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $835
City of Conroe
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.4175 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $835
Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer
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City of Missouri City
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.6 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,200
City of Missouri City
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.6 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,200
Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle
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City of Pearland
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.685059 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,370
City of Pearland
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.685059 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,370
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City of Katy 
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.48 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $960
City of Katy 
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.48 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $960
Photo: Alan Warren
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City of Deer Park
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.72 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,440
City of Deer Park
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.72 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,440
Photo: Google Earth
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City of Montgomery
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.4155 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $831
City of Montgomery
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.4155 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $831
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City of Alvin 
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.788 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,576
City of Alvin 
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.788 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,576
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City of Richmond 
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.71 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,420

City of Richmond 
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.71 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,420
Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle
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City of Friendswood
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.5273 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,055
City of Friendswood
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.5273 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,055
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City of Texas City
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.577179
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,154
City of Texas City
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.577179
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $1,154
Photo: Mike Snyder/Houston Chronicle
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The Woodlands
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.23 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $460
The Woodlands
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.23 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $460
Photo: Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
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City of Bellaire
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.4159 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $832
City of Bellaire
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.4159 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $832
Photo: Dee Zunker
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City of Tomball
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.341455 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $683
City of Tomball
Proposed 2017 tax rate: 0.341455 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $683
Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff
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City of Magnolia 
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.4709 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $942 
City of Magnolia 
Approved 2017 tax rate: 0.4709 per $100
Tax before exemptions on a $200,000 home: $942 
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Launching a new round in a long-running fight in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday unveiled a plan to curb soaring property taxes, calling for a 2.5 percent annual cap on revenue growth from property taxes in each taxing jurisdiction.

Such a move is expected to face strong opposition from cities, counties and school districts, which in many areas have been raising taxes to cover expanding needs, especially in rapidly growing areas such as Fort Bend County and other parts of greater Houston.

It's a political battle that has huge financial impact for Texas property owners.

RELATED GALLERY: New and proposed city property tax rates around the Houston area 

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Media: Houston Chronicle

Under Abbott's plan, voter approval would be needed to raise tax revenues past the cap.

The city of Houston already is under a voter-imposed cap that limits property taxes to the combined rates of inflation and population growth or 4.5 percent, whichever is lower.

With school taxes the biggest drivers of property-tax growth statewide, Abbott said the state will have to pay for some of those increased costs and must stop pushing the costs of new programs off on local authorities.

Texas ranks sixth in the nation in property-tax burden. Since 1997, property taxes in Texas have risen 195 percent overall, according to Abbott's office.

Texas, however, has a low overall tax burden, in part because there is no state income tax.

"With the skyrocketing rise in property taxes, more and more Texans face the risk of being forced out of the homes they have lived in for decades," Abbott said in a statement. "Young families who are just starting out are having trouble affording their first home and businesses are unable to grow and hire more workers.

"Enough is enough," he said, insisting his plan "will take action to limit property tax growth, secure private property rights and ensure that Texas remains the most exceptional state in the nation."

The governor's plan also would require local elected officials who oversee taxing districts would have to publicly vote to raise property-tax appraisals, a move designed make the process more transparent to taxpayers -- and could thwart some increases.

In addition, the plan also would limit local debt -- now at $218.4 billion statewide, the second highest in the nation among the 10 largest states.

Abbott announced his plan at a press conference in Houston, where mushrooming property taxes have become an increasing target for voter angst that has made the area Ground Zero in the growing statewide fight to curb excessive taxation.

"Property taxes are remnants of an antiquated system of taxation that was necessitated because wealth was tied directly to the land: farming & ranching primarily," Abbott's reform plan states. "As Texas has urbanized and the economy has shifted largely to manufacturing, research and development, retail and professional services, the system of taxation is outdated."

Property tax reform has been debated by Texas leaders for years, but reforms have been slow or blocked by local taxing entities who have complained that changes would limit their ability to provide basic and necessary services to their communities, and to comply with state-mandated school standards.