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P.O. BOX 29 ~ O <br />r AUSTIN. TEXAS 78769 <br />S 12.463.0668 <br />ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: <br />SUE MAGEE <br />LEGISLATIVE AIDE: <br />RICK JACOBSEN <br />L J <br />.ti; '.~ . <br />~ %1 <br />_.:~ <br /> <br />`Texas <br />`House ~I~epresetttatives <br />BOB RICHARDSON <br />STATE REPRESENTATIVE <br />DISTRICT 49 <br />~ . TRAVIS COUNTY <br />NEWS RELEASE . <br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE <br />FROM: Representative Bob Richardson <br />SUBJECT: City Income Taxes <br />DATE: March 29, 1988 <br />COMMITTEES: <br />SCIENCE !c TECHNOLOGY <br />RETIREMENT ANO AGING: <br />MEMBER O~ DUDGET <br />a OVERS~C.MT <br />According to a Texas Legislative Council opinion the charter of the City <br />of Austin "probably does authorize the city to impose an income tax". <br />The opinion was issued in response to an inquiry from State Representative <br />Bob Richardson, who is drafting legislation to prohibit city income taxes <br />in Texas. <br />In a statement released today, Representative Bob Richardson, R-Austin, <br />said that "Apparently, neither the Texas Constitution nor state statutes <br />prohibit the governing body of a home-rule city from imposing an income <br />tax on its residents IF such authority is granted to it by city charter." <br />"Apparently, the Austin City Charter is worded in such a manner that the <br />Austin City Council can, if it wishes, impose a personal or corporate <br />income tax on its residents by ordinance without the need for voter <br />approval," Richardson added. <br />The Austin Republican concluded by saying that "My feeling is that if a <br />City Council in Texas feels it can impose a personal income tax, it <br />'might'." I want to insure that."might" does not change to "will". <br />Currently, Representative Richardson is drafting legislation to prohibit <br />municipal income tastes by state statute, as well as through an amendment <br />to the state constitution. <br />-30- <br />