While all Austin area taxing authorities are contemplating tax increases (and the City of Austin continues water and other rate hikes), westside millionaires are getting huge property tax reductions for bogus historic property designations.  The policy is set by the Austin City Council.  To their credit, ACC & AISD have pulled out of the program.  It is up to the City of Austin to end the practice of giveaways — and rectify an otherwise worthy restoration program.

ChangeAustin.org is leading the call to revamp this program with the help of experts in historic preservation and wealthy westsiders who have urged their neighbors to forego this shameful giveaways to Austin’s wealthiest.  The news clips and testimony in this section say it all.

These two clips on KVUE-TV are the latest.

For even more information click here to go back and watch key testimony to the Austin City Council this summer, including that of Rick Harden, respected Austin preservationist who reluctantly blew the whistle on the giveaways.