The property tax you pay remains in the local community for services. Property tax is a local tax to finance local governments and public schools. This tax is of major importance as the largest single revenue source for the support of municipal and school district services. Counties, cities, towns, school districts, and special districts use property taxes to fund schools, police and fire protection, road maintenance, and many other municipal services such as:

Supporting local public schools: Property taxes fund the public school system, both K-12 school districts and community colleges. Although both the federal and state governments contribute toward the nation’s education bill, local school districts and community colleges rely heavily on property taxes for financial support.

Supporting local government services:  Money from property taxes goes to local cities and counties and is a source of unrestricted income that can fund programs, services and maintenance such as public streets and roadways. Street maintenance may include making repairs to streets and traffic lights, street cleaning and patching potholes, and road improvements.

To read about some of the projects supported by property tax dollars, please visit the public institutions below: