When most Americans think of Texas, high taxes are not the first thing to come to mind. Over the past few decades, the “Texas Model” has been one of less state control of day-to-day activities, including lower taxes and light-touch regulation.

But to a growing number of state leaders and lawmakers, Texas is hardly a bastion of limited government. Year-after-year, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and legislative allies have repeatedly castigated local officials for raising property taxes. But given state constitutional constraints on interfering with local taxes, the Texas Legislature cannot simply set local rates.