Texans have heard it before—the claim that our tax structure somehow puts us at a disadvantage. But recent assertions from the Houston Chronicle that Texans pay more in taxes than Californians fly in the face of logic, real-world data, and plain common sense. This report, based on figures from the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), purports that Texas’s tax system “unfairly” burdens low and middle-income earners. Let’s call this out for what it is: cherry-picked, agenda-driven nonsense meant to cast aspersions on Texas’s independence-minded economic policies.

The Houston Chronicle and ITEP are pushing an outdated narrative—one that deliberately ignores the full scope of Texas’s tax advantages to advance a broader anti-Texas, pro-centralized-control agenda. ITEP, a well-known left-wing think tank, is on a mission to criticize states that reject income taxes, and the Chronicle has jumped on board with a tone-deaf argument. Here’s what they won’t tell you: Texans pay a fraction of what Californians fork over in taxes. According to the Tax Foundation, the average Californian faces a staggering $6,813 in combined state and local taxes, while Texans pay $4,481—nearly 52% less​​. In other words, the Chronicle and ITEP are twisting figures to misrepresent reality, ignoring that Texas’s tax model keeps far more money in the pockets of everyday Texans.

ITEP’s Cherry-Picked Data Ignores Texas’s Financial Freedom

ITEP’s argument hinges on the percentage of income paid in taxes by various income groups, painting Texas as “regressive” and California as a model of “equity.” But this slanted view misses the entire purpose of Texas’s tax model. In Texas, we don’t force workers to pay a state income tax, allowing every resident to keep more of their earnings without Sacramento-style interference. ITEP ignores this fundamental difference to claim that lower-income Texans pay “too much” in taxes. Let’s be clear: Texans don’t need ITEP’s lectures on “equity.” Texas’s tax system gives everyone more financial freedom, from the smallest business owner to the highest earner, and without the crippling income taxes that have Californians reeling.

The absence of a state income tax in Texas is no small matter. While Californians pay up to 13.3% of their income to the state—the highest rate in the nation—Texans are free to decide how to spend, save, or invest their income. That is economic freedom, pure and simple. Texas’s system relies on sales and property taxes, which are consistently lower in overall impact than California’s overbearing income tax structure. Texans understand the value of keeping what we earn, a concept that ITEP and the Chronicle fail to grasp.

Misleading Comparisons of Property Taxes

In their rush to criticize Texas, the Chronicle and ITEP often single out property taxes. Yes, Texas does have a relatively high property tax rate, but even here, they distort the facts. Texas homeowners pay less overall because property values remain affordable, thanks to Texas’s low-regulation approach to housing and development. In California, where home prices are out of control due to endless red tape, the burden of property taxes on a median-priced home far outstrips that of Texas. In Texas, the median home price sits around $330,000, while in California, it skyrockets past $800,000. The simple fact is that Texans enjoy affordable housing and reasonable property tax bills, while Californians face the impossible burden of inflated home prices, high taxes, and crushing regulations.

California’s Progressive Tax Burden: A Poor Model for Texas

The Chronicle would have you believe that California’s so-called “progressive” income tax structure is a model Texas should emulate. But Texans know better. California’s taxes aren’t “redistributive”—they’re punitive, driving out businesses, middle-income families, and anyone looking for economic freedom. ITEP’s focus on income redistribution ignores the devastating impact of California’s policies on job creation and economic growth. Texas’s tax policies, on the other hand, encourage business development and individual success. Businesses flock to Texas because our system is built on the principles of economic freedom and personal responsibility, not dependency on government handouts.

In California, taxes serve to prop up an unsustainable welfare state, forcing residents to shoulder the weight of failing policies that have crippled economic opportunity. Meanwhile, Texas’s approach to taxation is grounded in the idea that people—not bureaucrats—know how best to use their hard-earned income. California’s system may be “progressive,” but it’s also regressive in the sense that it holds back opportunity, burdens entrepreneurs, and makes people dependent on government assistance. Texans prefer to keep their income and build their future independently, free from California-style redistribution schemes that stifle growth.

Migration Patterns Reveal the Truth

The Chronicle and ITEP don’t want to talk about this, but the migration data speaks for itself. California has become a state people are desperate to escape, while Texas is the top destination for families and businesses looking for a better life. Between 2010 and 2020, Texas’s population swelled by nearly 4 million, much of it from high-tax states like California. Families and businesses alike are choosing Texas because of the freedom and opportunity that our low-tax, pro-business environment provides. No amount of ITEP spin can hide the fact that people are voting with their feet. And they’re choosing Texas.

Californians have watched their state government chip away at their hard-earned income, forcing them to flee to places that respect individual liberty. Thanks to a tax system that encourages investment and independence, Texas has consistently ranked among the top states for job creation, business growth, and population increase. By contrast, Californians are saddled with high taxes, skyrocketing living costs, and a government that sees them as little more than revenue streams. Texans understand that true equity is rooted in freedom and the ability to determine one’s own future—a concept utterly foreign to California’s tax-and-spend approach.

The TEXIT Perspective: Economic Sovereignty for Texas

This Texas independence doesn’t stop with our tax structure—it extends to the vision of a truly independent Texas, one where we don’t hand over billions to Washington to fund projects that don’t reflect our values. Texans increasingly understand that TEXIT is about more than just politics; it’s about economic sovereignty. An independent Texas could craft a tax system that fully reflects the Texas spirit—one that maximizes financial freedom, protects hard-earned income, and directly serves the people of Texas, not bureaucrats in Washington.

Imagine a Texas where every tax dollar stays within our borders, supporting the roads, schools, and infrastructure that benefit Texans directly. TEXIT is a movement toward ensuring that our economic freedom is fully realized. It’s about Texans managing Texas taxes without federal mandates or restrictions, allowing us to focus on building a resilient economy. An independent Texas could avoid the pitfalls of federal overreach, crafting a tax model that truly aligns with our values and enables us to build a prosperous, thriving state.

Texas’s Tax System: A Model of Economic Independence

The Chronicle and ITEP’s hit job on Texas’s tax model is as transparent as it is misguided. Texas’s approach to taxation—low, fair, and grounded in personal responsibility—has fostered one of the most dynamic economies in the world. Texans don’t need lectures on “equity” from ITEP, and they certainly don’t need lessons on governance from the Houston Chronicle. Texans have built a system that reflects their values, one that rewards work, encourages independence, and rejects the dependency model that has hollowed out California’s economy.

Texas’s tax system isn’t just a model for good governance; it’s a framework for freedom. By embracing low taxes and individual accountability, Texas has become a destination for people seeking a better life. Californians fleeing their home state have found in Texas the economic security and opportunity that California’s high-tax, high-regulation system destroyed. Texans know that independence from bureaucratic overreach isn’t just possible; it’s necessary for the prosperity of our state. With TEXIT, Texas can take the ultimate step toward complete economic sovereignty, ensuring that our tax dollars benefit Texans alone and building a future that belongs to us.

The Not-So-Hidden Agenda of ITEP and the Houston Chronicle

Let’s call this report what it is—a hit piece on Texas’s economic policies and a thinly veiled attempt to promote centralized control under the guise of “equity.” ITEP, the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy, has a long record of criticizing any state that dares to deviate from the federal government’s heavy-handed approach. ITEP’s so-called “analysis” on Texas taxes is part of a bigger agenda—one that pushes high taxes and centralized power while attempting to dismantle any state that promotes individual responsibility and freedom. And the Houston Chronicle? It’s merely echoing ITEP’s talking points without acknowledging the real motivations behind the data.

ITEP’s focus isn’t on providing accurate information about economic freedom or prosperity. It’s about manipulating numbers to make Texas look bad. By focusing only on percentage-of-income metrics, they completely sidestep the reality of economic well-being in Texas—a reality that includes a booming economy, high job growth, affordable housing, and a cost of living that allows families to prosper. ITEP wants Texans to believe that they’re somehow worse off than Californians who are buried under state income taxes, housing regulations, and suffocating business restrictions. The truth is that ITEP’s work is meant to scare Texans into thinking they need more government intervention in their lives, when Texans know that the opposite is true.

The Houston Chronicle, meanwhile, eagerly amplifies ITEP’s biased perspective, pushing the narrative that Texans should aspire to California’s tax-and-spend model. But why? California’s tax system, which bleeds residents dry and drives businesses out of state, is precisely the model Texans reject. The Chronicle isn’t looking out for everyday Texans—it’s pushing an agenda that seeks to undermine Texas’s economic independence. By trying to convince Texans that high taxes and centralized control are somehow better for them, the Chronicle is attempting to steer Texas toward policies that would make us dependent on a bloated government, eroding the very freedoms that make Texas strong. This is not journalism. It’s agenda-driven propaganda.

Texans deserve better than fearmongering disguised as journalism. ITEP and the Chronicle want to impose their vision of governance on Texas—one where the government decides how much of our income we can keep and where centralized power dictates our prosperity. But Texans don’t need permission to be prosperous, and we certainly don’t need California-style taxation to secure our future. Texans know the truth: our low-tax, high-freedom model is not only working—it’s the reason people and businesses are flocking to Texas in record numbers. ITEP and the Houston Chronicle can peddle their narrative all they want, but Texans won’t be misled. We choose economic freedom, self-determination, and a government that respects our right to thrive without interference.