LA MARQUE, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says a tax increase approved by La Marque city leaders may violate a new Texas Law. The city of La Marque doesn’t agree.

On Oct. 2, Paxton sent a letter to La Marque and three other cities — Odessa, Tom Bean, and Whitesboro — ordering them to pause “potentially illegal property tax increases” adopted in violation of Senate Bill 1851. The law, which took effect on Sept. 1 of this year, limits cities that have not completed their annual audits on time to raising only enough taxes to maintain the previous year’s revenue.

In his letter, Paxton said he is formally launching an investigation to determine if the new tax rate is illegal.

“I have grave concerns that municipalities across Texas have blatantly violated the law in an attempt

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