SB 2073 – Enables appraisal district debt

SB 2073 allows appraisal districts to finance the purchase of real estate and the construction of buildings—something not clearly authorized under current law. It also removes the requirement that such financing be approved by the local taxing units that fund the appraisal district. While the underlying goal may be administrative efficiency, the bill enables unelected appraisal district boards to take on potentially large financial obligations without input from local elected officials. This reduces transparency and weakens oversight over public funds and future tax burdens. Importantly, appraisal districts do not generate their own revenue—they are funded entirely by local taxing entities, meaning taxpayers may ultimately be on the hook for this new debt. The bill further shifts the default for unresponsive taxing units from automatic disapproval to automatic approval, tilting the process in favor of government expansion. SB 2073 prioritizes bureaucratic convenience over taxpayer protections.