Publications
Public Debt
Return to County Legislative Issues
Texas' 254 counties make up only 6% of all local debt.
Texas is growing fast, and local governments are building the infrastructure needed to sustain this robust economic development. Counties, cities and school districts all issue debt to build roads, schools, streets, water and wastewater treatment systems, parks, jails and other public facilities. Local taxpayers — not the state government — voted for these projects in their communities, and voted to issue the bonds and pay them off.
Key Points
- Texas counties are efficient and effective political subdivisions.
- Even with state’s high growth rate, bond-issued county debt is only 6% of the overall local debt in Texas.
- County debt increases to meet the demands of a growing population.
- The state’s economy depends heavily on local infrastructure local debt builds.
- Local debt isn’t always local. Many state highway projects are moving forward only because counties issue debt to pay part of the cost to get these projects underway.