Thursday, September 19, 2024
The high cost of housing in Texas is a crisis that’s hitting home, especially for families in Waco. With an average household income of $69,561 and a median home price of $264,999, homeownership is slipping out of reach for too many hardworking families.
Affording a home in Texas has become more challenging due to rising home prices, soaring property taxes, and stagnant wage growth. Demand for housing has driven prices up, while property taxes remain a heavy burden. On top of that, higher interest rates and stricter lending requirements are making it harder for families to qualify for mortgages. These are real issues affecting real people in our community, and it's time for real solutions.
Here’s where I stand…
I will push for long-term solutions to reduce property taxes without compromising funding for our public schools, first responders, and infrastructure. We need to identify alternative revenue sources so we can ease the tax burden on homeowners while still supporting vital public services. We can do this by expanding Medicaid so that our property tax dollars do not have to pay for indigent health care in McLennan County—let’s let the federal government do that with the tax dollars we have paid in and are not getting because of the Texas Legislature’s refusal to expand Medicaid.
I will advocate for policies that incentivize the development of affordable housing, including tax credits and zoning reforms. It’s time to build more homes that working families can afford.
I’m committed to fighting for higher wages for teachers, public servants, and all working Texans. Higher wages will strengthen families and boost our economy, giving more people the financial capacity to buy a home.
I will support initiatives that provide comprehensive care and housing solutions for our homeless population, ensuring that no one is left behind in our community.
In contrast, my opponent and the far-right are pushing for tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Texans and refusing to listen to our local hospitals—Hillcrest Scott and White, Ascension Providence, and Waco Family Health—who are literally begging the Texas Legislature to expand Medicaid and give them the funding we pay into the federal government. These policies leave working families behind. These policies threaten to underfund essential services like education and housing support, making it even harder for families to afford homes.
Together, we can make a real difference. By raising wages, investing in affordable housing, and lowering property taxes, we can help families achieve homeownership, tackle homelessness, and ensure that economic growth benefits everyone—not just the wealthiest few.
Thank you for joining me in this fight,
Erin Shank
Candidate for Texas House of Representatives, District 56
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