Austin Taxpayers Try to Stop $187 Million Collection for Rail

The city of Austin has been hit with an illegal taxation lawsuit for collecting $187 million in taxes for a multi-billion dollar light rail that plaintiff taxpayers say the city can’t possibly spend in this upcoming year.

Filed Monday in Texas state court, the lawsuit cites an untested provision of state law allowing a taxpayer to ask a court to stop collection of a tax if the city’s tax rate is miscalculated.

Austin City Council members recently approved an incorrect tax rate for the light rail because taxpayers are “getting nothing, absolutely nothing” from the appropriation next year, ...