Texas at a Crossroads: Stewardship Over Shortcuts
A long-term policy framework for property tax stability, school finance durability, and economic growth that protects families and communities now and for generations to come.
The Chismark Paper
Texas is experiencing once-in-a-generation population and economic growth. How the state approaches property tax reform today will determine whether school funding, infrastructure, and community services thrive tomorrow. The Chismark Paper offers a durable, discipline-centered policy path rooted in stewardship, intergenerational math, and long-term planning rather than quick fixes or political sound bites.
Why this matters:
Protect long-term school funding stability
Ensure tax reform strengthens families and communities
Design tax systems for future value creation, not short-term relief
Framework at a Glance
Long-Term Stability
Policies must protect core services and funding regardless of economic cycles.
Intergenerational Math
Decisions today must strengthen tomorrow’s stability, not weaken it.
Future Value Stewardship
Tax policy should recognize where value is created and ensure predictable revenue growth.
The Chismark Briefs
The Chismark Briefs are concise, issue-specific summaries drawn from The Chismark Paper. Each brief distills a section of the broader framework into a focused, practical overview of a single policy question.
They are written for legislators and staff, school and local leaders, industry groups, journalists, and Texans seeking clarity — making complex material easier to read, share, and apply. Select briefs are accompanied by infographics that translate key concepts into visual form for easier understanding and broader sharing.
Each brief is designed to be read quickly, shared easily, and referenced often.
This framework is designed to support deliberation, not advocacy.
Why cap-and-cut property tax policies promise stability but ultimately shift tax burdens, weaken infrastructure investment, and undermine long-term economic fairness.
Brief No. 1 - Cap and Cut: What It Is and Does It Work?
Why regular, market-based reassessment promotes fairness, revenue predictability, and long-term stability for schools, communities, and local governments.
Brief No. 2 - Reassessment Cycles: Their Role in Community Stability
Brief No. 3 - The Case for Thoughtful Tax Stewardship in Texas
Why stability matters first and how thoughtful tax design protects families and community services.
How policy math should prioritize tomorrow’s prosperity, not just today’s relief.
Brief No. 4 - Intergenerational Math
Brief No. 5 - The Texas Growth Dividend
How to create a system that shares economic success across all Texans.
Brief No. 6 - The Texas Family Infrastructure Fund
A disciplined approach to funding roads, schools, and essential infrastructure without destabilizing taxes.
A permanent, endowment-style safeguard that protects property tax relief in Texas from economic cycles and political shifts, ensuring stability for families, schools, and future generations.
Brief No. 7 - The Texas Prosperity Lockbox
Brief No. 8 - Innovation Stewardship and the AI Opportunity
Policy that aligns long-term tax strategy with future value creation in the digital economy.
A Responsible Phase-In to Property Taxation for First-Time Homeowners
Brief No. 9 - The Chismark First-Time Homebuyer Tax Exemption
Legislative Brief
This two-page working brief summarizes the full Chismark Paper for legislative staff.
Media and Industry Coverage
What This Framework Answers
What Sounds Good and What Actually Works?
How stability ensures strong schools: a fiscal buffer for every Texas region
How to fund the future responsibly: growth-aligned revenue strategies
What good reform looks like: durable, equitable, and predictable
About the Author
Ryan Chismark is a Texas property tax policy expert specializing in public finance, valuation systems, and infrastructure funding in growth jurisdictions. A Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), he has built his career analyzing, valuing, and advocating for complex properties across the country.
Recognized by D CEO Magazine as one of the 500 most powerful business leaders in Texas and twice featured as the “Face of Property Tax,” Ryan is widely regarded as a clear, accessible voice on Texas’s rapidly evolving tax landscape.
He has spoken nationwide at industry forums, universities, media segments, and Texas legislative hearings, helping shape policy conversations for lawmakers, school districts, businesses, and families.
A husband and father of three, Ryan came to Texas to be part of the Texas Miracle and is committed to protecting the long-term affordability and prosperity of the state he now calls home.
Questions this Website Answers
What is long-term tax stewardship?
Why does stability matter more than short-term relief?
How does this framework protect schools and families?
What principles should guide future tax policy design?