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Bastiat & Liberty Watchdog Index
Texas Local Government Freedom Index
Objective, empirical rankings grading 6,167 Texas local governments and 31,351 elected officials on fiscal restraint, tax burden, private property rights, and regulatory overreach. Zero peer normalization.
Top Ranked Governments (Highest Liberty)
Showing 1–25 of 2,307 matching jurisdictions
28-Year Freedom & Budget Trend Benchmark (FY 2000 – FY 2027)
Cohort Average Across Visible Page (25 Ranked Entities)5-Yr Freedom Trend (FY 22→27)
▲ +1.2 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▲ +3.2 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+2.3% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+13.9% (CAGR +2.5%/yr)
#4
State Rank
Stephens Memorial Hospital District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Stephens County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.002447Fiscal: 99.9Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.4% YoY (+13.7% 5Y)
Grade A+(100/100)
#3
State Rank
Santa Rita Underground Water Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Reagan County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.002341Fiscal: 99.9Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.4% YoY (+13.7% 5Y)
Grade A+(100/100)
#2
State Rank
Pecan Valley Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • DeWitt County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.001958Fiscal: 99.9Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.0% YoY (+13.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(100/100)
#1
State Rank
Calhoun Port Authority
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Calhoun County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.000499Fiscal: 100Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.1% YoY (+13.6% 5Y)
Grade A+(100/100)
#13
State Rank
Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Burnet County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.005538Fiscal: 99.7Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.9% YoY (+14.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.9/100)
#12
State Rank
Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Gillespie County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.0054Fiscal: 99.7Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.2% YoY (+13.4% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.9/100)
#11
State Rank
Orange County Navigation and Port District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Orange County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.005024Fiscal: 99.7Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+15.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.9/100)
#10
State Rank
Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Kendall County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.00496Fiscal: 99.7Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.8% YoY (+13.3% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.9/100)
#9
State Rank
Rusk County Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Rusk County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.004538Fiscal: 99.7Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+13.4% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.9/100)
#8
State Rank
McMullen Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Maverick County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.003648Fiscal: 99.8Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.6% YoY (+12.4% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.9/100)
#7
State Rank
Bee Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Bee County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.00324Fiscal: 99.8Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.8% YoY (+12.6% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.9/100)
#6
State Rank
Gonzales County Underground Water Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Gonzales County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.003074Fiscal: 99.8Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.4% YoY (+15.4% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.9/100)
#5
State Rank
High Plains Underground Water Conversation District #1
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Lubbock County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.002965Fiscal: 99.8Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.1% YoY (+13.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.9/100)
#29
State Rank
Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Brooks County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.010714Fiscal: 99.4Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.1% YoY (+12.9% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#28
State Rank
Irion County Water Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Irion County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.010683Fiscal: 99.4Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+13.7% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#27
State Rank
North Blanco County Emergency District #1
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Blanco County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.00989Fiscal: 99.4Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.5% YoY (+16.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#26
State Rank
Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Presidio County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.00985Fiscal: 99.4Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+14.0% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#25
State Rank
Panola County Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Panola County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.009548Fiscal: 99.4Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.3% YoY (+12.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#24
State Rank
Wood County Central Hospital District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Wood County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.009535Fiscal: 99.4Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.0% YoY (+14.7% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#23
State Rank
Texana Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Jackson County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.0086Fiscal: 99.5Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.1% YoY (+12.9% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#22
State Rank
Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Carson County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.007935Fiscal: 99.5Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+14.5% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#21
State Rank
Pawnee Emergency Services District #3
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Bee County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.00695Fiscal: 99.6Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.2% YoY (+12.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#20
State Rank
Matagorda County Conservation and Reclamation District #1
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Marion County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.00684Fiscal: 99.6Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+13.7% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#19
State Rank
Colorado County Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Colorado County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.00678Fiscal: 99.6Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.9% YoY (+14.3% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)
#18
State Rank
Victoria County Groundwater Conservation District
SPECIAL DISTRICT • Victoria County • Pop: N/A
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.006626Fiscal: 99.6Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+14.7% 5Y)
Grade A+(99.8/100)