# ZacTax

> Revenue analytics including sales and property taxes, revenue forecasting, and public finance consulting for Texas local governments.

ZacTax helps cities understand and forecast their tax revenues through software and expert consulting services.

## Accessing Content

All blog posts are available as markdown by appending `.md` to the URL.
Example: https://zactax.com/blog/2025/12/some-post.md

Alternatively, request any blog post URL with an `Accept: text/markdown` header to receive the markdown version.

Podcast episodes: add `?include=transcript` for full transcript.
## Pages

- [Case Studies](https://www.zactax.com/resources/case-studies)
- [Our Approach](https://www.zactax.com/about-us/our-approach)
- [Our Team](https://www.zactax.com/about-us/our-team)
- [Our Why](https://www.zactax.com/about-us/our-why)
- [Blog Series](https://www.zactax.com/blog/series)
- [Brand](https://www.zactax.com/about-us/brand)
- [Careers](https://www.zactax.com/careers)
- [Topics](https://www.zactax.com/blog/topics)
- [Services](https://www.zactax.com/services)
- [Blog](https://www.zactax.com/blog)
- [About Us](https://www.zactax.com/about-us)
- [Resources](https://www.zactax.com/resources)
- [Pricing](https://www.zactax.com/analytics/pricing)
- [Decision Engine Platform](https://www.zactax.com/analytics/decision-engine)
- [Home](https://www.zactax.com)
- [Strategic Services](https://www.zactax.com/services/strategic-services)
- [Analytics](https://www.zactax.com/analytics)
- [Consulting](https://www.zactax.com/services/consulting)
- [ZacFinance](https://www.zactax.com/services/finance)
- [ZacPlan](https://www.zactax.com/services/planning)
- [Property Tax Analytics](https://www.zactax.com/analytics/property-tax)
- [Sales Tax Analytics](https://www.zactax.com/analytics/sales-tax)

## Recent Articles

- [Same Chart, Different Story: Confidence vs. Prediction Intervals](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2026/04/same-chart-different-story-confidence-vs-prediction-intervals)
  Most forecasts include a range, but not all ranges answer the same question. This post breaks down the difference between confidence and prediction intervals, and why it matters for real-world city decisions.
- [Forecasting in the fog: why ranges beat point estimates](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2026/04/forecasting-in-the-fog-why-ranges-beat-point-estimates)
  If your forecast is just one number, it’s probably telling an incomplete story. Here’s how prediction intervals add the context city leaders actually need to plan ahead.
- [The power of a good prompt](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2026/04/the-power-of-a-good-prompt)
  A vague prompt gets unpredictable results. A specific one gets reliable results. Here's how to write prompts that actually work, using techniques you already know from managing people.
- [How can we prevent LLMs from hallucinating?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2026/04/how-can-we-prevent-llms-from-hallucinating)
  LLM hallucination is manageable, but not by waiting for smarter models. The real solution is giving the model less room to guess. Here are four techniques that make AI outputs dramatically more reliable.
- [What is a context window?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2026/03/what-is-a-context-window)
  LLMs can only hold so much information at once. Understanding context windows helps explain why long conversations sometimes go off the rails.
- [Why do LLMs hallucinate?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2026/02/why-do-llms-hallucinate)
  LLMs can generate confident, detailed responses that are completely wrong. Understanding why this happens helps you use these tools effectively.
- [How do LLMs generate text?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2026/02/how-do-llms-generate-text)
  When ChatGPT responds to your prompt, it's not retrieving an answer from a database. It's predicting the next word, one token at a time, based on probability.
- [Our dataviz guide now has interactive examples](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2026/02/dataviz-guide-now-with-interactive-examples)
  We rebuilt our popular data visualization guide with interactive examples that let you see the principles in action.
- [What is semantic search?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2026/02/what-is-semantic-search)
  Learn how adding semantic search to your city's toolbox can dramatically improve search accuracy and make your website easier for everyone to use.
- [How do language models understand language?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/12/how-do-language-models-understand-language)
  How can a computer tell that "blueberry" is more like "strawberry" than "red"? It starts by turning language into math, unlocking smarter tools for cities in the process.
- [AI terminology you should probably know](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/11/ai-terminology-you-should-probably-know)
  Get up to speed on the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, from machine learning and generative AI to neural networks and prompt engineering, all tailored for how cities can put these tools to work. This first installment of AI for Cities breaks down complex tech into clear, practical language for local government leaders ready to explore the future of smarter, more efficient city operations.
- [(Sort Of) Seeing the Future: An Intro to City Forecasting](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/10/sort-of-seeing-the-future-an-intro-to-city-forecasting)
  City leaders make forecasts every day—often guided by instinct more than data. What if you could bring clarity, accuracy, and confidence to those decisions? Learn how data science can transform city forecasting into a smarter, more transparent tool for shaping your community’s future.
- [Throwing the kitchen at SB10](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/08/throwing-the-kitchen-at-sb10)
- [ZacTax launches new Strategic Services division, names Robert Hanna President](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/07/zactax-launches-new-strategic-services-division-names-robert-hanna-president)
  This new offering is here to guide cities through the toughest challenges they face with confidence and clarity
- [Gaining an edge in your sales tax forecasting using leading indicators](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/05/gaining-an-edge-in-your-sales-tax-forecasting-using-leading-indicators)
  The ZacTax Research team investigates whether consumer sentiment and leading indicators can enhance sales tax forecasting models
- [ZacTax: How to Build Financially Healthy Cities](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/05/zactax-how-to-build-financially-healthy-cities)
- [Will the voucher debate spare Texas cities this session?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/04/will-the-voucher-debate-spare-texas-cities-this-session)
- [This is an April Fools joke, right?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/04/this-is-an-april-fools-joke-right)
- [What happens in Austin doesn't always stay in Austin](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/03/what-happens-in-austin-doesnt-always-stay-in-austin)
- [Hold onto your butts... (property tax edition)](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2025/01/hold-onto-your-butts-property-tax-edition)

## Archive

- [The earth's axis vs groundwater](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/12/the-earths-axis-vs-groundwater)
- [The case for public space](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/10/the-case-for-public-space)
- [The housing trap with Chuck Marohn](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/09/the-housing-trap-with-chuck-marohn)
- [The tizzy](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/09/the-tizzy)
- [The appraisal district drama](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/09/the-appraisal-district-drama)
- [What's the deal with the economy?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/08/whats-the-deal-with-the-economy)
- [The Vacation Episode](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/07/the-vacation-episode)
- [The kind of problem a city is](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/05/the-kind-of-problem-a-city-is)
- [Liability Lane](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/05/liability-lane)
- [Introducing ZacNews](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/05/introducing-zacnews)
- [The world's most expensive bathroom](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/05/the-worlds-most-expensive-bathroom)
- [The Doom Loop](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/04/the-doom-loop)
- [Amazon lockers, appraisal boards, and zoning reform](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/04/amazon-lockers-appraisal-boards-and-zoning-reform)
- [The episode about nothing](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/03/the-episode-about-nothing)
- [The Great Reversals](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/03/the-great-reversals)
- [The (audit) adjustment bureau](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/02/the-audit-adjustment-bureau)
- [The mo is slow](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/01/the-mo-is-slow)
- [The Gourmet Underwear](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2024/01/the-gourmet-underwear)
- [Retail sales and leases](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2023/12/retail-sales-and-leases)
- [The Holiday Episode](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2023/11/the-holiday-episode)
- [The Drive-Through](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2023/11/the-drive-through)
- [Now Is the Time to Update California’s Outdated Sales Tax Rules](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2023/11/now-is-the-time-to-update-californias-outdated-sales-tax-rules)
- [The shrinking savings](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2023/11/the-shrinking-savings)
- [The Segue](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2023/07/the-segue)
- [Hello, world! I'm Zac](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2023/04/hello-world-im-zac)
- [The formerly home-ruled 15-minute city](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2023/03/the-formerly-home-ruled-15-minute-city)
- [The Urban Vitality of Costco](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2023/03/the-vitality-of-costco)
- [The neighborly, the cloudy, the nice, and the naughty](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/12/the-neighborly-the-cloudy-the-nice-and-the-naughty)
- [The Bicycle](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/11/the-bicycle)
- [The "Why" (with bonus content!)](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/10/the-why-with-bonus-content)
- [The Profitable City](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/10/the-profitable-city)
- [The staff meeting](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/10/the-staff-meeting)
- [The profitable city](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/09/the-profitable-city)
- [I'm your density... I mean, your destiny](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/09/im-your-density-i-mean-your-destiny)
- [Meddlers of the world, unite (then cut it out, please)](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/08/meddlers-of-the-world-unite-then-cut-it-out-please)
- [Feature Friday: A walk to remember](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/07/feature-friday-a-walk-to-remember)
- [Introducing the new Command Bar](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/06/introducing-the-new-command-bar)
- [Isn't budgeting so much fun these days?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/04/isnt-budgeting-so-much-fun-these-days)
- [Open Mic Morning](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/03/open-mic-morning)
- [Local impacts of Ukraine and the 2020 Census changes](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2022/03/local-impacts-of-ukraine-and-the-2020-census-changes)
- [Software subscriptions and a stock market for cities](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/11/software-subscriptions-and-a-stock-market-for-cities)
- [A stemwinder on sales tax, staffing, supply chains, speed bumps, and scooters](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/11/a-stemwinder-on-sales-tax-staffing-supply-chains-speed-bumps-and-scooters)
- [Harry Potter, chess, and resilient communities](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/08/harry-potter-chess-and-resilient-communities)
- [Feature Friday: Dynamic Cohorts](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/08/feature-friday-dynamic-cohorts)
- [Feature Friday: Cohorts and more](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/08/feature-friday-cohorts-and-more)
- [What to expect when expecting to be a city manager](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/08/what-to-expect-when-expecting-your-first-cm-job)
- [Don't buy AirPods at the airport](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/07/dont-buy-airpods-at-the-airport)
- [The sky probably isn't falling, and why a national infrastructure bank isn't helpful](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/06/the-sky-probably-isnt-falling-and-why-a-national-infrastructure-bank-isnt-helpful)
- [Inflation adjustments and diversification metrics coming to ZacTax](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/05/inflation-adjustments-and-diversification-metrics-coming-to-zactax)
- [There may be more than meets the eye in May's sales tax allocation](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/05/there-may-be-more-than-meets-the-eye-in-mays-sales-tax-allocation)
- [Sales Taxes and Covid Vaxxes](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/05/sales-taxes-and-covid-vaxxes)
- [Addition by subtraction](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/04/addition-by-subtraction)
- [Efficiently serving mapping data on hundreds of thousands of properties](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/04/efficiently-serving-mapping-data-on-hundreds-of-thousands-of-properties)
- [Why you should ask for a sales tax permit before CO](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/04/why-you-should-ask-for-a-sales-tax-permit-before-co)
- [Introducing Search Preview](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/04/introducing-search-preview)
- [HB 4072 (and all-time great baseball movies)](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/04/hb-4072-and-all-time-great-baseball-movies)
- [Dark Stores and Coachless Teams](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/04/dark-stores-and-coachless-teams)
- [Shapes are fun, Shapefiles are funner](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/03/shapes-are-fun-shapefiles-are-funner)
- [Comparing apples and printers](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/03/comparing-apples-and-printers)
- [Fighting the wrong fight on property tax reform](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/03/fighting-the-wrong-fight)
- [The one Patrick expects a lot of feedback on](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/03/the-one-patrick-expects-a-lot-of-feedback-on)
- [Happy Texas Independence (from masks) Day!](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/03/happy-texas-independence-from-masks-day)
- [The best laid schemes](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/02/the-best-laid-schemes)
- [Back in the saddle](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/02/back-in-the-saddle)
- [Sales Tax (Post) Gameday - February 2021](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2021/02/sales-tax-post-gameday-february-2021)
- [Keeping our focus](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/12/keeping-our-focus)
- [Greg Abbott: City Manager](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/12/greg-abbott-city-manager)
- [The two Gs](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/11/the-two-gs)
- [Czech yourself before you wreck yourself](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/11/czech-yourself-before-you-wreck-yourself)
- [The "Chad's Mannerisms" episode](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/11/the-chads-mannerisms-episode)
- [Feature Friday: Region Layers](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/11/feature-friday-region-layers)
- [Sales Tax Gameday - November 2020](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/11/sales-tax-gameday-november-2020)
- [Budget help: keeping tabs on irregular taxpayers](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/11/budget-help-keeping-tabs-on-irregular-taxpayers)
- [Covid resurgence, broken ice cream, street grids, and murder hornets](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/10/covid-resurgence-broken-ice-cream-street-grids-and-murder-hornets)
- [Sometimes everything goes wrong...](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/10/sometimes-everything-goes-wrong)
- [Who tells your story?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/10/who-tells-your-story)
- [Sales Tax Gameday - October 2020](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/10/sales-tax-gameday-october-2020)
- [Round Robin - From AirBNB to our national treasure, Mike Leach](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/09/round-robin-from-airbnb-to-our-national-treasure-mike-leach)
- [Who tells your story?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/09/who-tells-your-story-roundup)
- [Sales Tax Gameday - September 2020](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/09/sales-tax-gameday-september-2020)
- [The Last Dance](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/09/the-last-dance)
- [New Feature: Tag, you're it!](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/08/new-feature-tag-youre-it)
- [Governor Abbott, local control, and the Texas Miracle](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/08/governor-abbott-local-control-and-the-texas-miracle)
- [Dataviz tips and dad jokes](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/08/dataviz-tips-and-dad-jokes)
- [Sales Tax Gameday - August 2020](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/08/sales-tax-gameday-august-2020)
- [Kevin Shepherd on fiscal sustainability, infrastructure gaps, and the future of development](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/08/kevin-shepherd-on-various-topics)
- [A city used these easy steps to have a productive council meeting and you won't believe what happened next!](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/07/a-city-used-these-easy-steps-to-have-a-productive-council-meeting-and-you-wont-believe-what-happened-next)
- [Covid-19’s impact on Texas sales tax, and how Marketplace Providers saved some cities](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/07/covid-19s-impact-on-texas-sales-tax-and-how-marketplace-providers-saved-some-cities)
- [What's Proptech, and how has Covid affected sales tax?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/07/whats-proptech-and-how-has-covid-affected-sales-tax)
- [VC and ED](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/05/vc-and-ed)
- [#OpenTexas](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/05/opentexas)
- [Budgeting under the cloud of COVID-19 with Kyle Lester](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/03/budgeting-under-the-cloud-of-covid-19-with-kyle-lester)
- [COVID-19 and your sales tax](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/03/covid-19-and-your-sales-tax)
- [SCADA-as-a-service, appraisal mishaps, and time travel](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/03/scada-as-a-service-appraisal-mishaps-and-time-travel)
- [James Earp on the local response to COVID-19](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/03/james-earp-on-the-local-response-to-covid-19)
- [Brittney Huff on things you don't learn in grad school (aka TYDLIGS)](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/03/brittney-huff-on-things-you-dont-learn-in-grad-school-aka-tydligs)
- [The "Leap-Year" school of management theory](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/02/the-leap-year-school-of-management-theory)
- [Lamentations on technology and Disney princesses](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/02/lamentations-on-technology-and-disney-princesses)
- [The future of ZacTax, software spies, and zipper merges](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/02/whats-new-with-zac)
- [Fresh Prince and Strong Towns](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2020/01/fresh-prince-and-strong-towns)
- [Single Local Taxes, Rule Changes, and Christmas Conspiracies](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/12/single-local-taxes-rule-changes-and-christmas-conspiracies)
- [Robert Hanna - Downtown Redevelopment in Abilene](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/12/robert-hanna-downtown-redevelopment-in-abilene)
- [December 2019 Sales Tax Recap](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/12/december-2019-sales-tax-recap)
- [Who are the single local rate taxpayers?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/12/who-are-the-single-local-rate-taxpayers)
- [Lifting the auditors' vail](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/12/lifting-the-auditors-vail)
- [The Single Local Tax Rate Episode](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/11/the-single-local-tax-rate-episode)
- [Mr. Miyagi, Facebook, and Christmas Spite](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/11/mr-miyagi-facebook-and-christmas-spite)
- [Rework](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/11/rework)
- [Haters gonna hate (local control)](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/10/haters-gonna-hate)
- [Origins](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/10/origins)
- [Importing an ugly text-file report into Excel](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/10/importing-an-ugly-text-file-report-into-excel)
- [Sneak Peek @ Zac 3](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/09/sneak-peek-at-zac-3)
- [The benefits of using your own products](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/08/the-benefits-of-using-your-own-products)
- [Texas Comptroller provides insight into how the Single Local Tax rule will be reported](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/08/texas-comptroller-provides-insight-into-how-the-single-local-tax-rule-will-be-reported)
- [How does the $5,000 confidential threshold work?](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/07/how-does-the-5000-confidential-threshold-work)
- [Quick Wins for your Data Visualizations](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/05/quick-wins-for-your-data-visualizations)
- [Introducing Audit Watch](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2019/04/introducing-audit-watch)
- [Deep-Diving the Texas Comptroller's Single Local Tax Proposal](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2018/11/deep-diving-the-texas-comptrollers-single-local-tax-proposal)
- [Explaining the proposed Texas single local tax rule](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2018/11/explaining-the-proposed-texas-single-local-tax-rule)
- [SCOTUS overturns 1992 ruling, allows states to collect online sales tax regardless of physical presence](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2018/06/scotus-overturns-1992-ruling-allows-states-to-collect-online-sales-tax-regardless-of-physical-presence)
- [Feature Friday (on a Tuesday): Better Search, Quicker Answers](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2018/05/feature-friday-on-a-tuesday-better-search-quicker-answers)
- [SCOTUS considers expansion of online sales tax](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2018/04/scotus-considers-expansion-of-online-sales-tax)
- [The changing landscape of retail](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2018/01/the-changing-landscape-of-retail)
- [The Sales Tax Audit Struggle Part Two: It's Not House Money](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2017/03/the-sales-tax-audit-struggle-part-two-its-not-house-money)
- [The Sales Tax Audit Struggle Part One: Perception vs Reality](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2017/03/the-sales-tax-audit-struggle-part-one-perception-vs-reality)
- [HB 1370 would be a big win for cities](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2017/02/hb-1370-would-be-a-big-win-for-cities)
- [We're Blogging!](https://www.zactax.com/blog/2017/02/were-blogging)