A LOOK AT THE TEXAS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION PROPOSITIONS

  

Early voting began today (Monday) in the May 7^th Texas Constitutional Amendment Election.

Proposition One is intended to provide property tax relief for homeowners who are 65 and older, or disabled with a homestead exemption.

In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed a bill that provided for the compression of school district property tax rates beginning in that year.

However, because homeowners who are elderly or disabled have their school property taxes frozen, they did not all benefit from the tax rate compression.

According to State Senator Lois Kolkhorst, the proposed amendment would correct this by ensuring that all elderly and disabled homeowners receive school tax relief as a result of school district tax rate reductions in 2019 and subsequent years.

Statistics show that there are 1.8 million over 65 exemptions and 180,000 disabled exemptions. Projections are that on the average that these households will see a $110 reduction in the first year and a $125 in the second year with the reductions continuing to grow in subsequent years.

Proposition 2 would increase the amount of the homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for public school purposes from $25,000 to $40,000.

If passed, the amendment would be effective as of January 1, 2022.

Proponents say the proposition will give homeowners an average of $176 savings on their school district tax bill.

Kolkhorst said that Proposition 2 does not reduce public education funding, but instead increases the state’s share of education funding, keeping local districts whole while receiving savings each year afterwards.

In order to appear on the ballot, the Propositions had to pass both the Texas House and Texas Senate by a two-thirds vote.  Because there are only two amendments this year, they have been placed on the May 7^th ballot along with the Brenham ISD Bond Election.