Measure to lower Texas property taxes advances at State Capitol
Senate Bill 4 raising Homestead Exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 passed out Committee unanimously.
If approved, the measure would lower School taxes $500 for the average homeowner.
SB-4 would completely eliminate school tax bills for most Texas Seniors who own their homes.
Funded by $2.9 billion from the state's $24 billion surplus.
Headed to full Senate for consideration.
AUSTIN, Texas - The continuing cry for relief from ever rising property taxes is fully underway at the State Capitol with particular focus on slashing the burden for seniors.
"It is a sad situation that people lose their homes because they can't pay taxes and that is in fact the case," said Susan Spataro, a taxpayer advocate.
"A lot of our seniors are moving into the homeless category unfortunately, because of restricted income and the costs and remaining in their home is so important to them," said Charles Scoma with Texas Silver Hair Legislature.
The backstory
Enter Houston State Senator Paul Bettencourt, author of SB-4, a measure aimed at investing $2.9 billion from the state surplus into elevating the current school tax Homestead "exemption" from $100,000 to $140,000 per year and lowering bills for millions of homeowners by an average of $500 while effectively eliminating the cost altogether for 80% of seniors.
"It's part of, I think, the moral responsibility we have to keep seniors in their homes," said Bettencourt.
"It allows our especially over 65 (homeowners) to continue to be able to afford to own their family home that they raised their children in, and I hope we are never going to hear those stories again that I'm going to have to sell this house because I can't afford the property taxes," said State Senator Mayes Middleton.
What the other side is saying
While SB-4 is drawing near unanimous bi-partisan support, some on the left suggested during Tuesday's Committee hearing that the emphasis on tax reduction is shortchanging other areas of profound need.
"We think it's time to take a step back and consider whether we should be continuing to do more tax cuts, or should we think about some of the other priorities for our state, namely investing in our public schools, in our state workforce, in our infrastructure and our health care system," said Shannon Halbrook with the advocacy group, Every Texan.
Dig deeper
In what is labeled the "hold harmless" component, SB-4 reimburses Texas school districts every dollar granted homeowners in tax relief.
SB-4 passed out of committee unanimously - and is now headed to a vote by the full Senate.
The Source
Information provided during a committee hearing held on Tuesday.
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Tuesday night, most Senate Democrats joined Republicans on a procedural vote to advance the military and veterans spending bill on the floor, and Schumer signaled that Democrats don't want to stand in the way of advancing bipartisan spending bills that his members have worked hard on. But, there is still a number of factors outside of Schumer's control. For one, House Republicans will manage their appropriations process. Already, conservatives are laying the groundwork for a full revolt if Speaker Mike Johnson tries to move ahead with a stopgap government funding measure known as a continuing resolution rather than passing all 12 individual spending bills. And even if the House could pass the dozen bills with their tight majority, they would many are likely to be nonstarters in the Senate where Republicans need 60 votes to advance their bills. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries signaled this week that Democrats were in no mood to help Republicans pass those bills. 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The minority leader held an impromptu press conference last week assailing comments from Vought that the appropriations process should be more partisan going forward. On the floor, Schumer warned Republicans that any passage of a spending cuts package with just GOP votes would poison the well for the September funding talks. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat who voted against the stopgap funding bill in March, told CNN that Schumer clearly has taken lessons from the spring and carried them forward to this moment. 'I definitely know in the aftermath of that, he called all 47 of us. We were on recess the following week, he called all 47. What do you think? What should we do differently next time? I mean he's been very diligent in trying to seek advice and then also engage in significant discussions in the caucus about CRs and spending battles,' Kaine said. 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