Two proposed constitutional amendments aimed at bringing forth property tax relief garnered strong voter approval on Saturday (May 7), according to reports from Austin-based media outlets.
Gov. Greg Abbott hailed the passage of the propositions on social media.
“Victory for all property owners in Texas!” Abbott, a Republican, said in a tweet on the night of the election.
Voters statewide were presented with Proposition 1 and 2, to which Austin NBC affiliate KXAN reported each succeeded at the ballot box with a wide majority of the vote.
Proposition 1, the station reported, will give older and disabled Texans a tax break while Proposition 2 will raise the homestead exemption for the state’s homeowners from $25,000 to $40,000.
The measures come at a time when Texans are grappling with high property taxes just as the Lone Star State’s housing market is experiencing a boom, per Austin FOX affiliate KTBC.
State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who crafted Proposition 2, lauded voters for “overwhelmingly” approving property tax relief.
“They’re recognizing the obvious, that Texas homesteads need it,” Bettencourt, an accountant by profession who once served as Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector, said, according to KTBC.
Austin ABC affiliate KVUE reported that Proposition 1 secured 87% of the vote and Proposition 2 amassed 85% of the vote.
Texas Taxpayer and Research Association (TTARA) President Dale Craymer said that homeowners should expect an estimated $180 decrease on their tax bill starting in the fall.
