09 APR 2019 – The battle for Property Tax Relief and Reform is lost.
It is for this session, anyway. In 7 weeks (27 May), the Texas Legislature will end. And if property tax bills are not passed or “prioritized” this week, it is highly unlikely anything becomes law. That means, despite all the initial glee over new leadership this session, your taxes will continue to rise and you still won’t own your property.
Please. Don’t be fooled in the following weeks by political rhetoric and the media. We will be told otherwise.
“The clock just ran out on us (…single tear). Send me back to finish the job!” They told us the same last session, too.
The only good news? There are two bills we’re watching that have made it into the Calendars Committee: HB 281 Eliminate Taxpayer Funded Lobbyists; HB 705 Enable Sales Tax Substitution for Property Tax. And they are worth aggressively supporting… if they can get out.
Calendars job is to schedule bills to be sent to the House. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean they will. A lot of bills are intentionally killed by being stalled or delayed in Calendars.
Big surprise, the only Property Tax bills that look to be on a fast track…? Gov. Abbot’s little darlings, SB2/HB2 (the so-called, CAP bills). And although these do nothing to lower property tax, attempts are still underway to weaken them.
SB2 is now on the Senate “Intent Calendar.” Of course, it’s going to get a floor vote. It’s just pending Lt. Dan’s decision on when. Its companion bill, HB2 (Placed on “Emergency Calendar”) is being expedited. No doubt, these are the only bills that look likely to become law. And that’s pathetic… coming from a Governor who’s declared repeatedly, “No government should be able to tax people out of their homes!”
All other Property Tax bills are still waiting for Committee reviews. Unfortunately, that’s probably where they’ll die (or be delayed to death).
Even if these bills get through their Committees, are scheduled promptly by Calendars and passed by the House, they still have to go through the Senate and be signed by the Governor. If they had the potential of passing, they’d all be where SB2/HB2 are now. They’re not. That’s why they are all now as good as, “Thumbs Down.”
Now, what do we do?
Prepare now, right now, for the next session. Our solution, Eliminate Property Tax, is still the best. We still have legislators interested in discussing it after this session. And nothing else will emancipate us and restore our inalienable right to own our property until we do.
Continue to make your voice heard. Continue to send the message, relentlessly, to every Legislator and Executive.
And tell them, there is only one acceptable outcome:
No Relief. No Reform. #EliminatePropertyTax