Brandon Creighton

TEXAS SENATE BILL ALREADY SAVING TAXPAYERS $100 MILLION

August 25, 2016

Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Authored by fellow property tax committee member Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe,) and amended by Sen. Bettencourt to require a super-majority 60% voting threshold for local taxing units to assess property tax increases, the bill is already being credited with stopping a $100 million proposed tax increase for Dallas ISD.

Last week, a proposed Dallas ISD 13-cent tax rate hike motion had a simple majority, 5-4 vote in favor of it. But that falls short o the 6-3 super-majority vote necessary to enact the tax ratification election, subject to voter approval.

“Last session, I authored Senate Bill 1760 to continue my priority, as a fiscal conservative, to look out for Texas taxpayers. The recent vote by Dallas ISD, and subsequent victory for taxpayers, demonstrates why this bill was so important. ,” Sen. Creighton, said.

“The law was passed to further protect Texas citizens by requiring a super-majority vote, instead of a simple majority vote in order to raise taxes. $100 million is real money saved, proving Texas state government does bring real results,” Creighton said.

The Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform & Relief, chaired by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), has taken 37 hours of testimony demonstrating the need for further statewide property tax reform and relief measures in cities all across Texas this year. One such piece of legislation, SB 1760, passed during the 2015 legislative session.

“Dallas ISD taxpayers got the protection they deserve against paying ever-increasing property tax bills,” said Bettencourt

“The proposed 13-cent tax rate hike, on top of an estimated 12.2% countywide appraised value increase there, would have been a blockbuster property tax bill to receive. Thankfully, Dallas taxpayers won’t receive such a shocking 2016 property tax bill now.”

“Stopping a $100 million dollar tax increase will be a record that will stand for some time,” added Bettencourt, who is chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform & Relief.

The Select Committee has held hearings throughout Texas to listen to testimonyabout the property tax process and recommend ways to reduce the tax burden on property owners.

The committee plans to release its legislative report later this year.