Constitutional Amendments – Part 2

September 28, 2015

This is the second entry in our series on the proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. This election will be on November 3rd. I warned you some of these are a bit dry to study. Nevertheless, they are all important.

PROPOSTION 2

“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran who died before the law authorizing a residence homestead exemption for such a veteran took effect.”

DIGEST: Proposition 2 would extend the current homestead property tax exemption that applies to the surviving spouse of a totally disabled veteran who died on or after January 1, 2010, to include the surviving spouse of a totally disabled veteran who: 1) died before January 1, 2010; and 2) would have qualified for the full exemption on the homestead’s entire value if it had been available to totally disabled veterans at that time. A surviving spouse who otherwise qualified would be entitled to an exemption of the same portion of the market value of the same property to which the disabled veteran’s exemption would have applied.

SUPPORTERS SAY: This will provide a valuable form of tax relief for families of deceased disabled veterans. Any fiscal impact on a single taxing district would be minimal. Current law unintentionally creates two classes of surviving spouses and treats them differently depending on when their spouses died. This amendment recognizes the sacrifice by a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran and the person’s surviving spouse as the same regardless of the date on which the disabled veteran died.

OPPONENTS SAY: The Legislative Budget Board’s fiscal note indicates that school districts, municipalities, counties, and other special taxing districts (such as hospitals) will lose some tax revenue under the enactment of this proposition.

MY RECOMMENDATION: SUPPORT

OTHER NEWS

This weekend I attended the Texas State Guard Leadership Conference at Camp Swift. About 100 senior officers and NCOs attended. We discussed the TXSG’s mission and vision. Pictured below I am giving a legislative budget update to Major General Nichols, Texas Adjutant General, Major General Jake Betty and his senior command staff. You can learn more about the TXSG at https://www.txmf.us/

LOCAL EVENTS

Thursday, October 1 – Monthly Parker County Republican Party meeting at 7:00 pm in Strain Community Room at Weatherford College

Saturday, October 3 – Red Boot Soiree hosted by Bush Legacy Republican Women

Saturday, January 23 – 2016 Red Gala hosted by Wise Republican Women and Wise County Republican Party with Keynote Address by Lt. Col. Allen West. Buy tickets onlineHERE.