Texas

Texas homeowners and businesses will get a tax cut after voters approve Proposition 4

Published

10 months ago

November 7, 2023

Texas homeowners and businesses will get a tax cut after voters approve Proposition 4

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Texas homeowners and businesses will get potentially thousands of dollars cut from their property tax bills in the coming years after voters Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that changes how public schools are funded.

“Fighting for property tax reform is something Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and I have been doing together for almost 20 years in the making,” the bill’s author, Houston Republican Sen. Paul Bettencourt, said in an emailed statement. “To have all of everyone’s hard work pay off, it’s fantastic to see the public finally getting the property tax reduction they have always wanted and deserved. It’s great to give people their money back from excess budget collections.”

Proposition 4, an $18 billion property tax-cut package, was approved by 84% of voters in Tuesday’s constitutional amendment election, according to Decision Desk HQ. More than 1.3 million voted in favor of the amendment, with 99% of estimated votes counted.

The proposition is aimed squarely at lowering school district property taxes, which make up the lion’s share of a Texas landowner’s property tax bill.

Under the proposition, school districts will get $7.1 billion to lower their tax rates by replacing local revenues they would have collected with state dollars, which lawmakers call “compression.” That will reduce the tax rates school districts use to pay for operating costs like teacher salaries by 10.7 cents for every $100 of property value.

The proposition also more than doubles homeowners’ homestead exemption on school district taxes, the amount of a home’s value that can’t be taxed to pay for public schools. The constitutional amendment raises the exemption from $40,000 to $100,000.

Together, those breaks — which will be applied to landowners’ 2023 tax bill — will amount to more than $2,500 in tax savings over the next two years for the typical Texas homeowner, with bigger savings for seniors, according to figures provided by the office of Bettencourt, a Houston-area Republican and the Senate’s chief tax-cut proponent. That comes out to a little more than $100 a month.

Despite Texas’ reputation as a low-tax state, thanks largely to the lack of a state income tax, landowners here pay some of the highest property tax bills in the nation, according to the conservative Tax Foundation. Cutting property taxes has been a top priority for the state’s highest-ranking Republicans.

This year, Republicans got the chance to take a big swing on tax-cuts, promising to use a considerable chunk of a record $33 billion state budget surplus, the result of Texas’ considerable economic growth and a glut of federal COVID-19 relief funds. After months of infighting, GOP lawmakers sent Gov. Greg Abbott the $18 billion tax-cut proposal, but voters still had to sign off on the idea at the ballot box.

The package also includes $5.3 billion to pay for tax cuts approved by lawmakers in previous years.

Voters approved other tax changes as part of Proposition 4 — including a new cap on how much certain businesses’ property values, which helps determine an owner’s tax bill, can grow each year.

Owners of commercial, mineral and residential properties — like rental homes and apartment buildings — that don’t receive a homestead exemption and are valued at less than $5 million now will have a 20% cap on their value growth each year for the next three years. Previously, businesses didn’t have such a cap, unlike homeowners, whose taxable home values can’t rise more than 10% each year under state law.

The cap on certain business properties’ value will expire in 2026 unless lawmakers and voters choose to keep it going.

Proposition 4 also expands the pool of businesses that don’t have to pay the state’s franchise tax. And the amendment allows voters in counties with at least 75,000 residents to pick three new members of their local appraisal districts’ board of directors, which have been appointed positions.

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Texas

Texas state representative flips to GOP, says Democrats have plunged into 'progressive abyss'

Published

3 hours ago

August 31, 2024

Press Room

Texas state representative flips to GOP, says Democrats have plunged into 'progressive abyss'

A Democratic state politician in Texas is flipping to the Republican Party for her final four months in office.

State Rep. Shawn Thierry published a statement to social media on Friday decrying the Democratic Party’s march into the “progressive abyss” after she lost her primary for supporting a GOP-led bill protecting minors from gender transition procedures.

“The Democratic Party has veered so far left, so deep into the progressive abyss, that it now champions policies that I cannot, in good conscience, support — policies like promoting sex changes for children during a vulnerable stage of their lives, and dismantling Title IX protections for women in sports,” Thierry wrote.

TEXAS RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY BORDER SECURITY UNDER BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN EXPRESS FEAR OF FUTURE ATTACK

Texas State Rep. Shawn Thierry during a campaign event alongside African American pastors at Sunnyside Park in Houston. Thierry lost in the Democratic Primary run-off election earlier this year after breaking with the party over access to gender transition procedures for minors. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Thierry said because of her break with the values of her party, she will serve her final few months in office as a member of the GOP.

“I now stand with the party of Lincoln, the party that fought to preserve our Union and fought to end the atrocities of slavery,” she added.

Thierry lost to primary challenger Lauren Ashley Simmons during a runoff election in May.

TEXAS ANNOUNCES OVER 1M INELIGIBLE VOTERS REMOVED FROM VOTING ROLLS SINCE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

A major factor in her failure within the Democratic Party is believed to have been her support for a 2023 Republican bill that barred gender transition for minors.

“Mothers around our country from all backgrounds, races, and communities understand that it’s our sacred duty to preserve the innocence of our children, protect them from being sexualized, and sterilized,” Thierry wrote. “To respect universal truths, and to uphold the rights of biological women as defined by science, nature, and common sense.”

State Representative District 146 Candidate Lauren Ashley Simmons speaks to volunteers from Equality Texas and union members before heading out for a round of door-knocking in the afternoon in Houston. Simmons defeated Thierry in a Democratic run-off election in May. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

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“I will not be alone; I will be with millions of courageous women and men of good conscience, who are willing to place people over political ideology,” she concluded.

Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at timothy.nerozzi@fox.com

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Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M football: Predictions, odds and how to watch Saturday

Published

14 hours ago

August 31, 2024

Press Room

Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M football: Predictions, odds and how to watch Saturday

The 2024 college football season begins in full with Week 1, and there might not be a juicier reunion than the one taking place when No. 7 Notre Dame visits No. 20 Texas A&M in a huge non conference clash of playoff hopefuls Saturday night.

New Texas A&M coach Mike Elko will face his former quarterback from Duke because Riley Leonard transferred to Notre Dame soon after Elko left the Blue Devils for the SEC and College Station, Texas this offseason. Either Elko or Leonard will leave with a loss in their debut at a new school.

The first matchup between Notre Dame and Texas A&M in football since 2001 is getting the “College Gameday” treatment by ESPN and will be featured nationally in primetime on ABC.

The Aggies are looking to rebound from last season’s 7-6 campaign that saw former coach Jimbo Fisher get fired in November for a record buyout amount. Notre Dame wants to build on winning 10 games in coach Marcus Freeman’s second season and will count on Leonard’s dual threat capability to lead the program into the expanded postseason format.

Here’s everything else to know about the Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M college football game on Saturday night:

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON PREDICTIONS: Picks for who makes playoff, wins title and more

College football 2024: Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M predictions

Covers.com: Take Notre Dame and the points

Ed Scimia writes: “It’s questionable whether Texas A&M has done enough to truly catch up with Notre Dame in terms of overall talent. On defense, the Irish have NFL-level talent, particularly in their secondary, something that could give (Texas A&M quarterback Conner) Weigman fits at the start of the season … I’m not convinced Texas A&M should be the favorite here, and neither are most predictive systems.”

Odds Shark: Back Leonard and the Irish at plus-money

Josie Costigan writes: “This may be the brightest spot for an upset in Week 1.”

Action Network: Take the over

Brad Cunningham writes: “The total is far too low for two offensive coordinators who are going to play at much faster tempos than these offenses have in the past. I have 54.2 points projected for this game, so I like the value on over 46.5 points.”

Dallas Morning News: Texas A&M wins a close one

Luke White writes: “Home field advantage could prove to be the difference as the Aggies land the final punch in a slugfest.”

College Football News: Texas A&M in a nail-biter

Pete Fiutak writes: “The critical difference will be Texas A&M’s defensive front, which is talented enough to disrupt (Notre Dame quarterback Riley) Leonard and force him to make a lot of big-time throws. It will be a tightly contested battle between two excellent football teams, but the atmosphere and energy at Kyle Field prove too tough for the Irish, who will lose their fourth straight road game against a ranked opponent.”

Winners and Whiners: Take Notre Dame +2.5

Mark Ruelle writes: “The Irish have a very favorable schedule this season and realize the enormity of this opening game against the 20th-ranked Aggies. The Aggies have a ways to go to improve upon an offense that was just 101st in the country in red zone efficiency last season. The Aggies will be a team that no one wants to play later in the season but the Irish are catching them early and should be the team that is more equipped to win out of the gates.”

Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M odds, lines

The Texas A&M Aggies are favorites to beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Saturday’s Week 1 college football matchup, according to the BetMGM odds. Looking to wager? Check out the top college football betting apps in 2024 offering the top NCAA football betting promos and bonuses in 2024.

Odds as of Thursday morning

Spread: Texas A&M (-3)
Moneylines: Texas A&M (-150); Notre Dame (+125)
Over/under: 46

How to watch Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M

Date: Saturday, August 31

Where: Kyle Field, College Station, Texas

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: ABC

Stream: ESPN+, Fubo, Sling TV

Watch college football with a Fubo subscription

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Carthage vs. Kilgore: Live score, updates of Texas high school football opener (8/30/2024)

Published

1 day ago

August 30, 2024

Press Room

Carthage vs. Kilgore: Live score, updates of Texas high school football opener (8/30/2024)

The 2024 Texas high school football season is underway and two UIL class 4A perennial powers are set to clash.

Kilgore and Carthage face off in Week 1 on Friday night at Carthage High School.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Central time. SBLive is providing the latest score and game updates from the showdown and the rest of opening weekend across the Lone Star State.

Scroll down and refresh this page for the latest. Stay with SBLive for live score and game updates, highlights, top performances and more:

PREGAME (LIVE): CARTHAGE VS. KILGORE

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About Carthage

Gilmer’s 4A Division II regional finalupset at the hand of Gilmer may have been the only thing stopping the Bulldogs from a three-peat. Carthage returns most of its starting lineup, including four-star running back KJ Edwards, four-star OL Kash Courtney and standout QB Jett Surratt.

About Kilgore

The Bulldogs went 12-2 in 2023 and reached the 4A Division II regional finals before losing to Chapel Hill, 21-19.

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More Week 1 Texas high school football

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2024 Texas high school football preview

Stay with SBLive‘s preseason coverage in the lead up to the 2024 Texas high school football season and the entire Week 1 slate:

SBLIVE SPORTS LAUNCHES HIGH SCHOOL ON SI

High School On SI will serve as the premier destination for high school sports fans, delivering unparalleled coverage of high school athletics nationwide through in-depth stories, recruiting coverage, rankings, highlights and much more. The launch of a dedicated high school experience expands Sports Illustrated’s reach to even more local communities as fans can now truly follow athletes from “preps to the pros” on a single platform, bringing them closer to the action than ever before.For more information, visitsi.com/high-school.

— Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @sblivetx

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