Constitutional Amendments on the November 3 ballot
There are seven propositions on the ballot:
Proposition 1 (SJR 1)
The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for public school purposes from $15,000 to $25,000, providing for a reduction of the limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed for those purposes on the homestead of an elderly or disabled person to reflect the increased exemption amount, authorizing the legislature to prohibit a political subdivision that has adopted an optional residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation from reducing the amount of or repealing the exemption, and prohibiting the enactment of a law that imposes a transfer tax on a transaction that conveys fee simple title to real property.”
The Texas Secretary of State website explains the proposition: “Current law provides an exemption of $15,000 from the ad valorem taxation for public school purposes of a residence homestead. The proposed amendment would increase this exemption to $25,000, starting in the tax year beginning January 1, 2015. In order to reflect the increased exemption on the homestead of a person 65 years of age or older or a disabled person, the proposed amendment would provide a reduction to the current limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes. The proposed amendment would protect school districts from all or part of the revenue loss by authorizing an appropriation of funds according to formulas set by the legislature. In addition, the proposed amendment would authorize the legislature to prohibit a political subdivision from reducing or repealing a homestead exemption adopted by the political subdivision. Finally, the proposed amendment would prohibit the imposition of a tax on the conveyance of real property, but would not prohibit the imposition of a business tax measured by business activity, a tax on the production of minerals, a tax on the issuance of title insurance, or a change in the rate of a tax in existence on January 1, 2016.”
Proposition 2 (HJR 75)
The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: “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.”
Background on the proposition, according to the SOS website reads: “In 2011, voters approved a constitutional amendment to allow a surviving spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran an exemption from ad valorem taxation from all or part of the market value on the disabled veteran’s residence homestead, as long as the surviving spouse had not remarried. The amendment did not apply to surviving spouses of veterans who died before 2011. This amendment would extend the exemption in such cases. The proposed amendment would apply only to ad valorem taxes imposed for a tax year beginning on or after January 1, 2016.”
Read more: http://www.dailytribune.net/news/mount-pleasant-to-vote-on-liquor-options-nov/article_7aac4edc-6f11-11e5-8252-7ff1f802671a.html (Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune)
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