Election Results: Did Texas voters approve property tax cut, constitutional amendments?
Voters in the state’s constitutional amendment election overwhelmingly supported property tax cuts and a pension increase for retired teachers, while rejecting raising the age when Texas judges must retire.
Texans from across the state headed to the polls on Tuesday to weigh in on the 14 propositions, touching on issues from Texas universities and broadband access to state parks and water projects.
Perhaps the most high-profile was ballot item was the measure investing billions in driving down school property taxes through rate cuts and an increased homestead exemption. The amendment before voters was the product of months of negotiations between Republican leaders in the House and Senate who agreed a cut was needed but disagreed on the best way to deliver.
Lawmakers eventually agreed on the $18 billion package of proposals, but voters needed to OK the plan before seeing its effect on their property tax bills.
It was clear early in the night that the large majority of Texas supported the amendment. Statewide, 83.4% of voters approved the measure, according to unofficial results from the Texas Secretary of State’s office. In Tarrant County, it was approved by 86.3% of voters.
Texas lawmakers were cheering the passage the measure as votes from across the state continued to be tallied.
“The largest property tax cut in Texas history has passed thanks to Texans who made their voices heard at the polls today!” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a social media post.
The Texas State Teachers Association celebrated the 2% to 6% cost-of-living adjustment for retired teachers, which is tiered based on when the former teacher retired. The group’s president Ovidia Molina called the pension increase “long overdue” in a Tuesday statement. While modest, it will make life easier for thousands of retirees, she said.
A ballot item creating a $1 billion fund to create new state parks and improve existing ones aligns with the 100 year anniversary of state parks in Texas. The proposal was authored by Sen. Tan Parker, a Flower Mound Republican whose district includes Wise County and parts of Tarrant, Denton and Dallas counties.
“A century of Texas beauty has been entrusted to us, and with Proposition 14’s passage, we have ensured that resources are set aside, safeguarded and used for the sole betterment of our parks system,” Parker said in a statement sent by Environment Texas and the Texas Coalition for State Parks. “Together, we have guaranteed that the beauty, wonder and history of Texas are celebrated for generations to come.”
The only amendment to fail was the proposal to increase the age when Texas judges must retire from 75 to 79. It was also unpopular in Tarrant County, where 65.5% of voters rejected the measure.
Here’s how the propositions are fared with all of Texas’ 4,806 polling locations reporting, according to unofficial results from the Texas Secretary of State’s office.
Proposition 1
“The constitutional amendment protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management.”
The Texas constitution would be updated to affirm that people have the right to farm, ranch, produce timber, garden and manage wildlife on land they own or rent.
For: 79%
Against: 21%
Proposition 2
“The constitutional amendment authorizing a local option exemption from ad valorem taxation by a county or municipality of all or part of the appraised value of real property used to operate a child-care facility.”
The constitutional amendment would let cities and counties exempt certain child-care facilities from property taxes.
For: 64.8%
Against: 35.2%
Proposition 3
“The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual wealth or net worth tax, including a tax on the difference between the assets and liabilities of an individual or family.”
The Texas constitution would prohibit taxing a person or family’s net worth, including implementing a tax based on the difference between someone’s assents and their liabilities.
For: 67.9%
Against: 32.1%
Proposition 4
“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to establish a temporary limit on the maximum appraised value of real property other than a residence homestead for ad valorem tax purposes; to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district applicable to residence homesteads from $40,000 to $100,000; to adjust the amount of the limitation on school district ad valorem taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of the elderly or disabled to reflect increases in certain exemption amounts; to except certain appropriations to pay for ad valorem tax relief from the constitutional limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations; and to authorize the legislature to provide for a four-year term of office for a member of the board of directors of certain appraisal districts.”
The constitutional amendment would:
Create a temporary appraisal cap when calculating school property taxes for properties besides primary homes, which already get a homestead exemption
Increase Texas’ homestead exemption to $100,000.
Ensure those who are disabled and/or 65 and older get their homestead exemptions.
State money would fund a cut in school property taxes.
Members of some appraisal district boards would serve four year terms.
For: 83.4%
Against: 16.6%
Proposition 5
“The constitutional amendment relating to the Texas University Fund, which provides funding to certain institutions of higher education to achieve national prominence as major research universities and drive the state economy.”
The constitutional amendment relates to the Texas University Fund, which provides funding to certain public universities to help them get national attention for research and to boost Texas’ economy.
For: 64.4%
Against: 35.7%
Proposition 6
“The constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state.”
The amendment establishes a fund to help pay for water projects in the state.
For: 77.6%
Against: 22.4%
Proposition 7
“The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities.”
The constitutional amendment creates a fund to help build, maintain, update and operate electric generating facilities.
For: 64.9%
Against: 35.1%
Proposition 8
“The constitutional amendment creating the broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects.”
The amendment creates a fund to help expand high-speed internet access in Texas.
For: 69.5%
Against: 30.6%
Proposition 9
“The constitutional amendment authorizing the 88th Legislature to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to certain annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.”
The amendment gives retired Texas teachers an increase on their pension.
For: 83.7%
Against: 16.3%
Proposition 10
“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation equipment or inventory held by a manufacturer of medical or biomedical products to protect the Texas health care network and strengthen our medical supply chain.”
The constitutional amendment lets lawmakers exempt businesses that produce medical or bio medical products could have equipment — think tools, protective equipment, pharmaceuticals — and inventory from property taxes.
For: 55%
Against: 45%
Proposition 11
“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to permit conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds supported by ad valorem taxes to fund the development and maintenance of parks and recreational
The amendment permits conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue property tax supported bonds for the development and maintenance of parks and recreation facilities.
For: 63.3%
Against: 36.7%
Proposition 12
“The constitutional amendment providing for the abolition of the office of county treasurer in Galveston County.”
The amendment would eliminate the county treasurer office in Galveston County.
For: 52.9%
Against: 47.1%
Proposition 13
“The constitutional amendment to increase the mandatory age of retirement for state justices and judges.”
The constitutional amendment increases the age when Texas judges must retire from 75 to 79.
For: 37.3%
Against: 62.7%
Proposition 14
“The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund to be used for the creation and improvement of state parks.”
The constitutional amendment creates a fund marking 100 years of state parks in Texas. The money could be used to create new state parks and improve existing ones.
For: 76.5%
Against: 23.5%
