Austin, TX – The Texas Senate’s unprecedented $16.5 billion Property Tax Plan that will provide unprecedented relief to homeowners, business owners, and all taxpayers has left the train station! Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s (R-Texas) priority bills, SB 3, 4, and 5, along with the adjoining Constitutional Amendment, SJR 3, passed out of the Senate on a bipartisan and unanimous vote of 124-0. “The Senate’s Property Tax Relief package moved through the Senate like a bullet train 124-0 because all 31 Senators know Texas homesteaders and business owners need real property tax relief, and what this package delivers to Texans is permanent, off the chart’s tax relief,” remarked Senator Bettencourt (R-Houston), “the architect” for the Senate’s Property Tax Plan.

SB 3, if approved by voters, will save 5.72 million Texas homestead owners $798 per year when they see their next tax bill in the Fall by raising the Homestead Exemption 75% to $70,000. “BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!” added Senator Bettencourt. SB 3 will also save 2.07 million homestead owners over-65 and disabled $1,062 plus per year by tripling the over-65 and disabled exemption to $30,000. It will be added to the $70,000 homestead exemption for a whopping $100,000 in total exemptions for over-65 and disabled Texas homesteaders.

“BUT WE’RE NOT DONE YET!” continued Sen. Bettencourt, SB 4 will provide an additional $5.38+ billion in ISD tax rate compression and will reduce recapture by expanding the school finance band to 20%. Rate compression benefits all taxpayers and reduces recapture by funding additional Maximum Compressed Rate (MCR) compression in school finance formulas. Expanding the school finance equity band will allow school districts to reduce their M&O tax rate further. Texas Taxpayers and Research Association (TTARA) President, Dale Craymer, commented on the benefits of compression saying, “It provides balanced relief for all taxpayers - rate compression obviously benefits all taxpayers.”

SB 5 by Senator Parker (R- Flower Mound) will create an Inventory Tax Credit totaling $1.275 billion. First, SB 5 will raise the Business Personal Property Exemption to $25,000 from $2,500, for $225 million, totaling $1.5 billion. It will also cut business compliance costs, therefore saving businesses more money.

“I’ve been working with Lt. Governor Patrick for 20 years and never thought I would be passing $16.5 billion Dollars of Property Tax Relief in a single day! IT’S UNPRECEDENTED! said Senator Bettencourt.

SJR 3 is the Constitutional Amendment that voters will vote on during the November 2023 General Election if passed by the Texas House. If approved by voters, the Senate’s unprecedented Property Tax Relief Plan consisting of SB 3, SB 4, and SB 5 will go into effect. “I believe the public will vote for this unprecedented river of property tax relief if given the opportunity. It will be retroactive on January 1st and cut tax bills in 2023!” concluded Senator Bettencourt. In May 2022, Texas voters overwhelmingly voted for property tax relief (85%) by increasing the Homestead Exemption to $40,000.

See previous press releases for more information:

• Sen. Finance launches final part of Lt. Gov Patrick/Senate Unprecedented Property Tax Relief Package
• Sen. Paul Bettencourt explains Unprecedented $16.5 Billion Property Tax Relief Bills in Finance Today

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