Texas Voters to Decide on Measures Projecting 58.5% School Tax Reduction for Seniors

Texas voters are set to consider new constitutional amendments in November 2025 that could significantly increase property tax relief for seniors, potentially resulting in a 58.5% reduction in school district property taxes for this demographic since 2023. The proposed measures build upon previous legislative efforts to alleviate the property tax burden on homeowners across the state.

The upcoming vote, highlighted by a social media post from Saagar Enjeti, states, "> Todays episode of Boomer Luxury Communism: Texas voters will vote on a new measure slashing school taxes for boomers 65+ by approximately 50% in addition to further slashing property tax for boomers alone." This tweet refers to a series of propositions designed to enhance the homestead exemption.

Key among these are Proposition 13, which aims to raise the general homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, and Proposition 11, which would increase the additional homestead exemption for homeowners aged 65 or older, or those with disabilities, from $10,000 to $60,000. If both pass, seniors could benefit from a combined homestead exemption of $200,000. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick stated in February 2025 that these combined efforts would lead to a $1,933.23 total tax cut for seniors, translating to a 58.5% reduction in school district property taxes from 2023 to the present.

These proposed changes follow the approval of Texas Proposition 4 in November 2023, which codified a $100,000 homestead exemption into the state constitution and compressed school district tax rates. The current legislative push, embodied by Senate Bill 4 and Senate Joint Resolution 2, seeks to further expand these benefits, with the increased homestead exemption applying retroactively to 2025 tax bills if approved by voters.

Funding for these substantial tax reductions has largely come from state surplus money, which has allowed the state to compensate school districts for lost revenue through a process known as "compression." However, experts like John Diamond, director of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, have raised concerns that while homestead exemptions are constitutionally guaranteed, the compressions are not, potentially leading to future funding challenges for public education if state revenues decline.