Home Appraisals Affected By Ballot Issue

By Shelley Kofler, KERA News

Dallas, TX –

Some lawmakers want voters to know about a false email making the rounds. It wrongly claims that Proposition 2 on the November 3 ballot will trigger a statewide property tax. The amendment is really about home appraisal value.

Current state law allows a home's appraised value to be based on the property's potential use rather than its current use. In some instances where homeowners are located near pricey new developments, they've seen their appraisals jump more than 200 percent in a year.

State Representative Jerry Madden, a Richardson Republican, says Proposition 2 would change that by changing the Texas Constitution.

Madden: Your appraisal could only be based on the utilization of your property as a homestead. It could not be used to appraise the value of your land at a higher value because it happens to be next to a stadium or a major corporate development or something like that.

At a League of Women Voters forum in Richardson Madden joined Representative Carol Kent, a Dallas a Democrat, in saying Proposition 2 has strong bipartisan support because it protects homeowners.

Homeowners Glenda and Arthur Pasley seemed grateful to learn the measure is on the November ballot.

Arthur Pasley: I loved that one. I loved that one.

Glenda Pasley: I would like to see the individual homeowner- the small homeowner-protected as opposed to a corporation or a shopping center or whatever.

There is little organized opposition to Proposition 2 though some editorial writers oppose it. Critics argue that if you can sell you property for a higher value you should be taxed on that value.

While some lawmakers may privately agree with that, few are willing to say so. Homeowners are voters and anything that raises their property taxes or threatens their homestead is poison.

For more other constitutional amendments and issues on the November ballot go to kera.org/votersvoice

Email Shelley Kofler