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PROPOSITION Q
“Approving the ad valorem tax rate of $0.574017 per $100 valuation in the City of Austin for the current year, a rate that is $0.05 higher per $100 valuation than the voter approval tax rate of the City of Austin, for the purpose of funding or expanding programs intended to increase housing affordability and reduce homelessness; improve parks and recreation facilities and services; enhance public health services and public safety; ensure financial stability; and provide for other general fund maintenance and operation expenditures included in the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget as approved or amended by City Council. Last year, the ad valorem tax rate in the City of Austin was $0.4776 per $100 valuation.”
This would increase Austin’s property tax rate to fund essential services around the city.
This would raise the average homeowner’s taxes by $270/year. Funds would be used for homelessness solutions, public health, fire department staffing, and lots more. State cuts are one reason this increase is necessary, but raising taxes on an already-struggling population doesn’t feel good. I hope we can explore things like corporate taxes for our future needs.
PROPOSITION 1
“The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the permanent technical institution infrastructure fund and the available workforce education fund to support the capital needs of educational programs offered by the Texas State Technical College System.”
This would create an endowment for the Texas State Technical College program.
The Texas State Technical College does not have tax authority and has been underfunded for some time. This fund would allow TSTC to make necessary upgrades to the school and expand trade knowledge in Texas. This would be an investment in public education.
PROPOSITION 2
"The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of a tax on the realized or unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust."
This would ban the state from taxing people or business on capital gains. Capital gains are profits or potential profits made from assets like investments and real estate.
This is essentially a permanent tax break for rich people. The potential lost state revenue is massive. The rich should pay more in taxes, not less.
PROPOSITION 3
"The constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony."
This would require judges to deny bail in specific violent felony offenses.
Judges already have the option to deny bail and this proposition is unnecessary. It would likely disproportionately affect people of color and low income people. This could set a dangerous standard in our courts.
PROPOSITION 4
"The constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue."
This would allocate some sales tax revenue to water projects over the next decade.
Texas desperately needs water and that need will only get worse in the coming decades. Using our taxes for our water supply is a worthwhile way to spend. Drought is inevitable here, and we should be prepared.
PROPOSITION 5
"The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation tangible personal property consisting of animal feed held by the owner of the property for sale at retail."
This would provide additional tax exemptions to those selling animal feed.
Animal feed is already tax exempt when it’s harvested or purchased, and this would be slightly more comprehensive. It might help small ranch or farm operations. I don’t have strong feelings about this one either way.
PROPOSITION 6
"The constitutional amendment prohibiting the legislature from enacting a law imposing an occupation tax on certain entities that enter into transactions conveying securities or imposing a tax on certain securities transactions."
This would prevent the state from creating new taxes on stock trading and other stock market related stuff.
This is aimed at those working in the stock market and is likely tied to the launch of the Texas Stock Trade in 2026. Businesses and stockbrokers don’t need tax breaks, especially not at our expense.
PROPOSITION 7
"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 veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that is presumed under federal law to have been service-connected."
This would give the spouses of veterans killed in the line of duty a property tax exemption.
These are the people that should be receiving tax breaks. This would expand the tax breaks they currently receive to include additional situations.
PROPOSITION 8
"The constitutional amendment to prohibit the legislature from imposing death taxes applicable to a decedent's property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession, or gift."
This would prevent the State of Texas from ever imposing an inheritance tax.
Texas doesn’t have an inheritance tax and this ensures it never will. It is silly to remove the possibility of this revenue stream. And those inheriting large sums and estates should pay taxes on those gains.
PROPOSITION 9
"The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income."
This would increase a tax exemption for business from $2,500 to $125,000.
This would likely benefit small businesses. It means that more personal inventory used for business could become tax exempt. This is a weak endorsement; I don’t have strong feelings about this one.
PROPOSITION 10
"The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire."
This would offer tax breaks to those who’s homes were destroyed by fire.
People with destroyed homes should pay less in property taxes. Relief for disaster victims is good.
PROPOSITION 11
"The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district of the market value of the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled."
This would provide increased tax breaks to the elderly and disabled.
Elderly and disabled Texas deserve property tax relief. This could benefit low income and high income Texans. The state says they’ll make up the difference to school districts losing this money, however that is difficult to trust.
Proceed with caution.
PROPOSITION 12
"The constitutional amendment regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the membership of the tribunal to review the commission's recommendations, and the authority of the commission, the tribunal, and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct."
This would increase the number of governor-appointed members to a judicial misconduct committee.
I don’t trust Abbott to appoint anyone.
PROPOSITION 13
"The constitutional amendment to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000."
This would increase tax exemptions for homeowners from school district taxes.
This would mean that school districts across the state will receive significantly less money from local district taxes. The state is required to make up the difference to local school districts, but they have only cut public school funding in recent years. Because this tax break is for everyone, I think the potential loss of revenue for school districts is too high.
PROPOSITION 14
"The constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders in this state, and transferring to that fund $3 billion from state general revenue."
This would allocate $3B for the establishment of a Dementia Prevention and Research fund.
Investing in science and health care would be a smart use of our money. This could benefit millions of Texans and people across the country.
PROPOSITION 15
"The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children."
This would codify “parental rights” language in the Texas Constitution.
Parental rights are already codified federally. This proposition was added to supplement right wing culture wars surrounding LGTBQI rights, book bans, race education, and other common sense topics in our schools.
PROPOSITION 16
"The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen."
This adds additional clarification that non-citizens can’t vote.
U.S. citizenship is already required to vote. This would add additional complications to an already difficult voting process. This proposition has nefarious intentions related to anti-immigration.
PROPOSITION 17
"The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders the United Mexican States that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure and related improvements."
This would provide tax breaks to those who have the Texas-Mexico border wall built near their homes.
No tax breaks for border walls. Period.
SOURCES:
https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/22/texas-statewide-propositions-november-ballot-election/
https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/the-prop-q-debate-has-entered-the-silly-season/
2 comments
One more thing! On your summary IG slide, you say to vote yes on 13, but in the paragraphs on your blog you say the costs are too high and don’t recommend.
Thanks again for hearing my thoughts.
Hi! I noticed you’re recommending to vote yes on a bunch of these, I wanted to share concerns on a few that I think you should consider voting no:
4- Maybe? This one is a bit complicated, but generally we don’t trust industry to clean their water. It seems like a money grab by the governor and the bill author has a history of lying.
5- This one will not actually help small farmers. It will defund public schools and local government.
9- This tax break for businesses will decimate public school funding and the budgets of local government.
11- This one will seriously defund public schools by giving property tax breaks to 2 million people, and boomers hold a lot of wealth already.
13- This one specifically cuts taxes from supporting public schools. We need to save our schools.
Thanks for your time.
Devyn