Good morning,

Promises of meaningful, lasting, and historic property tax relief seem to be fading. In today's One Click Survey, sound off on which property tax relief proposal you find most attractive.

Here is the Texas Minute for Monday, May 1, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Trump Gives Support In Texas Property Tax Fight

• In a Sunday posting to his "Truth" social networking site, former President Donald Trump weighed in on the debate between the House and Senate property tax relief proposals. Brandon Waltens has the story.
      

• The House and Senate have passed differing versions of property tax relief. The chief feature of the Senate’s proposal, championed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, would increase the homestead exemption from $40,000 to $70,000 and allow seniors or disabled adults to get an additional $30,000. The House’s version, promoted by Speaker Dade Phelan, would reduce the maximum compressed rate for school taxes and limit how much the taxable value of a property can increase each year.

         
• “I fully support Dan Patrick’s, and the Senate’s, $100K senior homestead exemption & $70K for those under 65,” wrote Trump, while calling “California Dade’s” plan a “disaster for Texas.”
      

• Patrick has repeatedly criticized Phelan’s proposal as being similar to appraisal caps implemented in California which he blames for destroying their housing market, giving Phelan the nickname “California Dade” in the process. Patrick serves as the chair of Trump’s Texas Elected Leadership Team.
      

• This is not the first time Trump has opposed Phelan. In 2021, Trump took aim at Phelan over election security issues and pledged to work against him in the 2022 primary election. Phelan, however, ultimately ran unopposed.

House Moves Measure to ‘Rein In Rogue Prosecutors’

• Under legislation advanced in the Texas House, district attorneys will need to think twice about turning a blind eye to certain crimes under the guise of “prosecutorial discretion.”  Darrell Frost has the details.
       
• House Bill 17 by State Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield) expands the definition of “official misconduct” to include “a prosecuting attorney’s adoption or enforcement of a policy of categorically refusing to prosecute specific criminal offenses under state law.”
     

• Residents who believe the prosecuting attorney is engaging in such misconduct can submit a petition for the prosecutor's removal from office. Public statements expressing an intent not to enforce certain laws would be sufficient grounds for removal.

       

• Cook said the purpose of the legislation is to “remove politics from prosecution,” arguing that failure to enforce the law “set a dangerous precedent.”
     

• The Texas Senate passed a similar version of the bill in early April.

Senate Sets (Limited) ‘Guardrails’ Against COVID Mandates

• Senators passed legislation last week designed to protect individual rights from restrictions and mandates related to COVID-19, but not any other communicable diseases.
        
• The measure was authored by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham). The legislation blocks schools and institutions of higher education, both public and private, from requiring students to receive a vaccine for COVID-19. It also bars the Department of State Health Services and the Health and Human Services Commission from revising the list of required childhood vaccinations without legislative approval.
     
• Hospitals and medical clinics would not be allowed to deny service on the basis of a patient’s COVID-19 vaccination status, and any facility that violates this restriction would become ineligible to receive Medicaid funds. 
      
• The lone exception to that policy was inserted at the behest of State Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills). He wants hospitals to be able to require a COVID-19 vaccine in order to receive an organ transplant or treatment for cancer.
      
• The legislation must pass the House within the next month before it can go to the governor’s desk.

Court Sides With Dad Who Exposed Explicit Materials In School Library

• When outraged parents exposed explicit materials in school libraries this past year, one Texas dad was banned from school property for speaking out––a months-long suspension that has only just been lifted. Sydnie Henry has the details.

    

• Samuel Hall, whose children attend schools in McKinney Independent School District, spoke out against the explicit materials in an April 2022 school board meeting, stating that “I’m here to protect these kids and I expect you to do the same.”

     
• When Hall attempted to attend McKinney ISD’s May 2022 school board meeting, he was intercepted by police outside the building and blocked from entering on the orders of School Board President Amy Dankel – who spent months rejecting parents’ concerns.
          

• Police officers accused Hall of calling the school board “a bunch of pedophiles,” but Hall denied the accusation, stating, “I did not call them pedophiles. I said they support pedophilia.”
       

• Now, an administrative judge with the Texas Education Agency has ruled the trespass citation invalid, because Hall was never given a verbal warning first and “because it would severely impair his ability to partner in his children’s education.”
      

• Hall told Texas Scorecard the judge’s ruling is a "huge win for parents and families."
     

• McKinney ISD’s conservative board member Chad Green told Texas Scorecard the district’s actions over the past year have been disappointing. “I am very happy that Mr. Hall has been vindicated by the Texas Education Agency and his rights to participate in the education of his children restored.”

Hundreds Gathered at Capitol to Support Border Security

• A crowd stood on the south lawn as speakers from across the country encouraged Texas to stand in the gap to secure the border as the federal government refuses to enforce U.S. law. Sydnie Henry covered the event.

🎧 LISTEN NOW: Episode 3 of EXPOSED: Border Invasion

• Season 5 of Texas Scorecard's highly acclaimed EXPOSED podcast series is titled "Border Invasion."
      
• Listen now to Episode 3: "The Frontlines." Texas is facing an unprecedented open border crisis. As Mexican drug cartels smuggle indentured servants and drugs across the southern border, Texans are struggling to fend off the invasion. 
      
• EXPOSED is available everywhere you listen to podcasts.

Today In History

On May 1, 1718, the San Antonio de Valero Mission was founded in present-day San Antonio. The mission moved several times in the 18th Century before settling in 1724 at the location that became known in 1793 as the Alamo.

ONE CLICK SURVEY

Three "plans"  have been floated to deal with Texans' horrible property tax problem. One by Gov. Greg Abbott, one by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and one by House Speaker Dade Phelan. The Patrick and Phelan plans are actually in motion.

Gov. Abbott said in 2022 he wanted to use "at least" half of the state's surplus for new property tax relief and to put Texas on a path to eliminate the school "M&O" portion of the property tax bill – more than half of every property owner's tax burden. He reiterated both points several times in recent weeks. Neither the governor nor the leadership of either chamber is pushing legislation to put this fully into action, though he has expressed support for both the Senate and House plans. 

Lt. Gov. Patrick and the Senate have passed a plan that would increase the homestead exemption from $40,000 to $70,000 and allow seniors or disabled adults to deduct an additional $30,000. A separate proposal, which the Senate also passed, reduces the "M&O" tax rate school districts can levy.  This plan would immediately benefit senior citizens. Critics say this plan doesn’t offer enough relief to all Texans.

Speaker Phelan and the House passed a plan that reduces the maximum compressed rate for school "M&O" taxes as well as changes aspects of the appraisal cap by limiting how much the taxable value of a property can increase each year. The House "M&O" rate reduction is more than double that of the Senate.  This plan would have a more limited benefit for everyone. Critics say it would not help senior citizens.

Which of the plans do you prefer?

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!