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Ashley Bean Thornton for Texas House District 56

Who deserves a (Tax) Break Today? Props 7, 9, 10 & 17

(Early Voting for the November 4 election starts Monday (October 20,2025). This will be our opportunity to vote on 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. That’s a lot of propositions!

 I am working through the list a few at a time and sharing how I plan to vote. 

Here are links to the ones I have done so far: 

 

You are not allowed to take your phone with you into the polls, but you are allowed to take a piece of paper with notes.  For what it’s worth, here’s a printable version of what I have figured out so far. I will update it every time I post till it is finished.: Propositions and How ABT is voting. Thank you! – ABT)


How I Plan to vote and why:

The thing about Property taxes is that nobody likes to pay property taxes, but we all like the things that we pay for with our property taxes: schools, police, fire protection, streets, etc. etc. 

So, unless we are willing to sacrifice some of the services we like – and typically we are not – the big property tax bill for all of us stays the same even though some of us get exemptions.

In other words, if we give an exemption to one group, that means all the other folks have to pay a little more. 

I say that because one way to think about handing out Property Tax exemptions is this: “Am I willing to pay a little more so that this group can pay less or not have to pay?” 

Three of the propositions are clear YES’s to me when I think of them that way:

Prop 7 – Am I willing to pay more so that surviving spouses of veterans who died because of some disease or condition that was caused by their service can pay less?  YES. Absolutely!  Surviving spouses of service people who died while serving already get a property tax exemption.  To me, if your spouse dies of some condition or disease that was caused by his/her service, that is the same as dying while serving.  So, they should get the same exemption.

Prop 9 – Am I willing to pay more so that businesses can be exempt from the first $125,000 of their taxable equipment and inventory? YES. The purpose of this proposition is to help out small businesses.  I think small businesses – think food trucks, and main street shops and restaurants – are the heart of the community.  If this exemption helps them stay afloat and profitable, I am for it!  

Prop 10 – Am I willing to pay more so that a person whose house burned down can get a temporary break from property taxes?  YES. Holy Cow!  If my house burned down, the last thing I would want to have to think about is property taxes.  I would certainly appreciate a little grace if it were me, so I am willing to grant it to other people.

One is a NO.

Prop 17 – Am I willing to pay more so that a person whose land is improved by “border security infrastructure” can pay less? Nope.  If their land is truly being “improved” by this infrastructure then that means it is more valuable, and they will benefit more when they sell it.  That is the benefit they are already receiving.  I don’t see any reason to provide additional benefit in the form of a tax exemption.

 

Resources: