{"id":1595,"date":"2025-10-18T19:47:14","date_gmt":"2025-10-19T00:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/?p=1595"},"modified":"2025-10-20T17:09:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T22:09:28","slug":"yes-i-guess-props-5-11-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/yes-i-guess-props-5-11-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Yes&#8230;I guess &#8211; Props 5, 11 &amp; 13"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1595\" class=\"elementor elementor-1595\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2583d553 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2583d553\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-adb199d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"adb199d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yes...I Guess: Props 5, 11 &amp; 13<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f6e0dcf e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3f6e0dcf\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-20bb40e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"20bb40e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mclennan.gov\/1321\/November-4-2025-Joint-General-Election\">Early Voting for the November 4 election starts Monday (October 20,2025).<\/a> This will be <\/em><em>our <\/em><em>opportunity to vote on 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. That\u2019s a lot of<\/em> <em>propositions!<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0I am working through the list a few at a time and sharing how I plan to vote.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Here are links to the ones I have done so far:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/props-1-4-14\/\">Investing in Texas: Props 1, 4 &amp; 14<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/never-will-we-ever-props-2-6-8\/\">Never Will We Ever: Props 2, 6 &amp; 8\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/who-deserves-a-break-props-7-9-10-17\/\">Who Deserves a (TAX) Break Today? Props 7, 9, 10 &amp; 17<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/yes-i-guess-props-5-11-13\/\">Yes&#8230;I Guess: Props 5, 11, &amp; 13\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/bail-reform-prop-5\/\">Bail Reform: Prop 3<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/who-judges-the-judges-prop-12\/\">Who Judges the Judges? Prop 12<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/no-thanks-to-dumb-political-games-props-15-16\/\">No Thanks to Dumb Political Games: Props 15 &amp; 16<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><i><em>You are not allowed to take your phone with you into the polls, but you are allowed to take a piece of <\/em><em>paper with notes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><em>For what it\u2019s worth, here\u2019s a printable version of what I have figured out so far. I\u00a0<\/em><em>will update it every time I post till it is finished.: <a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/How-is-ABT-Voting-on-the-Proposed-TX-Constitutional-Amendments-Summary-final-corrected.pdf\">Propositions and How ABT is voting<\/a>.<\/em> <\/i><em>Thank you! \u2013 ABT)<\/em><\/p>\n<h4><br \/>How I Plan to vote and why:<\/h4>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>I guess I am probably going to end up voting YES on these three, but I don\u2019t feel good about them. \u00a0<br \/><br \/>All three propositions help people who legitimately need tax relief, which is good.\u00a0 But, they are not very precise and they will also end up giving relief to some folks who don\u2019t really need it.\u00a0 I worry that we are leaving tax revenue on the table that we need now and might need even more in the future.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Prop 5<\/strong> \u2013 Makes retail stores exempt from paying taxes on animal feed they keep in inventory for resale. \u00a0\u00a0I feel good about helping out small feed stores with this tax exemption and passing the savings on to family ranchers.\u00a0 However, the exemption is not limited to small feed stores.\u00a0 Big chains like Walmart, Tractor Supply, Atwood\u2019s could also get this exemption from inventory taxes, and I don\u2019t feel that good about subsidizing them and losing that tax revenue.\u00a0 There\u2019s also nothing that stops the big chains from claiming dog food as animal feed and that would be even more lost tax revenue.\u00a0 I would feel much better about some kind of plan that exempts or reimburses small feedstores but requires the bigger chains to pay their share.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Prop 11<\/strong> \u2013 This increases the special property tax exemption that people over 65 and disabled get from $10K to $60K.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure some people who will get this exemption really need it.\u00a0 On the other hand, there are plenty of people over 65 who are better off than people under 65. This exemption will leave younger people on the hook for increased taxes even if they are in a worse position to pay.\u00a0 I think it would be better if this exemption were based on income instead of age.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Prop 13<\/strong> \u2013 This increases the general homestead exemption from $100K to $140K.\u00a0 Again, this will be a huge help to lots of people who really need it, but not everyone needs it.\u00a0 I would rather see this exemption be graduated so that people who need an exemption get it, but people who can afford to pay their full share pay it.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>Two of these propositions (Prop 11 &amp; Prop 13) specifically reduce the amount of money being collected for public schools.\u00a0 The thought behind them is that the state has plenty of money, and the state can make up any shortfall in what the schools need.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>I would argue, though, that schools are already underfunded. Instead of cutting the money available, I would rather give schools more.\u00a0 Also, the state has plenty of money NOW, but that is not always the case.\u00a0 When the day comes that the state is not so flush, are we going to restore this tax revenue?\u00a0 I think that would be a hard sell.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>These exemptions provide tax relief for people who need it, which is good. I just don\u2019t think these general, imprecise exemptions are the best way to provide that needed relief. I think we would be better off with \u201cproperty tax circuit breaker\u201d taxing strategies like some states are already using.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>A property tax circuit breaker limits how much property tax a homeowner must pay based on their income.\u00a0 This ensures taxes don\u2019t \u201coverload\u201d low- or middle-income residents. For example, if a state caps property taxes at 5% of a household\u2019s income, and a retired homeowner earning $40,000 owes $3,000 in property taxes, they\u2019d get a $1,000 credit to bring their bill down to $2,000 \u2014 the 5% limit. It\u2019s a way of making sure those who can afford it pay an appropriate amount while trying to relieve the burden on those with lower incomes.\u00a0 It&#8217;s a way of targeting property tax relief so that it helps those who need it, while hopefully maintaining the revenue stream that our communities and schools need.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>I think something like a \u201ccircuit breaker\u201d would be a better approach than these three propositions \u2013 but alas \u2013 that is not on the table, and I know some people really need relief right now.\u00a0 I will probably vote YES on these three propositions because some people really do need the relief right now, but I don\u2019t feel good about them.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>We need to be smarter going forward or we are going to dig ourselves into a hole I doubt we will want to dig out of later.\u00a0 I think circuit breaker strategies would be smarter, but we have to elect people who are willing to think creatively and to help those who need it, while requiring people who have the means to pay their fair share.<br \/>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<h4>Resources:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Ballot Language &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sos.state.tx.us\/elections\/forms\/november-2025-ballot-language-17.pdf\">Ballot Language for the November 4, 2025 Constitutional Amendment<\/a><br \/>Election<\/li>\n<li>Every Texan &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/everytexan.org\/2025\/09\/30\/whats-on-the-ballot-every-texans-take-on-the-2025-constitutional-amendments\/\">What\u2019s on the Ballot? Every Texan\u2019s Take on the 2025 Constitutional<\/a><br \/>Amendments<\/li>\n<li>Houston Chronicle &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.houstonchronicle.com\/politics\/texas\/article\/texas-constitutional-amendment-election-21041329.php\">Texas constitutional amendments: What you need to know<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/acrobat.adobe.com\/id\/urn:aaid:sc:US:30629c54-8610-4563-9bed-6702b70fabf3?x_api_client_id=edge_extension_viewer&amp;x_api_client_location=share\">League of Women Voters\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li>LoneStar Left &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lonestarleft.com\/p\/texas-2025-constitutional-amendments\">Texas 2025 Constitutional Amendments Ballot Guide And Vote<\/a><br \/>Recommendations<\/li>\n<li>Texas Policy Research &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texaspolicyresearch.com\/texas-2025-constitutional-amendments-explained-ballot-guide-vote-recommendations\/\">Texas 2025 Constitutional Amendments Explained: Ballot Guide &amp;<\/a><br \/>Vote Recommendations<\/li>\n<li>Texas Tribune &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/09\/22\/texas-statewide-propositions-november-ballot-election\/\">17 statewide propositions will appear on the November ballot. Here\u2019s what Texas voters need to know.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yes&#8230;I Guess: Props 5, 11 &amp; 13 (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\u2019s a lot of propositions! \u00a0I am working through the list a few at a time and sharing how I plan to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":1625,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-what-im-voting-for"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1595"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1595\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1874,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1595\/revisions\/1874"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}