Tax spat in Austin spawns robo-texts

An argument between the state’s top elected officials over how to spend $12.3 billion in surplus funds set aside for property tax relief spilled into the in-boxes of some constituents of Olney House Rep. David Spiller last week. Voters in House District 68 may have received a text message warning that Mr. Spiller “walked out of the Special Session in Austin and refused to give you a $100,000 homestead exemption, instead giving big tax breaks to big business.” The message, purportedly from the Texas Association of Property Tax Professionals, urged recipients to call Mr. Spiller “and tell him to get back to work in Austin and vote for” the Senate proposal, which conflicts with a bill passed by the Texas House. The trouble is, the TAPTP was not responsible for the text messages sent to constituents of GOP House members, nor did the organization “stand behind those text messages,” it said. So the mystery remains – who paid for the ads?

“I don’t know who paid for the ad,” Mr. Spiller told the Enterprise. “It’s so silly. We did exactly what the Governor asked us to do on both those bills. They are just playing games.”

Gov. Greg Abbott called a special session of the Legislature to pass cuts to the state’s spiraling property taxes, which are the sixth-highest in the United States, according to the Tax Foundation, a conservative think tank. Property valuations have increased xx percent in Young County since [when], according to County Tax Appraiser Jesse Blackmon. The House adjourned last week after passing legislation backed by Gov. Abbott that cuts the maintenance and operations taxes for school districts. The Senate tacked on a measure – pushed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and opposed by Gov. Abbott – that increases the Texas homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000. Mr. Patrick has said that the Senate will not pass the House bill favored by Gov. Abbott because it does not cut property taxes enough for most homeowners.