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House Bill 2087 |
House Author: Hill |
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Effective: Vetoed |
Senate Sponsor: Wentworth et al. |
House Bill 2087 amends the Tax Code to limit the frequency of petition-initiated elections that may be held by a county, municipality, or junior college district on whether to establish a limitation on increases in the amount of property taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of the elderly or disabled. The bill describes circumstances under which the limitation on petition-initiated elections applies and clarifies the scope of the limitation with respect to the authority of a governing body of a county, municipality, or district to otherwise limit tax increases or call an election for that purpose.
Reason Given for Veto: "House Bill No. 2087 violates Article VIII, Section 1, of the Texas Constitution, which requires a county, city or town, or junior college district, to hold an election to determine whether to limit property taxes on the homesteads of elderly or disabled persons if 5 percent of registered voters petition for such an election.
"House Bill No. 2087 would allow a governmental entity to refuse a petition by the voters for such an election if the same issue has been put to a vote twice in any 36-month period, thereby limiting voters' ability to petition their government on an important taxation issue. Taxpayers should not have their right to vote to lower taxes limited for the convenience of election officials."