By: Estes S.J.R. No. 44
         (In the Senate - Filed March 7, 2007; March 22, 2007, read
  first time and referred to Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural
  Affairs and Coastal Resources; April 23, 2007, reported adversely,
  with favorable Committee Substitute from Committee on Natural
  Resources by the following vote:  Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 23, 2007,
  sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.J.R. No. 44 By:  Estes
 
 
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
 
  proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature
  to permit the voters of a municipality with a population of less
  than 10,000 to authorize the governing body of the municipality to
  enter into an agreement with an owner of real property in or
  adjacent to an area in the municipality that has been approved for
  funding under certain revitalization or redevelopment programs to
  prohibit ad valorem tax increases on the owner's property for a
  limited period.
         BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article VIII, Texas Constitution, is amended by
  adding Section 1-o to read as follows:
         Sec. 1-o.  To aid in the elimination of slum and blighted
  conditions in less populated communities in this state, to promote
  rural economic development in this state, and to improve the
  economy of this state, the legislature by general law may authorize
  the governing body of a municipality having a population of less
  than 10,000, in the manner required by law, to call an election to
  permit the voters to determine by majority vote whether to
  authorize the governing body of the municipality to enter into an
  agreement with an owner of real property that is located in or
  adjacent to a designated area of the municipality that has been
  approved for funding under the Downtown Revitalization Program
  or the Main Street Improvements Program administered by the
  Department of Agriculture, or a successor program administered by
  that agency, under which the parties agree that the ad valorem taxes
  imposed by any political subdivision on the owner's real property
  may not be increased for the first five tax years after the tax year
  in which the agreement is entered into, subject to the terms and
  conditions provided by the agreement. A general law enacted under
  this section must provide that, if authorized by the voters, an
  agreement to limit ad valorem tax increases authorized by this
  section:
               (1)  must be entered into by the governing body of the
  municipality and a property owner before December 31 of the tax year
  in which the election was held;
               (2)  takes effect as to a parcel of real property on
  January 1 of the tax year following the tax year in which the
  governing body and the property owner enter into the agreement;
               (3)  applies to ad valorem taxes imposed by any
  political subdivision on the real property covered by the
  agreement; and
               (4)  expires on the earlier of:
                     (A)  January 1 of the sixth tax year following the
  tax year in which the governing body and the property owner enter
  into the agreement; or
                     (B)  January 1 of the first tax year in which the
  owner of the property when the agreement was entered into ceases to
  own the property.
         SECTION 2.  The following temporary provision is added to
  the Texas Constitution:
         TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a)  This temporary provision applies
  to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 80th Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2007, authorizing the legislature to permit the
  voters of a municipality having a population of less than 10,000 to
  authorize the governing body of the municipality to enter into an
  agreement with an owner of real property in or adjacent to an area
  in the municipality that has been approved for funding under
  certain revitalization or redevelopment programs to prohibit ad
  valorem tax increases on the owner's property for a limited period
  and expires January 1, 2009.
         (b)  Section 1-o, Article VIII, of this constitution takes
  effect January 1, 2008, and applies only to a tax year that begins
  on or after that date.
         SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 6, 2007.
  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
  proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the
  legislature to permit the voters of a municipality having a
  population of less than 10,000 to authorize the governing body of
  the municipality to enter into an agreement with an owner of real
  property in or adjacent to an area in the municipality that has been
  approved for funding under certain programs administered by the
  Texas Department of Agriculture under which the parties agree that
  all ad valorem taxes imposed on the owner's property may not be
  increased for the first five tax years after the tax year in which
  the agreement is entered into."
 
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