The Collin County Observer

News, Analysis & Opinion for Collin County

May 12, 2009 Homestead constitutional Amendment hoax

03/19/09

10:33:48 pm, by bill

, 610 words,

Categories: Observer Opinions, Elections

May 12, 2009 Homestead constitutional Amendment hoax

The Collin County Observer has been getting ~~hundreds~~ thousands of Google hits searching for an election that will not happen.

There will be no Constitutional Amendments on the May ballot, in fact there is NO May 12 election.

Election day is May 9, 2009. The ballot will contain local City council, School Boards, local bonds and initiatives. The earliest a Constitutional Amendment election could be held is in September, but as of yet, the Texas Legislature has passed no Amendment resolutions.

From the Unwasted Life blog:

Let me repeat, THERE IS NO Texas Homestead Exemption Vote on ballot in May 2009.

I’ve gotten this email more times than I care to count recently:

Please read and pass on to all your Texas email friends as this applies to all voters.

vote in May to keep the Homestead tax cap for 65 and over, even if you are not 65 yet. If you are a Texas homeowner then this is important to you. If not, it is important to your friends who are.

I am sending this email to everyone on my email address list that lives in Texas. I want to be sure you are aware of a constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot at the May election. It is an amendment to correct an error made by the lawmakers when they voted for a reduction in school property taxes in 2005.

When the lawmakers voted for a one-third reduction in school property taxes beginning in 2006 and to be completed this year, they forgot about the homestead exemption for senior citizens and people with disabilities. The state constitution caps school property taxes for homeowners 65 years and older and those who are disabled.

However, they DID NOT get the same reduction when the property tax cut for schools was voted on two years ago.

So an amendment is on the May ballot to correct this error.

The problem is that most voters who are younger than 65 or not disabled probably won't even notice the amendment or care.

PLEASE get out and vote for this amendment if not for yourself, then for your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends. We would really appreciate your getting the word out to all your friends and families to vote for this amendment. The fear is that with a low voter turnout, the amendment could very well not pass.

So, please, please pass the word and VOTE for the constitutional amendment. Early voting will take place April 30 - May 5 from 7 am to 7 pm; May 6 from noon to 6 pm and May 7 - May 8 from7am to 7 pm. Election Day is May 12 from 7 am to 7pm.

First, this email has been going around for some time now. Here is a blog post from last year.

Second, Texas votes on May 9, 2009 for local elections. There are no statewide offices/amendments.

Third, IF there is a constitutional amendment to be voted upon it will be in November 2009."

The email is a hoax.

In 2008, I wrote:

There is no proposition on the ballot for Over 65 homestead exemptions. That was last year! This email is a year old...even the date for the election is wrong. This year Election Day is on May 10.

The Texas Legislature meets every other year. It did not meet this year, so no amendments could possibly be on your ballot.

Oh, and by the way, the amendment passed, but it only extended the exemption for the 2006 and 2007 tax years. So it has expired. In order to continue to preserve the Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption, I assume you will see it again on the ballot in 2009.

This email will probably still be going around in time for the 2009 elections.

Well here it is!

Bill

Permalink 3 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: Collin County Citizen [Visitor]

This seems to always circulate around every election.

Permalink 03/20/09 @ 07:59

Comment from: Ferne Wood [Visitor]

Thank goodness for someone who has some sense

Permalink 03/26/09 @ 16:53

Comment from: Chuck [Visitor] · http://lovegreen.com

I just stumbled upon your blog and enjoyed reading it. Its amazing how quickly a story takes on legs now with the internet. Oh well, fun to read anyways.

Permalink 04/18/09 @ 15:35

The Collin County Observer

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The Collin County Observer

May 12, 2009 Homestead constitutional Amendment hoax

03/19/09

May 12, 2009 Homestead constitutional Amendment hoax

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