Texas Tax Cuts & Border Security: Chairman Dennis Bonnen Talks End-Game

Appraisals can go up but the rates should go down. That is only controlled at that local level. AUSTIN Texas (Texas Insider Report) The latest is that the House has respectfully set sales tax (cuts) aside  I want to have that discussion again in the future but weve set that aside  and we agreed that well have a $10000 Homestead Exemption increase. One thing that I want to point out and its been the message that the House has been trying to deliver all Session long is were proud to do tax relief but we dont want it sold incorrectly State Rep. Dennis Bonnen the Texas Houses chief tax authority tells Insiders Jim Cardle. People get very frustrated by elected leaders who dont tell the truth and who over-sell things to them. So the Houses position has been that were proud to do a $10000 property tax exemption and get that done ... But in the House we want to be very clear; were probably not going to be able to even really lower what that Property Tax Bill is. The best way to do that is for you to go talk to your City Council go talk to your County Commissioner go talk to your School Board. They control those rates. And appraisals arent really the problem ... appraisals can go up but the rates should go down. That is only controlled at that local level Bonnen said.

Dont miss Insiders update with State Rep. Dennis Bonnen author of the 25 Franchise Tax Cut Bill and chairman of the tax-reforming House Ways & Means Committee.   

So in the House of Representatives we want to be telling the truth and we want reality as to whats going on said Bonnen who chairs the powerful House Ways & Means Committee. One of the sticking points were trying to resolve right now is  and its a little bit frustrating because its not that we dont want there to be an immediate opportunity of lessening the pain but the Tax Assessor-Collectors have testified saying we have no position on this but you need to understand that were not sure we can have a Constitutional Election to increase the Homestead Exemption and then load that into software and put that into tax bills effective this year. Were visiting with the Lt. Governor and the Senate about that because the last thing we want to do is create confusion on our taxpayers Property Tax bills. Thats really the final issue were trying to resolve ... and its not really even an issue were debating over policy because its an issue about what can be done mechanically Bonnen said. Earlier this year in a Texas Insider article Bonnen said:

Three times from 1997 to 2006 the Legislature delivered property tax relief. Three times voters never received promised relief and three times the state increased state spending on a property tax cut that simply vanished. Theres a reason the political class has a credibility problem with the public: too often they dont keep their promises.    In 2006 voters were sold a property tax cut that would reduce tax bills on average by $2000. That never materialized. By the time the appraiser got his percentage and local districts raised rates again 80 of the promised tax cut had evaporated never making it to homeowners. Worse yet county city and special purpose districts erased the rest of the reduction completely.

Concerning other policy issues Bonnen revealed during his interview earlier this week House Speaker Joe Straus wrote in an op-ed carried by the Texas Insider:

 We voted for Tax Relief. The strong performance of our private sector has given the Legislature an opportunity to reduce the tax burden on families and businesses. The House has voted for two major tax-relief proposals and we are now working out differences with the Senate. We addressed Border Security. With overwhelming bipartisan support the House passed legislation that would bring consistency to our security efforts along the Texas-Mexico border while ensuring that other areas of the state are not left vulnerable. We also provided additional tools to law enforcement and prosecutors to combat drug trafficking and human smuggling. The Senate has passed similar legislation and I believe we will agree to a solution that makes our entire state safer.

The House has compiled a strong record so far. But our work is not finished Straus said.