Voters Back Property Tax Amendments

Texas voters overwhelmingly approved two proposed amendments on Saturday that will provide property tax relief to homeowners.

According to the Austin American-Statesman, nearly 85% of voters supported Proposition 2, which raises the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $40,000 starting this year. That will save the average homeowner about $175 in school property taxes.

Another proposition that easily passed corrects an oversight to a 2019 bill passed by the Legislature, which didn’t apply to homeowners who are disabled or 65 and older, because their school taxes were already frozen.

The state will reimburse school districts for tax funding lost by both propositions, with the Legislative Budget Board anticipating the amount at more than a half-billion dollars, according to the Statesman.

Meanwhile, Texas voters get another opportunity to cast ballots starting May 16 in primary runoff elections slated for both Republican and Democratic candidates. The election is May 24, with early voting running until May 20.

Statewide runoff races are slated for attorney general and land commissioner in both parties, lieutenant governor and comptroller in the Democratic race, and railroad commissioner on the Republican side of the ticket.

More information can be found about particular races at votetexas.gov. Voters who cast ballots in one party’s primary cannot vote in the other party’s runoff election. However, voters who did not cast ballots in the primary can vote in either party’s runoff.

Avian Influenza in Wild Bird Confirmed

The first case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in a wild bird in Texas has been confirmed. A great horned owl at a rehabilitation facility in Wichita County was confirmed to have the virus by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories, which notified the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The potentially fatal HPAI is highly contagious and transmits easily among wild and domestic bird species. It has been found in 38 states, and its symptoms include diarrhea, incoordination, lethargy, coughing and sneezing.

TPWD recommends enhanced biosecurity measures at labs that deal with wild or domestic birds, including quarantining birds showing symptoms of HPAI.

While the risk of transmission to humans from birds is low, TPWD recommends taking basic precautions if contact with birds cannot be avoided, such as wearing gloves and face masks.