In West Texas, home is where we put down roots, raise our families, and make everlasting memories. But for homeowners across El Paso, the Big Bend, and the Permian Basin, the rising cost of property taxes has threatened to push that sense of security out of reach.
For many hardworking families, owning a home is part of the American Dream, but skyrocketing property taxes and valuations in Texas have made that dream seem out of reach. Every session, one of the top issues I hear from families is rising property taxes that have pushed families out of their homes. Seniors on fixed incomes are watching their tax bills rise while their incomes stay the same. Young families are making the tough choice between paying their property taxes or putting that money toward food, medicine, or their kids’ future.
That’s not how it should be — not in Texas.
That’s why this session, I was proud to joint-author a property tax relief package that delivers real and lasting relief, especially for those who need it most.
Senate Bill 4 and its companion resolution, SJR 2, raise the homestead exemption to $140,000 for most homeowners, putting hundreds, even thousands, of dollars back in Texans’ pockets each year. For seniors and Texans with disabilities, SB 23 and SJR 85 go even further, boosting their exemption to $200,000. That targeted relief helps ensure our elders and most vulnerable neighbors can stay in the homes they’ve built their lives around.
These new measures build on the momentum of 2023’s historic property tax cut — the largest property tax reduction in U.S. history. With SB 4 and SB 23, we’re delivering a $484 annual cut for 5.7 million homeowners and nearly $938 per year for older adults and disabled Texans. Starting in 2025, more than 170,000 homeowners in West Texas will see property tax relief and nearly half of all homeowners could see their school property tax bills drop to zero. That’s a game-changer — especially for working families in rural counties, small towns, and border communities like ours.
This relief didn’t happen overnight. Over the past decade, Texas has steadily delivered on the promise of meaningful property tax relief. Since 2015, we’ve raised the homestead exemption from $15,000 to $140,000, saving Texas homeowners thousands of dollars and helping more West Texans stay in their homes.
And throughout it all, we made sure tax relief didn’t come at the cost of our public schools.
Families need relief, but not at the expense of their kids’ schools. That’s why I was also proud to help secure $2.7 billion in immediate state funding to hold school budgets harmless, along with long-term support through 2030.
That’s the Texas way: we keep our promises to homeowners, and we stand by our commitment to public schools.
Now, it’s up to you — the voters! These property tax reforms require changes to the Texas Constitution, which means they’ll appear as two separate propositions on the November 2025 ballot. If approved, the tax cuts will be permanent, and Texans will feel the impact for years to come.
This is a big win for working families, keeping West Texans in their homes, grandparents in the neighborhoods they love, and kids in strong public schools.
But while SB 4 is a major step forward, more work is needed. I am committed to reforming Texas’ broken property tax system, fixing appraisal flaws, fully funding public schools, and fighting for solutions that protect Texas homeowners.
In West Texas, we believe in hard work, fairness, and taking care of our own. That’s why I was proud to help deliver the relief that homeowners deserve. With your vote in support of these propositions this November, we can make this relief permanent and build a future where living comfortably in your home is a promise we keep.
César J. Blanco is Texas state senator for District 29.
