Election 2015: Texas Voters Overwhelmingly Support Tax Relief for Homeowners, Transportation Improvements

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Kristin-Smith-and-Leslie-Smith — Kristin Smith, left, and Leslie Smith.

Guest post by Leslie Rouda Smith, Chairman of the Texas Association of Realtors

Thanks to strong support and a lot of hard work from the Texas Association of REALTORS®, statewide Proposition 1 passed with 86% of the vote.

This resounding victory will save the state’s current and future homeowners money in two ways:

The homestead exemption will increase from $15,000 to $25,000, reducing homeowners’ property-tax burden.
Passage of this proposition also means real estate transfer taxes are constitutionally prohibited, which saves consumers money when they buy or sell property.

Thanks to all REALTORS® for spreading the word about the importance of this ballot item.

In addition, statewide Proposition 7, which the Texas Association of REALTORS® also supported, passed with 83% of the vote. Proposition 7 will help provide long-term transportation solutions by allocating a portion of sales and use tax revenue to the state highway fund through 2032.