Texas voters approved measures to increase the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, providing property tax relief to homeowners, especially seniors and disabled residents, and also approved an exemption for business inventory, aiming to reduce overall property tax burdens in the state.
Bill Pulte, a federal official, and his relatives are accused of improperly claiming primary residence exemptions on multiple homes in Michigan and Florida, leading to investigations and potential penalties, amid broader allegations of fraud against Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook.
Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, accused Fed Governor Lisa Cook of fraud related to her housing claims, while his relatives, Mark and Julie Pulte, claimed primary residence exemptions on homes in Michigan and Florida, which are generally not allowed to be claimed simultaneously, leading to potential legal and tax repercussions. The Pulte family, with a prominent housing background, has a history of real estate activity and political contributions, and their dual exemption claims have raised questions about eligibility and legality.
Relatives of Bill Pulte, a federal official, claimed primary residence exemptions on homes in Michigan and Florida, which is generally not allowed and led to the revocation of the exemption in Michigan. Pulte accused Fed Governor Lisa Cook of fraud related to her property claims, but she denies any wrongdoing. The case highlights potential misuse of tax exemptions and political conflicts involving Pulte and Cook.
Texas Senate and House leaders have reached an $18 billion deal for property tax relief, the largest in the state's history. The proposed legislation includes reducing the school property tax rate, providing a $100,000 homestead exemption for all homeowners, implementing a 20% circuit breaker on appraised values for non-homesteaded properties valued at $5 million and under, and offering savings on the franchise tax for small businesses. The bills will be filed this week with the goal of passing them soon. The deal comes after a months-long stalemate between the House and Senate, prompting a second special session called by Governor Greg Abbott.
The Texas Senate passed a new property tax relief bill that promises a record amount of property tax relief, providing a total of $18 billion in property tax relief. The bill increases the homestead exemption for most homeowners to $100,000 and for homeowners over 65 to $110,000, providing savings of nearly $2,600 dollars to most homeowners for the first two years and nearly $3,000 in savings for the first two years for homeowners over 65. The bill also doubles the business franchise tax exemption to nearly $2.5 million. The bill now needs to be approved by the Texas House, which has its own legislation.
The Texas Senate has unanimously passed a $16.5bn package to lower property taxes, which includes raising the state's homestead exemption for school districts and cutting business property taxes. The package also requires the state to funnel at least $5.38bn into public schools, which make up the biggest chunk of Texans' property tax bills. The bill would cut school property tax rates by 7 cents per every $100 in property value. The Senate proposals now head to the House, where legislators have taken a different approach to reducing property owners' tax burdens.