Feedback from taxpayers on ISD property tax reductions is overwhelmingly positive

Those making payments in 2023 are astonished by reductions from SB2/Proposition 4.

Austin — Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) released the following statement after receiving a constant number of positive comments regarding 2023 Independent School District property tax bills. As taxpayers pay their property taxes at the close of 2023 they are noticing that their ISD property tax bills are down as promised in SB2 this year.

Many of those who are paying their tax bills in December itemize their IRS deductions, and they are astonished by the thousand plus dollars they are paying less due to the passage of Proposition 4 in November.

“We’ve had phone calls at my office from very happy taxpayers of $900, $1100, $3500 and up to $5000 savings,” Senator Bettencourt said, “Everyone I have spoken with has had at least hundreds of dollars of savings. Even in areas of voter-approved bond debt rate hikes, the overall ISD property tax bill is CUT due to the combination of ISD M&O tax rate reductions and the increased $100k homestead exemption. It’s great to hear!”

Property Tax bills are posted online by counties or in the mail for the vast majority of accounts statewide. The bill should indicate how much savings the individual incurred and if not, they can flip the tax bill over to see the year-to-year compression on school taxes.

“It’s one thing to pass a record $18.1 Billion of record property tax relief, but it’s another thing to get these calls telling me it’s working nearly everywhere in Texas,” Senator Bettencourt said, “If you’re not seeing it on your Homestead or business ISD property tax bill, give my office a call so we can check it out. There are some homeowners now paying zero on their ISD property tax bills, and you can’t get any lower number than that!”

Homeowners with escrow accounts should see an ISD property tax reduction as their mortgage companies should have received lower property tax bills in advance of the Jan. 31, 2024 property tax payment deadline. Approximately half of homeowners use mortgage escrow accounts.