State Representative Mike Schofield of Katy announced today he has filed a bill to freeze all property taxes for homeowners over 65 years old. The bill will ensure that a senior citizen’s residential property taxes will never increase for as long as they own the home.
Schofield explained that when a homeowner turns 65, the portion of their property taxes going to school districts is frozen while the rest of the property taxes continue to rise. HB 1705 will freeze the entirety of the homeowner’s property taxes, including the portion going to the county, city, and special purpose districts. This will save some homeowners thousands of dollars, giving more financial stability for those on a fixed income.
“Texas is a great place to work and raise a family, but it needs to be a better place to retire,” stated Rep. Schofield. “Older Texans tell me all the time that rising property taxes are forcing them to consider moving out of state. It is not the government’s job to tax you out of your home.”
Representative Schofield has also filed House Joint Resolution 84, a constitutional amendment in parallel to the bill, that will be brought to the voters in November for ratification if passed.
Mike Schofield is the State Representative for Texas House District 132 in Katy and Cy-Fair. Schofield served as an advisor to Governor Perry from 2003 to 2013, where he advised the governor on legislation ranging from lawsuit abuse and property rights protection to maintaining a fair election system and Voter ID. He was first elected in 2014, and was named Freshman Legislator of the Year by the House in his first session in 2015.