Suspicious Email re: Texas Homestead Exemption

[El_Zagna]

I recently got a suspicious email from an unreliable source about a constitutional amendment that will be on the Texas ballot in May, and I’m trying to see if there’s some scam involved.

Subject

You must vote in May to keep the homestead tax cap for 65 and over

VERY IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE OVER 65 OR PLAN ON RETIRING IN
TEXAS.

Subject: You must vote in May to keep the homestead tax cap for 65 and
over

If you are a Texas homeowner then this is important to you. If you
agree, please pass along to all on your email lists.

This was sent to me, and I am passing it on. I am sending this email
to everyone on my email address list who lives in Texas. I want to be
sure you are aware
of a constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot at the May
election. It is an amendment to correct an error made by the lawmakers
when they voted for a reduction in school property taxes in 2005. When
the lawmakers voted for a one-third reduction school property taxes
beginning in 2006 and to be completed this year, they forgot about the
homestead exemption for senior citizens and
people with disabilities. The state constitution caps school property
taxes for homeowners 65 years and older and those who are disabled.
However, they DID NOT get the same reduction when the property tax cut
for schools was voted on two years ago. So an amendment is on the May
ballot to correct this error. The
problem is that most voters who are younger than 65 or not disabled
probably won’t even notice the amendment or care. PLEASE get out and
vote for this amendment if not for yourself then for your parents,
grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends. We would really appreciate your
getting the word out to all your friends and families to vote for this
amendment. The fear is that with a low voter turnout, the amendment
could very well not pass.

So, please, please pass the word and VOTE for the constitutional
amendment. Early voting will take place will April 30 - May 5 from 7 am
to 7 pm; May 6 from noon to 6 pm and May 7 - May 8 from 7 am to 7 pm.
Election day is May 12 from 7 am to 7 pm.

I couldn’t find it on Snopes but most of the sites that talk about it seem pretty tin-foily, e.g, this one which says, “There is a **secret **constitutional amendment on the ballet on May 12…” Now I don’t know how they expect to keep a constitutional amendment that will be on every single ballot in Texas very secret, but this guy thinks so.

So what’s up with this?

[aktep]

Yes, it will be on the ballot and here’s the bill. It’s only “secret” in the sense that it’s not getting much press (and the ballot language really isn’t too clear on what’s being proposed anyway).