If you’ve received an email in your inbox urging you to vote on a Texas Homestead Cap for ages 65 or older, it might have justifiably riled you enough to forward it out to all of your friends.
The email says an amendment would appear on the upcoming ballot that would correct an error on a 2006 law that reduced school property taxes by a third. State law provides senior citizens and those with disabilities a school property tax cap, but they did not receive the same decrease that everyone else received in 2006.
Fear that younger voters would ignore or be oblivious to the amendment prompted the creation of the now-ubiquitous email to draw awareness to the issue and drive the vote.
The good news is the email worked, and the amendment passed – two years ago. Its call to vote on May 9 was May 9 of 2007.
Elections this year occur on May 10. It’s nice to know that the error came from too much interest in correcting an issue rather than too little, though.
Holly LaFon is a journalist who has written for D Magazine and Examiner.
