FOR ONCE, A CHANCE FOR TAXPAYERS TO LOWER TAXES

By Juan Montoya
The saying that there is nothing certain but death and taxes may still hold true, but this year local voters will get a chance to bite the taxman and scale back their property tax burden by at least $120.
With the 210,025 2015 tax statements already sent out by Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre, his office says that if they vote in the upcoming November 3 elections, they may help increase their homestead exemption, and reduce their school taxes on their properties.
The opportunity to do so is included in a proposed constitutional amendment election that will come before the voters this Election Day Nov. 3.  The Proposition 1 (SRJ 1), provides for an increase of the homestead exemption for local school district taxes from the current $15,000 of total appraised value to $25,000.

Yzaguirre said that in Cameron County, approximately 61,154 homeowners could see their tax bill decline by $120.
"Current law  provides for an exemption for a residence homestead from ad valorem taxation for public school district," he said. "This would be the first increased relief for a homestead since 1997.
"It is critically important for taxpayers to turn out and vote," Yzaguirre said. "I encourage all eligible voters in Cameron County to participate in the constitutional amendment election."
Coming on the heels of the Tax Ratification Election by voters Tuesday that holds the line on Brownsville Independent School District taxes at $1.15¼ cents per $100 of taxable value, voting nin favor of Proposition 1 would help taxpayers fend off any increased appraisals by the Cameron County Appraisal District. Voters overwhelming approved the TRE by more than 80 percent of the turnout.
According to the BISD website, about $65.8 million – or about 12.4 percent – of the district's budget is made up of local sources, the majority ad valorem taxes. Proposition 1 would impact the homestead exemption of these taxes.The total 2015 levy for the 38 taxing entities in the county totals $282.3 million..
Yzaguirre's office also allows discounts on property taxes from the 38 taxing entities that it collects taxes for in the county if the taxpayers make the payments before January 2016.
The discounts are as follows:
* A 3 percent discount if paid in October.
* A 2 percent discount if paid in November.
* A 1 percent discount if paid in December.
There are a number of methods of payments including tax payment arrangements, special quarterly payments for the elderly and disabled, payments over the Internet, and mail and over-the-counter payments. To make payments online go to www.cameroncountytax.org 
For more information on these services, taxpayers are urged to call any of the nine locations across Cameron County for information. To get more information on the Propositions on the November ballot, call the Texas Secretary of State, at 1-800-252-8683, or go online at www.VoteTexas.gov