Votebeat and The Texas Tribune
Lawsuits based on false claims about voting equipment could delay millions of dollars in cost of living increases for retired teachers expected to arrive in January. The lawsuits also threaten to hold up state property tax cuts for homeowners — arguably Republicans’ signature policy achievement this year.
Voters widely approved both policies this fall. Now Texas lawmakers are scrambling to address the challenges in hopes of preventing further delays.
The election contests challenging the results of the November constitutional amendment election were filed in Travis County district courts days after the November election by right-wing activists. They are based on false claims that Texas’ voting equipment is not certified and that voting machines are connected to the internet. Abbott has not certified the results of the election and won’t be able to until the lawsuits are resolved in the courts — which experts say could take weeks or months.
Voter advocates say the election contests are yet another attempt to undermine trust in elections. This time, though, it could have immediate negative implications for millions of Texans.
“I think this is a perfect example of the real impact in peoples’ lives when we delay the certification of our vote because of misinformation,” said Katya Ehresman, voting rights program manager at Common Cause Texas.
At least six lawsuits — filed by residents from Bexar, Llano, Denton, Rains, Brazoria, Liberty, and Atascosa counties who have ties to local promoters of election conspiracies — are challenging the 14 constitutional amendment propositions that were on the ballot in November.
By law, challenges to constitutional amendment elections can’t go to trial earlier than a month after it's been filed — unless requested by the contestant — and not later than six months after it was filed.
But on Friday, in the middle of Texas' fourth special legislative session this year, a state senator introduced a bill that would eliminate that requirement and to compress the timeline under which such challenges are heard. The bill was then hastily passed through a committee and sent to the Senate floor, where it passed 23-1. It will now go to the House, which was also in session Friday. Its author, Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, said that if it isn’t passed that property tax cuts and extra money for retired teachers would be in jeopardy.
“It’s a big deal,” he said.
In order for the bill to become law, Gov. Greg Abbott would have to add the issue to the special session's agenda. On Friday, an Abbott aide said he'd consider doing so if both chambers can agree to a bill. The current special session must end Wednesday.
Issues at stake for voters
Cost of living increases for about 400,000 retired teachers and public school employees could be delayed for months, unless the lawsuit moves quickly through the courts. Advocates say that, for many, this would be the first raise to their pensions they will see in nearly 20 years.
Lawmakers earlier this year passed Senate Bill 10, which provides some retired teachers with cost-of-living raises of between 2 percent and 6 percent of their monthly pension checks. The Legislature then put the proposition on the ballot, seeking voters’ approval to use $3.3 billion from the general revenue fund.
Eli Melendrez, a staff researcher with the Texas American Federation of Teachers, said the average monthly pension of a retired educator is about $2,174. The pension increase would add about $80 more to their monthly checks, he said. “That sounds really small, but if you look at it in aggregate, we're talking about $30 million per month in these retired educators’ pockets,” Melendrez said. “It's definitely significant.”
Retired teachers’ first pension check of 2024 will be delivered at the end of January. “Time is very much of the essence when it comes to these issues,” he said and added that it isn’t clear yet whether retired teachers would receive back pay to cover any delays.
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas in a statement said it’s still working to understand the impacts the lawsuits would have on the timing of distribution of the pension increases. Officials said their website will be updated as more information becomes available.
Lawsuits based on false claims about voting equipment could delay millions of dollars in cost of living increases for retired teachers expected to arrive in January. The lawsuits also threaten to hold up state property tax cuts for homeowners — arguably Republicans’ signature policy achievement this year.
Voters widely approved both policies this fall. Now Texas lawmakers are scrambling to address the challenges in hopes of preventing further delays.
The election contests challenging the results of the November constitutional amendment election were filed in Travis County district courts days after the November election by right-wing activists. They are based on false claims that Texas’ voting equipment is not certified and that voting machines are connected to the internet. Abbott has not certified the results of the election and won’t be able to until the lawsuits are resolved in the courts — which experts say could take weeks or months.
Voter advocates say the election contests are yet another attempt to undermine trust in elections. This time, though, it could have immediate negative implications for millions of Texans.
“I think this is a perfect example of the real impact in peoples’ lives when we delay the certification of our vote because of misinformation,” said Katya Ehresman, voting rights program manager at Common Cause Texas.
At least six lawsuits — filed by residents from Bexar, Llano, Denton, Rains, Brazoria, Liberty, and Atascosa counties who have ties to local promoters of election conspiracies — are challenging the 14 constitutional amendment propositions that were on the ballot in November.
By law, challenges to constitutional amendment elections can’t go to trial earlier than a month after it's been filed — unless requested by the contestant — and not later than six months after it was filed.
But on Friday, in the middle of Texas' fourth special legislative session this year, a state senator introduced a bill that would eliminate that requirement and to compress the timeline under which such challenges are heard. The bill was then hastily passed through a committee and sent to the Senate floor, where it passed 23-1. It will now go to the House, which was also in session Friday. Its author, Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, said that if it isn’t passed that property tax cuts and extra money for retired teachers would be in jeopardy.
“It’s a big deal,” he said.
In order for the bill to become law, Gov. Greg Abbott would have to add the issue to the special session's agenda. On Friday, an Abbott aide said he'd consider doing so if both chambers can agree to a bill. The current special session must end Wednesday.
Issues at stake for voters
Cost of living increases for about 400,000 retired teachers and public school employees could be delayed for months, unless the lawsuit moves quickly through the courts. Advocates say that, for many, this would be the first raise to their pensions they will see in nearly 20 years.
Lawmakers earlier this year passed Senate Bill 10, which provides some retired teachers with cost-of-living raises of between 2 percent and 6 percent of their monthly pension checks. The Legislature then put the proposition on the ballot, seeking voters’ approval to use $3.3 billion from the general revenue fund.
Eli Melendrez, a staff researcher with the Texas American Federation of Teachers, said the average monthly pension of a retired educator is about $2,174. The pension increase would add about $80 more to their monthly checks, he said. “That sounds really small, but if you look at it in aggregate, we're talking about $30 million per month in these retired educators’ pockets,” Melendrez said. “It's definitely significant.”
Retired teachers’ first pension check of 2024 will be delivered at the end of January. “Time is very much of the essence when it comes to these issues,” he said and added that it isn’t clear yet whether retired teachers would receive back pay to cover any delays.
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas in a statement said it’s still working to understand the impacts the lawsuits would have on the timing of distribution of the pension increases. Officials said their website will be updated as more information becomes available.
To read rest of story, click on link: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/01/2023-election-challenge-teacher-pay-tax-cuts/
9 comments:
GOOD NEWS stop feeding the lazy bums they make enough already and they only work 5 months a year QUE MAMONES. WORK 12 MONTHS JUST LIKE THE WHOLE WORLD MAMONES
If u can’t beat them join them. Become an Educator very simple.
The story is so incomplete, the question is how much did teacher Unions donate to the Tribune? I suspect the entire lawsuit is bogus, but that does not change the fact of the big con. Abbott is taking credit for lowering property taxes by increasing from $25k to $100k the deduction homeowners get on their appraised value before taxes. So, if your house is appraised at $100k or less you will not pay property taxes - end of story. But the part this story is not telling you is the Amendment allows all the local taxing authorities to raise your taxes to the breakeven point. This means they will get the same amount of money from before Abbott's con job. I do not mind the increase in the homestead exemption. For sure poor people who live in homes appraised at under $100, they will pay no taxes. It is the con I hate that Abbott is getting away with this knowing full well all the local taxing authorities can raise your property taxes to a break even as if the exemption never had been raise.
Raise salaries....... raise prices of food, utilities.
Lower Appraisal values of homes......... increase your taxes....
Trump the new Gold Thumb and Pussy Aplenty
Dear 10:18. You have really missed the point of the legislation. First the $100,000 exemption is only for school tax evaluations. NOT A
any entity taxes.
But this lawsuit was planned long ago by the republicans who wanted to take credit for lowering taxes then file the lawsuit so nobody really gets any tax break .
The rest of the story in Cameron County is that the appraisal district raise the value of most properties 100,000 dollars? My home needs a new compete roof and the foundation fell, creating an uneven flooring. Yet my home increase by 120,000 dollars? It must true, in the United States, people don't know how to understand math? The appraisal district appraisers need to go back to school plus get eye glasses.
The raise we were getting was only good enough to put us into another tax bracket and we'd be in worse shape with less money. Like the $7500 we were
supposed to get and we only got $6000 due to more taxes.
I hope all the legal representatives remember that the only reason they are
where they are is because of teachers who worked their butt off to reach people who actually cared.
Only people united can make changes. Let's all unite and quit paying our excessive property taxes. Let's all demand a fair property tax rate. Are you on? Knowing how chicken shit the people of this area are I'll be the only one facing the drummer.
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