STATEWIDE VOTING
The Daily Record is running a Texas Tribune series outlining each of the 17 state-wide constitutional amendments on the Nov. 4 ballot. The series will include two of these overviews in every issue until early voting begins on Oct. 20.
Proposition 17 (HJR 34): Property tax exemption for border security infrastructure The ballot language: “The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders the United Mexican States that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure and related improvements.”
What it means: This proposal and accompanying legislation would allow the state to prevent property value in border counties from increasing due to border security infrastructure and related improvements.
This new exemption could reduce local tax revenue, but costs to the state to help address school district losses are not expected to be sig- nificant, according to a fiscal note. Other local governments may have to raise tax rates to offset the losses, according to the fiscal note.
Proponents of the measure say this will address concerns that border security infrastructure added to private land by the state could increase that property’s appraisal and burden on property owners, according to the House Research Organization. Critics have said the state should not incentivize more border security infrastructure on private land and that the change could shift the tax burden to other local property owners.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune. org/2025/09/22/texas -statewide-propositionsnovember- ballot-election/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy.
