August 12, 2017      8:19 PM

Updated: With 6 percent rollback rate intact, Texas House tentatively passes SB 1

34 Republicans stick with Chair Bonnen who said he needed to keep the rollback rate at 6%, honoring his commitments

The Texas House on Saturday soundly rejected an attempt to change the proposed rollback rate in Senate Bill 1 from 6 percent down to the 4 percent preferred by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in his decades-long crusade against local governments. It’s been one of the central themes of Patrick’s career since his days as a radio talk show host in Houston.

After preserving the proposed 6 percent rollback rate and rejecting more than 20 other amendments, the House tentatively approved the measure on a vote of 98 to 43.  

SB 1 would require cities, counties and special districts to get voter approval for tax hikes above a certain level. Senate leadership wants a 4 percent rollback rate while the House has insisted on setting that rollback rate at 6 percent. Of course, right now voters can petition local governments to force a rollback rate election for an increase above 8 percent.

In opening the debate with Democrats who peppered him with questions, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, told members from the front mic that they would be foolish to go back to their home districts and try to convince voters that this proposal would cut their property taxes. He said the “bill is not perfect” but “Senate Bill 1 is the product of us all working together” to tackle a tough issue.

By Scott Braddock

Copyright August 12, 2017, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved