The Dallas City Council voted during Wednesday’s meeting to increase the homestead exemption for people who are disabled or anyone aged 65 or older by the largest amount in six years.
The new amount will provide a $139,400 tax exemption for senior homeowners in Dallas. The resolution takes effect immediately.
This increase represents the sixth time the council has raised the senior homestead exemption since 1986, and the fifth time over the last six years, according to the resolution.
In 1986, the council increased the exemption from $50,000 to $64,000.
The next increase did not come until 2017 when the City raised the level to $90,000.
Two years later, in 2019, the exemption grew to $100,000, and again in 2021, to $107,000.
Last year, the council added another $8,000 to the exemption, bringing the total to $115,500.
With this newest increase, the exemption for those 65 or older will grow by $23,900, making the total amount $139,400.
The item was passed as part of the consent agenda, but several council members called attention to the proposal.
Council Member Chad West of District 1 said in Wednesday’s meeting that people should not overlook the benefit the increased homestead exemption would provide to Dallas’ older population.
Council Member Tennell Atkins, who represents District 8, said, “Council, for the last 10 years, we have always been trying to increase the homestead property tax exemption for the senior community.”
“With property values going up, they need help, especially in this City, so I want to make sure that every year we continue to increase this homestead property tax exemption,” he added. “And I hope the state follows after our motion today.”
The Texas Legislature is currently considering various forms of property tax relief. Some proposals under debate include an increase in the homestead exemption for all homeowners.
The plan pursued by the Senate, led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, would increase exemptions, as reported by The Dallas Express.
The House under Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) and Gov. Greg Abbott, however, have favored a plan that would not include any increase in homestead exemptions, relying on the compression of taxes instead, as covered by The Dallas Express.