AUSTIN — A proposal to require automatic rollback elections if cities or counties raise local property tax rates above a certain level will be considered by the Texas House on Saturday under action by the House Calendars Committee.

The committee voted Wednesday to put the bill on the House calendar.

It also voted to prevent any amendments from being offered to the bill when it’s debated. The ban on amendments will require a vote by the full House to be maintained.

The property tax measure, a top priority for Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, didn’t get a House vote in the regular session that ended May 29. Abbott then put it on the agenda of the special session, which he controls.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, said during the regular session that there wasn’t enough support in the chamber to pass automatic rollbacks. Bonnen since has said that House backing is growing for the proposal.

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The automatic rollback proposal has been vehemently opposed by local officials, including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who say it would hamper their ability to provide key services, including police and firefighting services.

Law enforcement and local officials have come to the Texas Capitol to oppose the legislation. They came again Wednesday, when Live Oak Mayor Mary Dennis said smaller cities are against it even though they’d be exempt from the current legislation.

“They’re going after big cities this time. They’ll go after us next time,” Dennis, Texas Municipal League president, told the San Antonio Express-News.

Under current law, people can petition for a rollback election if cities, counties and special districts raise property tax revenues more than 8 percent.

Senate Bill 1, as approved by senators, would lower the threshold to 4 percent and make the rollback election automatic if revenue is collected over that amount. Bonnen’s committee approved a 6 percent threshold, also making elections automatic if revenue increases are higher. Both measures contain exemptions, although their details differ.

If approved by the House, the bill would go to the Senate for consideration of changes. The Senate could ask for a committee to negotiate differences.

Rep. Byron Cook, a Corsicana Republican who serves on the Calendars Committee, said the no-amendments rule was approved by the panel “to keep the bill clean.”

“I don’t think it would have happened otherwise,” Cook said of the committee vote to schedule the bill for debate.

pfikac@express-news.net

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