🔴Relating to the text of ballot propositions that increase taxes.

🔴 SB 1025: State-Controlled Ballot Wording for Local Tax Elections

What it says it does:
SB 1025 claims to promote tax transparency by requiring that every ballot proposition for a new or increased tax clearly show that it raises taxes.

What it actually changes:
It forces all such ballot questions to begin with the phrase “THIS IS A TAX INCREASE” in capital letters at the top, leaving no room for local governments to explain what the money would fund. The state dictates the exact phrasing, removing neutrality from local elections.

Who is pushing for it:
Support came from anti-tax advocacy and business groups including the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, NFIB, Texas REALTORS, the Association of Electric Companies of Texas, and Americans for Prosperity.

Who benefits:
Large property owners, real estate and utility industries, and anti-tax organizations benefit because this language makes local tax increases harder to pass, reducing potential costs to those sectors.

Who gets left out or exposed:
Cities, counties, and school districts that rely on voter-approved revenue for essential services are disadvantaged. Residents in growing or underfunded areas face reduced funding for roads, classrooms, and infrastructure.

Why this matters long term:
This bill shifts control of election language from local officials to the state, embedding political messaging in ballots. It sets a precedent for using required wording to influence voter behavior, undermining local fiscal autonomy.

What to watch next:
Future sessions may expand this tactic to other funding measures such as school bonds or public health initiatives, further eroding local control and voter neutrality.

Bottom line:
SB 1025 does not lower taxes. It makes future tax increases nearly impossible to pass by forcing voters to see a warning before they ever learn what the funding would support.

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