As of October 20th, 2025, early voting is officially underway in Texas. With Election Day set for November 4, Texans have a critical opportunity to shape the state’s future through their ballots. 

This election features a range of issues that directly impact fiscal responsibility and taxpayer wallets, from statewide constitutional amendments to local propositions and special races. In a time of rising costs and economic pressures, voters should seize this moment to make their voices heard.

Constitutional Amendments 

At the heart of this election are 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, each requiring a simple majority of voting Texans to pass and become law. These propositions cover diverse topics, from property tax relief efforts and strengthening parental rights, to creating new government programs and banning future death taxes and capital gains taxes. 

At Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, we have provided succinct explanations and our perspectives on each, which can be found by visiting our website HERE. 

Voters should scrutinize each proposition carefully, prioritizing limited government and pro-family reforms over government expansion. 

SD-9 Special Election 

A key race drawing attention from across the State is the special election for Texas Senate District 9 in north Texas, vacated by Sen. Kelly Hancock. Three candidates are vying for the seat: Republicans John Huffman and Leigh Wambsganss, and Democrat Taylor Rehmet. 

Huffman, a former Southlake mayor, has drawn particular criticism for overseeing a 21% budget increase from FY 2022 to FY 2024, including a $3.85 million pickleball complex, at taxpayer expense, dubbed the “Taj Mahal of pickleball.”¹ His campaign has also raised or been supported by over $1 million, with nearly 94% tied to one big foreign casino group,² Las Vegas Sands, sparking concerns about undue influence from gambling expansion advocates. 

In this reliably red district, it remains to be seen which of the three candidates will secure a winning majority. 

Prop Q 

In Austin, Proposition Q³ seeks voter approval for a permanent 20% property tax hike, raising the rate from 47.76 cents to 57.4 cents per $100 valuation, to generate roughly $110 million in tax revenue annually. Proponents argue it’s needed to fund public safety, parks, libraries, and homelessness programs amid a multi-million dollar deficit. 

However, critics are highlighting the city’s fiscal mismanagement and bloat: Austin’s budget has surged 80% from $3.5 billion in 2015 to $6.3 billion in 2025, far outpacing the city’s roughly 10% population growth, with per-resident spending now up to $6,300. 

Opposition spans the Austin-American Statesman’s editorial board, which decried “diminishing returns and, at times, careless use of taxpayer dollars,” to groups like Save Austin Now and the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, warning of added burdens like $302 more annually for a $492,000 home, plus impacts on renters and small businesses. 

Bonds, Bonds, and More Bonds 

Also on the ballot are hundreds of millions of dollars of bond propositions, each representing increasing local debt, and therefore property taxes. 

Texas cities, counties, and school districts rely heavily on borrowing to fund local projects. The Bond Review Board reports that local debt now exceeds $330 billion, with school districts and cities accounting for about 70 percent. These debts create long-term property-tax obligations that rise as appraisals and interest costs increase.

Voters should carefully consider each bond proposal, and determine whether or not the added local debt and tax burden is worth the supposed good the bond would bring to each local community. 

Learn more about how bonds work, how they effect your taxes, and better alternatives, HERE. 

Your Vote Counts 

This election is a pivotal chance for Texans to champion fiscal discipline. With early voting in full swing, research these issues at sources like VoteTexas.gov and TexasTaxpayers.com, and cast your ballot to safeguard your wallets and opportunity. 

Your vote helps to ensure government serves the people, not the other way around.

1. https://texastaxpayers.com/john-huffman-the-wrong-choice-for-texas-senate/
2. https://texastaxpayers.com/nearly-94-of-huffmans-funding-from-one-casino/
3. https://texastaxpayers.com/examining-austins-prop-q/

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