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Seniors deserve to have taxes frozen

The May 10 College Station city election includes a proposal by petition to freeze the taxes on the homestead of disabled persons and those 65 and older.

The tax freeze is provided for by a Texas constitutional amendment that was overwhelmingly ap-proved by the voters of Brazos County. The amendment provides that city councils or the commissioners' court can provide for a tax freeze by majority vote or they can put the issue on a ballot. If the council or commission dose not act, then the voters can require the issue be put on the ballot through a petition process.

Voters in Bryan and Brazos County petitioned and had the issue put on the ballot. The tax freeze was approved in both Bryan and Brazos County by more than 75 percent of the voters. The tax freeze has been approved by 110 cities and 69 counties in Texas.

Local school taxes for disabled and seniors have been frozen for the past 30 years.

The tax freeze for seniors is justified because most of them are on fixed incomes that do not increase from year to year the way taxes do. This is a small recognition for the many years seniors have paid taxes. It is fair because everyone can expect to take advantage of the tax freeze sometime in the future.

The opponents of the tax freeze say it is unfair to burden younger taxpayers with increased taxes. The city estimates that the tax freeze would result in lost revenue of $3.2 million over the next 10 years. During those 10 years, city property taxes will be more than $250 million. So the lost revenue is only 1.3 percent. Every year for the past 20 years the city's general fund has finished the year with a surplus of at least twice what the lost revenue would be.

The point is, any increase in taxes for younger taxpayers will be small.

Another objection to the tax freeze is that it is not means tested. Everyone gets the benefit even if they are wealthy. This is a valid point, but there is no provision in the law for means testing and such a provision would be cumbersome.

Some have suggested that a better way to provide tax relief for seniors would be to increase the $30,000 city's homestead exemption. An increase in the homestead exemption would have to be approved by the city council

When College Station City Council members discussed the tax freeze in November 2006, they decided to defer any consideration of the matter until after the 2007 legislative session. After the session was over, Mayor Ben White was asked when the tax freeze would be discussed by the council.

He responded, "August of 2007." The matter, however, was never put on the council agenda for discussion.

Since council members have shown very little interest in the tax freeze, it is unlikely they would have any interest in increasing the homestead exemption.

Putting forward a petition to put the tax freeze issue on the ballot was a major effort. The city only allows five people to circulate such a petition. Jim Keblinger, a retired Aggie, worked almost full-time for five months to get the petition approved.

We should not pass up this onetime opportunity to give fixed income seniors a little help.

Middle and upper income seniors relocating to College Station are a source of considerable positive economic development. We should continue to encourage this relocation. A tax freeze will help do that.

Vote to approve the tax freeze.

• Dick Birdwell is a former College Station City Council member.