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Texas voters approve Proposition 17 to ease border county property taxes

Border counties in Texas may finally catch a break. How a new amendment could slash property taxes tied to security projects—and why it matters now.

, and Administrator

2025 November 5 . 7:09 PM

1 min read

As we can see in the image there is a vehicle, flag, building, fence and street lamp.

Texas voters approve Proposition 17 to ease border county property taxes

Texas voters have approved Proposition 17 in the Nov. 4, 2025 election, a constitutional amendment that could bring property tax relief to counties along the Mexican border. The amendment, originally proposed as HJR 34 by Representative John Kuempel, aims to exempt property value increases linked to border security infrastructure.

HJR 34, now Proposition 17, targets counties bordering the United Mexican States. It focuses on real property value increases specifically tied to the installation or construction of border security infrastructure and related improvements. This means property owners in these areas could see tax relief if their property values rise due to border security projects.

Introduced during the 89th Texas Legislature, the amendment was one of 17 propositions presented to voters. Its approval allows the Texas legislature to create these targeted property tax exemptions, potentially benefiting border counties.

With Proposition 17's approval, the Texas legislature can now consider creating property tax exemptions for border counties, specifically for property value increases related to border security infrastructure. This could provide significant tax relief to affected property owners.