Rep. Mark Keough - District 15[/caption]As the July 18 special legislative session start date approaches, Rep. Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands, is preparing by filing more legislation pertaining to property tax reform—an issue he has heard the most feedback on from residents, he said.
1. What are you working on that you authored or helped author for this special session?
I have authored 5 [house] bills, all having to do with property tax reform and allowing for the people to have a say in how they are taxed:
- HB42, which through the vote, puts the selection of the board of directors of the appraisal district into the hands of the people they represent rather than the recipients of the taxes they collect.
- HB44 reduces the maximum allowable assessed value of both homesteads and businesses to a 5 percent maximum limit, whereas they now are at 10 percent and unlimited, [respectively].
- House Joint Resolution 16: Since HB44 is a constitutional issue, this bill insures, if passed, HB44 would be voted upon by the people.
- HB45 requires the people of a county to vote for a chief appraiser rather than allowing the appraisal district board to choose.
- HB48 requires the people of the county to vote for the individuals who represent them if there is a dispute over property values.
2. What are some issues you feel strongly about going into the special session?
The people have said they want property tax reform. The yearly rise in property values leading to higher property taxes has left the people of Texas frustrated and angry, and for some [that] has even meant an exit from the Lone Star State. The people are having to write larger and larger checks each year, even when their home is paid for. [This] is probably the No. 1 complaint heard in my office. I have presented legislation that will give the people more say in how the taxing entities are chosen and inputting a state wide yearly cap on the rising property assessment.
The people have said they want their personal privacy maintained. They do not want adult men and women, teenagers, young boys or girls sharing bathrooms [or] locker rooms with individuals who are confused about their sexual orientation—or worse, with predators, who could practice voyeurism leading to possible sexual assault. This issue was resolved by the senate but never saw the light of day in the Legislature. People want the right to retain their privacy in the context of generally accepted traditional values, and if a law needs to be in place to retain those values then it must be passed.
3. What are some issues that needed more attention during the regular session?
The privacy issue, tax reform, [the] continuing of 2nd amendment legislation, the ongoing elimination of toll roads and the ability of counties to arbitrarily decide whether or not to have tolling authority, and the implementation of parental rights in [Child Protective Services] investigations and litigation [all need more attention].
4. What legislation will affect Montgomery County the most?
Any legislation that puts the rights of the people first, rather than the desires of the governmental entities. Government does not exist to grow itself at the expense of people. It exists to protect the people from harm through enforcement of the law. This has to do with administering justice in the community, punishing those who perpetrate evil on the public and praising those who do good. This requires the government to listen to, respect and implement the desires of those who elected them. Every one of the bills I presented will do just that.
