Deal Reached on Property Tax Relief

State lawmakers in the House and Senate appear to have reached a deal to provide more than $3 billion in new property tax relief from the $24 billion surplus for the current budget cycle by increasing homestead exemptions and sharply raising business property tax exemptions.

Under the tentative agreement, the homestead exemption for school property taxes will increase from $100,000 to $140,000, with seniors and disabled residents receiving an extra $60,000 exemption. The business property tax exemption, meanwhile, will jump from $2,500 to $125,000.

The plan also allocates an additional $3 billion from the surplus to fund statutorily required property tax rate “compression.” When combined with funding to maintain current tax cuts, lawmakers are expected to allocate $51 billion to property tax relief over the next two years.

While the deal signals compromise on an issue fiercely contested two years ago, it falls short of Gov. Abbott’s call earlier this year to provide $10 billion in property tax relief from the budget surplus.

Storms Cause Flooding, Property Damage

Heavy rains and strong winds caused flooding and property damage across Central and East Texas on Tuesday. Over 40,000 customers lost power.

In Jewett, storms toppled trees and ripped off roofs. Officials believe a tornado might have come through the area, but the National Weather Service has not yet confirmed it.

In McLennan County, first responders rescued a man trapped in his car by rising floodwaters just seconds before the vehicle was fully submerged.

In East Texas, large trees fell on homes in Bullard and Frankston. “I got in the closet and sat there, and the wind was just really hard. It was blowing like crazy and just real loud,” said a Frankston resident.

West Texas Ranch Opens to Public

An environmental nonprofit has acquired a 671-acre property near Big Bend National Park that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will manage for public use.

The Nature Conservancy in Texas recently purchased Heath Canyon Ranch for $1.2 million. Its acquisition adds to the lands designated for conservation in the region, including the Black Gap National Wildlife Management Area and the 10,000-acre Brushy Canyon Preserve.

The property is home to over 250 plant species—some of which aren’t found anywhere else on earth—and boasts over a mile of Rio Grande riverfront that includes the only access point for the popular multiday Boquillas Canyon river trip.

“The Heath Canyon addition will expand outdoor recreational opportunities from river access, to hiking, wildlife viewing, and public hunting. We are excited for Texans to enjoy this unique property,” said TPWD representative Alan Cain.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Houston: Mayor John Whitmire unveiled a $7 billion budget proposal that addresses a $200 million deficit by consolidating operations, reorganizing departments, offering retirement buyouts, and drawing from the city’s savings account. (More)

➤ San Marcos: Texas State University aims to increase enrollment to 50,000 students across its five campuses by 2033, according to a recently approved master plan. Enrollment surpassed 40,000 this year. (More)

➤ Frio County: Six people, including County Judge Rochelle Lozano Camacho and two Pearsall City Council members, have been charged with providing or paying for vote-harvesting services. (See Details)

➤ Dallas: An “aggressive” coyote was shot and killed by a city of Dallas deputy marshal on Tuesday after a man said the animal approached him while he was walking his dogs. Less than two weeks ago, a coyote chased two children at a park near White Rock Lake. (More)

➤ San Marcos: The city council voted 5-2 Wednesday to reject a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza after Gov. Abbott threatened to withhold and cancel all state grants if it passed. (See Details)

Enjoy reading The Texas Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.

➤ The Dallas Stars beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 last night in the first game of their second-round series in the NHL playoffs. They’ll meet up again tomorrow night for Game 2. (More)

➤ The Dallas Cowboys acquired wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday in exchange for future draft picks. The addition of the 24-year-old speedster provides some much-needed depth to a receiving corps led by CeeDee Lamb. (More)

➤ The University of Texas generated $331.9 million in athletics revenue during the 2024 fiscal year, making it the most profitable program in the SEC. (More)

➤ Texas Tech, Baylor, and Houston are all participating in the Big 12 softball tournament, which will run through Saturday. The Red Raiders hold the No. 1 seed. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NBA | NHL | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Keep Your Glasses Crystal Clear – No Cloth Required! Peeps™ are a revolutionary new way to get spotless lenses. They clean perfectly every time and are trusted by leading Optometrists worldwide. (Shop Now)

➤ Lambda, an AI-powered cloud computing startup based in California, will occupy a $700 million data center under development in Plano. The company provides servers for software engineers to develop and test new products. (More)

➤ CrowdStrike, an Austin-based cybersecurity company, is laying off about 5% of its global workforce—roughly 500 jobs—in an effort to cut costs by expanding its use of artificial intelligence. (See Details)

➤ The FAA will allow SpaceX to increase activity at its Starbase facility after President Trump loosened environmental restrictions upon assuming office. SpaceX is now authorized to conduct up to 25 launches a year. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, following a vote to incorporate Starbase as a city, SpaceX plans to build a $22 million, 20,000-square-foot community building in nearby Brownsville. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Goldman Sachs says this phenomenon is creating 1,600 new millionaires daily—yet it’s flying under the radar. The analyst who foresaw Amazon and Qualcomm’s rise is now revealing his next big prediction, claiming this opportunity could surpass anything investors have seen before. (See It Here)

Flying together with our sponsor

Every day, data brokers sell your personal details—career, family, and online habits—to the highest bidder, putting you at risk of identity theft and scams. DeleteMe removes your data from hundreds of sites, reducing your exposure and protecting your privacy. Take control of your digital life today.

Get 20% off at joindeleteme.com/FLYOVER with promo code FLYOVER. Act now—your privacy is worth it.

➤ Carolyn Kaderka and her son Jalen graduated with bachelor’s degrees in business administration from Concordia University Texas in Austin. “This is one of those moments that just doesn’t happen,” said Jalen. (Watch Video)

➤ Austin and San Antonio were named the top two barbecue cities in the country, according to Yelp. Texas would likely have claimed every spot in the top 10 if the company hadn’t limited states to two cities on the list. (More)

➤ An Edinburg man is in jail after allegedly using movie prop money to buy a car and jewelry from private sellers on social media. The $100 bills used in the scam were marked with the text “For Motion Picture Purposes.” (See Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Beat the heat with Cool Wave Air! This compact, powerful cooler uses advanced evaporative technology to deliver refreshing, cool air wherever you need it. Lightweight, portable, and energy-efficient. Stay cool and comfortable all summer long—anytime, anywhere! (Shop Now)

Do you agree with Yelp’s ranking of Austin and San Antonio as the country’s top cities for barbecue?

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you own any vinyl records?

1. Yes: 64%
2. No: 36%

Which Texas county has the highest median household income?

Show me the answer