By Dr. Janet Alvarez Gonzalez
Legislator, Dallas County District 25
21st Texas Silver-Haired Legislature, Human Services Committee
I arrived in this beautiful state nearly two decades ago with the dream of building a secure future. I took root here and worked with the hope that, upon reaching this stage of life, that effort would translate into peace of mind. However, just like thousands of neighbors in our community, every time I open the mailbox and see the property tax notice, I feel immense concern.
As co-author of Resolution SL038 in the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature (TSHL), along with my colleagues Dr. Eric Hammersen and the Honorable Carol Hammersen, I championed this initiative because I know firsthand the anguish of our people. It is true that the Legislature took a positive step by freezing school taxes for those over 65, but the reality is that all other property taxes continue to rise unchecked due to home overvaluations. Our homes go up in value on paper, but our pensions and budgets stay exactly the same.
The situation is critical, and the data proves it. More than 70% of Texans over the age of 60 rely on Social Security, and 45% have retirement income that does not keep pace with inflation. Furthermore, recent AARP studies indicate that more than 765,000 senior households in Texas are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income just on housing, while 12% live below the poverty line. I ask myself: what good is working for decades to pay off a house if, in the end, taxes force us to sell the home where we planned to age with dignity?
That is why, in our resolution, we demand a clear, urgent, and fair measure: a total freeze on residential property taxes (homestead) for all Texans aged 60 and older, with no cap on property value. We are not asking for privileges or handouts; we are demanding the protection of our property rights and our financial stability, backed by the Texas Constitution itself. Freezing these taxes will allow us to allocate our resources toward what is truly essential, such as medicine, food, and utilities.
On May 20, 2026, the TSHL formally adopted our proposal to present it to the upcoming 90th Texas Legislature. My commitment as an author and as a Texan is to continue fighting tirelessly for this cause. If you have raised your family here, or if you have parents and grandparents who deserve to live in peace, I ask you to join this fight: share this message, talk to your neighbors, and let us demand that our representatives protect our seniors.
Therefore, I am currently available to meet with Texas legislators and senators who are interested in discussing this issue and Resolution SL038. I am willing to meet via Zoom or in person to hear their concerns, answer questions, and discuss practical solutions. I will also be available at the Texas State Capitol in Austin from October 5 to 7, 2026, to meet with lawmakers and discuss directly how we can help our seniors remain in their homes. Texas has an extraordinary opportunity to lead. Our population is aging, but that does not have to be seen strictly as a challenge. It is also an opportunity to demonstrate what kind of state we want to be.
Our homes and our families deserve respect!
