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By State Senator Paul Bettencourt There’s an amazing 11 out of 17 Texas Constitutional Amendments about taxes on the ballot this November. As Senator “Taxman”, I’m recommending a vote for all of them. That’s Props 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 17. Let me highlight a few important pocketbook propositions! Proposition 13 has a major 40% increase in the school homestead exemption up to a record $140,000. That saves 5.7 million Texas homesteads $484 per year including 6 pennies more ISD M&O property tax rate buydown. This Texas Two-Step will cut school tax bills statewide. For two million over-65 and disabled homeowners, we’re not done yet as Proposition 11 adds $60,000 more home- stead exemption which will total $200,000 for seniors, saving them $907 per year for as long as they own their home. After paying a lifetime of taxes, Prop 11 will keep more seniors in their homes cutting property tax bills, and because of other reforms, over-65 ISD bills go down each time school property tax rates are cut as well and a majority of seniors will pay no school property taxes. That’s HUGE! These are not “tax shifts” as state budgeted monies pay for these cuts not school districts or local taxpayers because it’s “your tax money” coming back home literally! Vote with me, Paul Bettencourt, for Props 11 and 13 You’ll see the higher exemptions and reduced ISD property tax bills mailed this fall so vote in favor of both Props 11 and 13 as these homestead exemptions will stay with you for a lifetime. Proposition 9 will help Businesses Businesses are not left out as Proposition 9 will exempt $125,000 of business personal property if approved, too! Proposition 4 Finally, please vote for Proposition 4 as it dedicates sales taxes to a Texas Water Fund designed to increase water supply around the state and reduce water system leakage. To continue the Texas miracle of job growth, we’ll need more water, electricity, and pro-taxpayer public policy to stay the job creation engine of the national economy! Editor’s Note: There are some conservatives who do not like Proposition 4. Vote with me November 4th! 10924 Grant Road, Suite 133 • Houston, Texas 77070 • www.terrylowry.com On the web at www.TerryLowry.com Archives posted since January 1st 2005 October 2025, Volume 33, Number 1 LINKING TEXAS CONSERVATIVES SINCE 1993 WEEKDAYS 2:00-3:00PM ON KKHT 100.7FM THE WHAT’S UP Radio Program On the Ballot this November EARLY VOTING HOURS OCTOBER SU N MO N TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NOV 1 2 3 NOV 4 5 6 7 8 7:00am - 7:00pm Noon - 7pm Election Day 7:00am - 7:00pm For Early and Election Day Locations visit www.TerryLowry.com Senator Paul Bettencourt www.TerryLowry.comOctober 2025 2 Proposition 1 The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the permanent technical institution infrastructure fund and the available workforce education fund to support the capital needs of educational programs offered by the Texas State Technical College System. FOR o AGAINST oo ✔ Proposition 2 The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of a tax on the realized or Unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust. FOR oo ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 3 The constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony. FOR o ✔ AGAINST oo Proposition 4 The constitutional Amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue. FOR oo ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 5 The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation tangible personal property consisting of animal feed held by the owner of the property for sale at retail. FOR oo ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 6 The constitutional amendment prohibiting the legislature from enacting a law imposing an occupation tax on certain entities that enter into transactions conveying securities or imposing a tax on certain securities transactions. FOR oo ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 7 The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that is presumed under federal law to have been service-connected. FOR o o ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 8 The constitutional amendment to prohibit the legislature from imposing death taxes applicable to a decedent's property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession, or gift. FOR o o ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 9 The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income. FOR o o ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 10 The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire. FOR o o ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 11 The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district of the market value of the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled. FOR o o ✔ AGAINST o Continued c General and Special Elections – State of Texas, Constitutional Amendment Election Vote FOR or AGAINST on each. 3 October 2025 EARLY VOTING HOURS OCTOBER SU NMO NTUESWEDTHURSFRISAT 19202122232425 262728293031 NOV 1 23 NOV 45 678 7:00am - 7:00pm Noon - 7pm Election Day 7:00am - 7:00pm For Early and Election Day Locations visit www.TerryLowry.com Proposition 12 The constitutional amendment regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the membership of the tribunal to review the commission's recommendations, and the authority of the commission, the tribunal, and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct. FOR o ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 13 The constitutional amendment to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000. FOR o ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 14 The constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders in this state, and transferring to that fund $3 billion from state general revenue. FOR o AGAINST o o ✔ Proposition 15 The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children. FOR o ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 16 The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen. FOR o o ✔ AGAINST o Proposition 17 The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders the United Mexican States that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure and related improvements. FOR o ✔ AGAINST o CYPRESSFAIRBANKS ISD, TRUSTEE ELECTION Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Trustee Position 5 Terrance Edmond Lesley Guilmart o ✔ Radele Walker Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Trustee Position 6 Scott Henry Cleveland Lane, Jr. o ✔ Natalie Blasingame Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Trustee Position 7 Elecia Jones Kendra Camarena o ✔ George Edwards, Jr. Dr. Natalie Blasingame Radele Walker George Edwards, Jr. www.TerryLowry.com October 2025 45 October 2025 www.TerryLowry.com www.TerryLowry.com October 2025 6 Meet RADELE WALKER, Position 5 Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Trustee Election By David Barker www.radeleforcfisd.com Radele Walker has been a dedicated member of the CyFair community for over 45 years. Radele is a life-long Conservative Republican and a proud graduate of CyFair High School, class of 1984. Her family even built two restau- rants on Huffmeister in the early 1970s. Her roots run deep in the community. HARD WORK In the 1990s, Radele Walker became a school bus driver for the Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District (CFISD). Later, in the early 2000s, she worked as a special education paraprofessional for CFISD. While working a full-time job and raising three children with her husband, Randy, Radele Walker completed over 60 credit hours in just 12 months, graduating Cum Laude from the University of Houston with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies. Radele was quickly promoted to district program coor- dinator for a Career and Technical Education (CTE) business course. A few years later, Radele Walker began graduate studies and received her Master of Education in Administration degree from Lamar University 2009. EXPERIENCE In 2011, Radele Walker was promoted to assistant principal at Aragon Middle School. Two years later, Radele returned to CyFair High School as an assistant principal, taking over the position from her retiring high school assistant principal Jerry Orsak. Radele Walker served at CyFair until her retirement in December 2022, after 23 years of dedicated service. RESPONSIBILITY Throughout her career, Radele Walker has taken on key responsibilities in finance, curriculum design, and leadership development, in addition to hiring and mentoring teachers in the CFISD. Radele has worked tirelessly assisting with building renovations, master scheduling, student behavior support, and school safety. Radele Walker’s experience spans nearly every layer of the educational system – from the front lines of the classroom to administrative strategy and planning. Radele will keep “Wokeism” out of our schools. In addition to her professional roles, Radele Walker has also served as a parent volunteer across multiple campuses, reinforcing her belief in the power of school-family partnerships. Radele is known for her collaborative spirit, integrity, and willingness to engage in meaningful – and sometimes difficult – conversations that center on doing what is best for students. For more information about Radele Walker, visit www.radeleforcfisd.com Radele Walker EARLY VOTING HOURS OCTOBER SU N MO N TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NOV 1 2 3 NOV 4 5 6 7 8 7:00am - 7:00pm Noon - 7pm Election Day 7:00am - 7:00pm For Early and Election Day Locations visit www.TerryLowry.com7 October 2025 www.TerryLowry.com www.TerryLowry.com October 2025 89 October 2025 www.TerryLowry.com Protecting Public Safety By Terry Lowry, Editor During the 2nd called Special Session of the 89th Legislature, Texas lawmakers advanced two key bills: HB 26 and HB 192, both authored by Representative Tom Oliverson. These bills strengthen law enforcement’s ability to serve communities without interference from activist county officials. Keeping Our Neighborhood’s Safe HB 26 ensures that sheriffs and constables in Texas’ largest counties (notably Harris County) can contract directly with neighborhoods, HOAs, schools, and local entities for extra security without requiring approval from commissioner’s courts. This legislation is a direct response to repeated efforts by Harris County to terminate this highly effective program and serves to prevent any future attempts to dismantle a service currently utilized by over 90% of neighborhoods in Harris County. Safeguarding Law Enforcement Budgets HB 192 takes further steps to safeguard law enforcement budgets. It prohibits counties with over 3.3 million resi- dents from cutting or reallocating law enforcement fund- ing without a vote of the people. It also bars officials from shifting unspent public safety dollars to pet projects and guarantees sheriffs and constables can use their funds law- fully and free from political strings. Special Thanks to Representative Tom Oliverson Together, these bills protect public safety, increase accountability, and ensure local law enforcement is empowered to serve their communities without bureau- cratic constraints. HB 26 and HB 192 affirm that funding the police isn’t optional, it’s essential. When you see Tom Oliverson out and about, pat him on the back and thank him for his dedication to protecting public safety. Tom Oliverson EARLY VOTING HOURS OCTOBER SU N MO N TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NOV 1 2 3 NOV 4 5 6 7 8 7:00am - 7:00pm Noon - 7pm Election Day 7:00am - 7:00pm For Early and Election Day Locations visit www.TerryLowry.comNext >