Cui Bono: Who Benefits?
Guess which part of the city will get the lion's share of a 20% homestead exemption?
Fri., Nov. 21, 2014
Blogger Dylan Tynan (www.electionaustin.com) went to the trouble of calculating the number of homeowners in each Council district who would be eligible for the proposed 20% city property tax homestead exemption, and, based on the property values, the total amount of tax relief that would be going to each district. No surprise: The wealthier areas of town have by far the most to gain, while the "minority opportunity" Districts 1-4, with greater numbers of renters and lower property values, would see the least benefit. (See "Point Austin, 'Color Me Exempt.'")
| No. Eligible Properties | Avg. Annual Tax Reduction | Total Value of Exemptions | % of Total | |
| D1 | 13,008 | $152.04 | $1,976,000 | 5.4% |
| D2 | 11,146 | $111.61 | $1,244,000 | 3.4% |
| D3 | 7,768 | $169.67 | $1,318,000 | 3.6% |
| D4 | 7,269 | $156.12 | $1,135,000 | 3.1% |
| D5 | 18,645 | $227.76 | $4,246,000 | 11.6% |
| D6 | 13,538 | $281.16 | $3,806,000 | 10.4% |
| D7 | 15,808 | $231.48 | $3,660,000 | 10.0% |
| D8 | 19,025 | $321.24 | $6,112,000 | 16.7% |
| D9 | 9,781 | $419.04 | $4,099,000 | 11.2% |
| D10 | 19,262 | $471.24 | $9,077,000 | 24.8% |
| Total | 135,250 | $271.15 | $36,673,000 | 100% |
Got something to say on the subject? Send a letter to the editor.
