From: Bill Aleshire <bill@aleshirelaw.com>
Date: September 12, 2025 at 9:44:50 AM CDT
To: Bill Aleshire <bill@aleshirelaw.com>
Subject: Supreme Court Preliminary Action on our Challenge to the Ballot Language for the Austin Tax Increase Election
Folks,
…
it is important for voters to be made aware of the how they may be misled by the Prop Q ballot language explaining the purpose of the tax increase (quoted below):
1. This is not a one-time City tax increase for the “fiscal year 2025-2026 budget” as the ballot says. If approved, this is a Forever Tax Increase because it will stay in the tax bills until and unless Austin experiences the miracle of having a City Council who cuts taxes.
2. The extra $100 million+ is not required to be spent on any of the “vote bait” language for homelessness, parts, public safety, etc. and those voting for Prop Q because they support those programs can be deceived exactly like voters were on the last Austin Tax Rate Election: Project Connect in 2020. This new tax increase becomes a giant slush fund that this and future City Councils can spend any way they want, including in this next fiscal year.
3. The vote-bait terms “housing affordability” and “financial stability” are particularly vague and misleading and appear nowhere in the City’s FY 2025-2026 budget. “Affordability” and “stability” for whom is this massive tax increase?
CITY OF AUSTIN PROPOSITION Q
THIS IS A TAX INCREASE
Approving the ad valorem tax rate of $0.574017 per $100 valuation in the City of Austin for the current year, a rate that is $0.05 higher per $100 valuation than the voter- approval tax rate of the City of Austin, for the purpose of funding or expanding programs intended to increase housing affordability and reduce homelessness; improve parks and recreation facilities and services; enhance public health services and public safety; ensure financial stability; and provide for other general fund maintenance and operation expenditures included in the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget as approved or amended by City Council. Last year, the ad valorem tax rate in the City of Austin was $0.4776 per $100 valuation
Bill Aleshire