• County Candidate Questionnaire

  • On behalf of members of your local association of REALTORS®, we commend you for seeking office and appreciate you taking time to complete this questionnaire.

    The purpose of the questionnaire is to establish an issue-based dialogue between you and your local REALTOR® partners, as well as our clients who buy and sell real estate in our community.

    Your responses to the questionnaire will not be made public, nor are they a litmus test for campaign support.

    Your local association of REALTORS® appreciates your attention to this candidate questionnaire and is available to answer any questions.

    We also work in strong partnership with the Texas REALTORS®, our state-level professional association. You may contact the Texas REALTORS® Governmental Affairs Department at 512.480.8200.

    Texas REALTORS® are committed to our communities, our clients, and the public. We work to ensure private property rights are protected, and that Texans can buy, sell, lease, and enjoy real property. To accomplish those goals, we monitor and advocate on a wide variety of local, state, and federal policy issues. The following questions seek to understand your positions as a candidate for County Judge or County Commissioner.

    There is a significant real estate nexus with the Commissioners Court. As a county official, you will make decisions regarding roads, drainage, flood control, county development standards, parks, public safety, emergency management, and county finances.

    You will also play an important role in economic development, infrastructure planning, and the protection of private property rights. These decisions influence housing availability, property values, commercial investment, and the long-term growth of Texas communities.

  • Candidate Information

  • Date of interview
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    2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • Format: (000) 000-0000.

  • Campaign Information

  • If we decide to support your campaign, would you accept funds from our Texas REALTORS® Political Action Committee(TREPAC)?

  • Introduction: Why REALTORS® Care About County Government

    Texas REALTORS® are committed to our communities, our clients, and the public. We work to ensure private property rights are protected, and that Texans can buy, sell, lease, and enjoy real property. To accomplish those goals, we monitor and advocate on a wide variety of local, state, and federal policy issues.

    Texas REALTORS® support county leaders who protect private property rights, promote transparent and efficient government, invest responsibly in infrastructure, and encourage policies that allow communities to grow while preserving the rights of property owners. These questions are intended to better understand your approach to governing one of the most important policy-making bodies in county government.

  • Issue: Data Centers


    Background on Data Centers: Data centers have become an increasingly important—and complex—issue across Texas. These facilities can bring significant private investment, tax revenue, and economic development opportunities, while also raising questions about electricity demand, water use, infrastructure capacity (including housing), land use compatibility, and impacts on nearby property owners.

  • Issue: County Rulemaking Authority


    Background on County Rulemaking Authority: Counties in Texas have various powers and duties related to regulating land use, regulating structures, platting and subdividing of land. Border counties also have additional requirements for water, sewer, and other utility service to residential property. 

  • 5.   Do you support a counties’ authority to have wholesale authority to regulate development through local rulemaking powers?

  • Background: County rulemaking powers have been used in specific circumstances in some fast-growth areas of Texas.

  • Question 2: Would you support voter approval to enact any new county rulemaking powers in specific cases?

  • Issue: Appraisal Caps


    Background on Appraisal Caps: Currently Texas has a 10% cap on the increase in assessed values for residential homesteads. Additionally, in 2023, voters approved a three-year pilot program to test a 20% cap on non-homestead properties valued less than $5 million, which is set to expire at the end of 2026. Recent legislative proposals have called for lowering the homestead cap to as 3% or 5% and making the pilot program permanent.

  • 6. Do you support an artificial lowering of the cap on appraisals at the state level?
  • 7. Would you support efforts to lower the appraisal cap at the local level?

  • Issue: Local Homestead Exemption


    Background on Homestead Exemption: Local taxing jurisdictions may grant a local option homestead exemption to offer property tax relief, encourage neighborhood stability, and encourage owner-occupied homes.

  • 8. Do you favor the local homestead exemption for your taxing jurisdiction as a way of providing property tax relief?

  • Issue: Property Taxes


    Background on Property Taxes: Creating a budget and adopting a property tax rate to support that budget are major functions of local elected officials in Texas.

    In simple terms, the Texas property tax system is based on an equation that multiplies a property’s assessed value (appraised value minus exemptions) by a locally adopted tax rate. In recent years, Texans have seen skyrocketing property tax bills, driven by local government spending that outpaces inflation and population growth.

    Some taxing entities have passively increased their budgets by relying on appraisal increases, while asserting that lower tax rates equal a property tax cut, even if property owners pay more.

  • 9. If a property owner's tax bill goes up, does that constitute a tax increase?
  • 10. If the county’s property tax revenue goes up from the previous year, does that constitute a tax increase?
  • 11. Do you support increased transparency to ensure property owners fully understand why their property tax bill increases or decreases?

  • Issue: Sales price disclosure
    Background: The State of Texas does not require the disclosure of sales prices for real property transactions. However, for many years, many local governments and central appraisal districts (CADs) have argued in favor of mandating such disclosure.

  • Question 8: Would you be in favor of any proposed legislation to mandate the disclosure of the price of commercial and residential real estate?

  • Issue: Tax Rates and the Economy

  • Issue: Eminent Domain

    Background on Eminent Domain: The Texas Constitution limits the use of eminent domain by requiring adequate compensation for the land on which eminent domain is used. The exercise of this power, considered a necessary tool of government, has been argued to have been expanded and in some situations, abused.

    Texas also allows certain private entities to exercise eminent domain authority, so long as the legislature approves that ability with a supermajority vote.

    Texans continue to struggle with an unbalanced set of laws at odds with a state known for private property rights. Our association understands the need for legitimate property condemnations; however, landowners should be justly and timely compensated in those extraordinary circumstances.

  • General Questions

  • Candidate Comments
    Use the space below to provide any other comments you would like the local real estate community to know about you, your campaign, priorities, and/or positions on issues important to you.

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