Cities, school districts and other local governments can provide discounts on property tax bills through the homestead exemption process. But not all Texans qualify for every exemption.
Guides
Looking for information on how to prepare for a weather emergency? Or do you have questions about Texas politics? The Tribune offers several resources, such as explainers, guides, and articles to provide answers and equip Texans with the right context. You can browse our collection of articles to understand how Texas politics and policies affect you.
Posted in
Guides
Dan Patrick and Ken Paxton won’t debate their Democratic challengers. Is that unusual?
Sometimes, incumbents are reluctant to give attention to their underfunded, less-well-known opponents.
Posted in
Texas Elections 2018
Does Cruz lead O’Rourke by 6 points or 2? Here’s how to evaluate Texas polls.
Here are four things to keep in mind when you see a poll on a statewide race in Texas.
Posted in
Texas Elections 2018
Libertarians, independents and write-ins: Here are Texas’ non-major party options in 2018
Texas has eight independent candidates running for office, and the Libertarians will be on the statewide ballot once again.
Posted in
Guides
Some voters say they’re inundated with political spam this year. Is there a way to make it stop?
Political speech is protected by the First Amendment, so candidates can get around bans on spam. But just asking to be taken off a list will usually work.
Posted in
Guides
Texas teachers’ health care explained: State program was created to save districts money, but a few want out
Nearly 90 percent of Texas schools are enrolled in TRS-ActiveCare. Some say the program saves teachers money, though complaints are growing about the state’s stagnant per-month contribution.
Posted in
Guides
Can separated immigrant children just walk out of shelters? Technically, yes.
The shelters are designed to keep kids in, but they’re not detention facilities, and in most cases staff can’t forcibly stop a child from leaving.
Posted in
Guides
Why does Texas have so many counties? A history lesson.
Texas has 254 counties — far more than any other state. The reason? The state is huge, and its founders wanted to keep residents close to their local governments.
Posted in
Families Divided
What’s happening at the border? Here’s what we know about immigrant children and family separations
More than 2,000 children have been separated from their families at the border. Here’s the latest on what’s happening at the border, in Washington and among Texas politicians.
Posted in
Texas Elections 2018
In Texas, lawmakers have to live in their districts. But good luck proving it if they don’t.
The state law that defines residency requirements is hard to enforce.