Two Texas laws passed in 2025 raised property tax exemptions for homeowners 65 and older, adding $60,000 to the total homestead exemption and $30,000 to the school property tax exemption. For seniors on fixed incomes, that’s meaningful relief on what is often the largest bill a homeowner pays each year. Texas already ranks seventh nationally for highest property taxes, according to the Tax Foundation, so every exemption adjustment hits household budgets in a big way.

The catch is how property taxes work. Those dollars fund schools, roads, fire protection and county services here in Ellis County. When one group of homeowners pays less, the rest of the tax base typically covers more. Critics like the nonprofit Texas Policy Research argue the cuts shift the burden onto younger homeowners. Seniors like Lucille North say the relief helps, but rising food, gas and medical costs still outpace the savings. Working-age homeowners like Nathaniel McLean support helping seniors but worry about affording their own homes as costs climb.

This isn’t an abstract debate. It’s playing out in neighborhoods all over Waxahachie, where gingerbread Victorians sit blocks from brand new subdivisions. Whether you’re retired or raising a family, the question is the same: how do we keep our community funded without leaving anyone behind?

What do you think, Waxahachie? Should Texas keep expanding senior exemptions, or is it time to rethink how we pay for local services?