House orders special election on constitutional amendment to cap property-tax growth
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Summary
The House passed SJR 39, sending a proposed constitutional amendment to voters that would cap annual valuation growth on homesteads at 1.75% and other properties at 4%; supporters called it homeowner relief, critics warned of cuts to local services. The House approved the referral for a special election by the two-thirds vote required.
The Oklahoma House on Wednesday approved Senate Joint Resolution 39, a proposed constitutional amendment that would limit annual growth in property tax valuations for homesteads to 1.75% and cap other properties at 4%, and ordered the measure to a special election.
Speaker Kyle Hilbert, explaining the floor amendment, said the change would give homeowners a fixed protection on growth of assessments and included a stair-step senior-freeze provision meant to avoid a cliff for older homeowners. "With a 1.75% fixed cap on growth for homesteads, we will have the lowest fixed cap in the nation on the growth of assessments on homesteads," the speaker said.
Opponents, led in debate by Representative Fugate, warned the cap would throttle local government revenue and force cuts to schools, roads and sheriff's offices. In floor remarks opposing the measure, Fugate said the policy would "strangle our counties" and limit the ability of local governments to respond to inflation-driven costs.
Members questioned impacts on bond capacity for school districts, the role of prior programs such as the Ad Valorem (Redbud) reimbursement, and whether renters could see higher costs passed through by landlords. The sponsor replied that caps do not apply when property changes hands and highlighted efforts to consult municipal and county associations.
The House first voted to pass the resolution as amended (85–9). Because the measure proposes a constitutional amendment, members then voted to refer it to the people at a special election; that second vote met the two-thirds requirement (80–14) to send the question to the ballot.
The resolution's text and the ballot timing were described on the floor as provided in the resolution; members discussed whether the matter should appear on the August ballot or a later election. The measure now proceeds to the administrative steps necessary to appear before voters.