Joshua Fechter

The proposal is part of a push by Republican legislators aimed at helping property owners deal with squatters.

The goal of the new legislation is to help drive down the cost of housing so that more Texans can afford homes.

House and Senate lawmakers plan to spend at least $6 billion on property tax cuts, but haven't yet agreed on how much relief should go to homeowners over businesses.

Officials said the state’s higher cost of living means less state sales tax revenue, which makes up more than half of the state budget.

Lawmakers will debate how to spend $3.5 billion in proposed tax cuts, a legislative priority for Republican leaders.

Supporters hope easing zoning rules will entice landlords to renovate and ease the state’s housing crisis.

The marquee proposal would increase the amount of a home’s value exemption from school taxes to $140,000 from $100,000.

Local officials, school advocates and tax policy experts said such a proposal could have dire impacts on basic services.

Gov. Greg Abbott said cutting taxes is a top priority, however, state lawmakers don’t have as much money to plug into tax cuts as they did two years ago.

Texas cities, counties, higher education institutions and nonprofits clambered Tuesday to gauge the potential fallout from the suspension, later blocked temporarily by a federal judge.