MetroTex Association of REALTORS® Municipal Candidate Questionnaire
I submitted the following responses on March 4th to the request I received from MetroTex Association of REALTORS®.
Name: Dave Jimenez
Election Race & District: Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD Board of Trustees Place 2
Address & Email: (Deleted to avoid SPAM)
Phone Number: (214) 307-2113
Campaign Website: dave4cfb.com
What do you know about the MetroTex Association of REALTORS®?
MetroTex is the largest realtor association in North Texas, representing over 20,000 members. The association advocates for private property rights, responsible tax policy, and real estate industry interests at the local, state, and federal level. Homeownership and property values are directly tied to school district quality, which makes strong public schools a core realtor interest. Families with children or plans to have children choose neighborhoods based on the schools their children will attend.
Property Tax
Creating a budget and adopting a property tax rate to support that budget are major functions of locally elected officials in Texas. In simple terms, Texans have seen skyrocketing property tax bills due to rapid increases in appraised value. In addition, over the last decade, many local taxing jurisdictions have seen their budgets increase over 60%, far outpacing the rate of inflation and population growth. Some taxing entities assert that if they lower tax rates, but taxpayers’ overall bills go up due to an increase in the appraised value of the property, this does not constitute a property tax increase. If a property owner’s tax bill goes up, does that constitute a tax increase?
Yes. Regardless of how the math is described, if a property owner's bill goes up, they are paying more. The distinction between rate and levy may matter to budget analysts, but it doesn't matter to the family writing the check. Elected officials should be honest about that.
Do you support adopting the No New Revenue tax rate?
I support fiscal discipline and believe school districts should exhaust every efficiency before asking taxpayers for more. However, school finance in Texas is uniquely constrained. The state controls the compressed tax rate through HB 3, and districts have limited ability to adjust rates independently. The real property tax relief for homeowners comes from the state adequately funding public education through the basic allotment so districts aren't forced to maximize local revenue to cover operating costs. I would support the most taxpayer-responsible rate that still allows the district to meet its obligations to students.
Describe your city’s financial situation. In the event of a budget constraint, what measures would you propose for this city; i.e. tax rate increase, specific cuts in governmental services, etc.?
I am running for school board, not city council. I will answer in the context of the school board.
The district adopted consecutive deficit budgets before closing four schools. We still lack a transparent multi-year financial plan. My approach: benchmark central administration spending against peer districts, protect classroom instruction and teacher compensation, scrutinize everything else, and advocate aggressively at the state level for meaningful increases to the basic allotment. The state froze per-pupil funding for six years. Local discipline matters, but it cannot solve a problem Austin created.
Sales Price Disclosure
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. Realtor® Associations have long argued against. Would you be in favor of any proposed legislation to mandate the disclosure of the sales price of commercial and residential real estate transactions?
This is a state legislative matter outside school board jurisdiction. I do not have a position on this issue in the context of my race.
Rental Properties
Several cities across Texas have undertaken excessively restrictive measures on rental property in their communities in an effort to monitor landlords and generate local fee driven revenues through rental property. Some cities require the registration and/or inspection of rental property. Many cities have increased permitting requirements or changed Certificate of Occupancy rules. Many cities have begun to charge subsequent fees associated with these measures. Would you oppose proposals to enact a rental registration or rental property inspection fee?
Not within school board jurisdiction.
If your community already has such a fee, would you consider reviewing whether your city’s program has efficiently achieved its desired policy effect?
Not within school board jurisdiction.
Would you oppose any additional increases in fees and registration requirements?
Not within school board jurisdiction.
Short-Term Rentals
Short-term rentals, or vacation rentals, are typically defined as those less than 30 days and no more than 90 days in a calendar year. These are typically single family homes in neighborhoods of cities that are desirable to their visitors. Some cities have banned the short-term rental use in their local development or zoning codes and others have licensed the use under specific parameters or guidelines. Such registration programs can be required for all short-term-rental owners or may be limited to those owners who exclusively rent their properties as an investment. Would you support or oppose banning Short-term Rental use in your city?
Not within school board jurisdiction.
Would you support or oppose requiring a registration process for owners of these properties?
Not within school board jurisdiction.
Eminent Domain
What is your opinion on the use of eminent domain and in what instances should a local government utilize the power of eminent domain?
Eminent domain should be exercised sparingly and only for genuine public use. In a school district context, property acquisition for facilities should be conducted through fair-market negotiation first. The power of eminent domain exists for a reason, but it should be a last resort, not a convenience.
Homestead Exemption
Currently, local taxing jurisdictions have the ability to grant local property owners an exemption for their homesteads. Do you favor the local homestead exemption for your taxing jurisdiction as a way of providing property tax relief?
Yes. Homestead exemptions provide meaningful relief to homeowners, particularly seniors and families on fixed incomes. The state's recent increase of the homestead exemption from $100K to $140K was a positive step. At the local level, I support the homestead exemption as one tool for keeping property tax burdens manageable while recognizing that the most impactful property tax relief comes from the state adequately funding schools so districts don't need to maximize local revenue.
Should this be required in the use of a short-term rental property?
Not within school board jurisdiction.
Assessed Values
Currently, Texas has a 10% cap on the increase in Assessed Values for residential homesteads. Several proposals in the Texas Legislature would artificially cap property appraisals at 3% or 5% annually. Further, some of these proposals would allow local-option elections that would allow for appraisal caps on a local level. Do you support an artificial lowering of the cap on appraisals at the state level?
I understand the appeal of tighter appraisal caps for homeowners. However, artificially suppressing appraised values has downstream consequences for school funding. It reduces the local revenue available to school districts, which either increases the state's obligation (which the Legislature has shown reluctance to meet) or forces districts into deeper financial stress. Any appraisal cap proposal should be evaluated alongside a commitment from the state to backfill the lost local revenue. Without that commitment, it's a tax cut funded by cutting schools.
Energy Efficiency
Some city councils have proposed to mandate certain energy-efficiency upgrades in residential properties which must be completed and certified prior to the sale of the property. These mandates would require all properties to be retrofitted to meet the standards of the mandates costing sellers thousands of dollars. If elected, would you support efforts to impose mandatory energy-efficiency upgrades in existing housing?
Not within school board jurisdiction. I would note generally that unfunded mandates, whether on homeowners or school districts, should be approached with caution.
Please briefly describe your plan to win this election, how much your campaign anticipates spending on the election and what your current funding needs.
This is a door-to-door, voter-contact-driven campaign focused on high-propensity May election voters across CFBISD. I am personally knocking doors, attending community forums, and engaging directly with families, educators, and taxpayers. Campaign budget is modest and appropriate for a school board race. I welcome any support MetroTex can provide.
Do you have one or more consultants?
No.
Do you have a campaign manager?
No. I am running a lean, self-directed campaign.
What is your strategy for contacting voters in this race?
Door-to-door canvassing in high-propensity voter precincts, direct engagement at community events and board meetings, targeted digital outreach on social media, and earned media through community publications and candidate forums.
How many doors have you knocked on?
Campaign is actively canvassing. I am in the field regularly and will continue through Election Day on May 2nd.
How many voters must you need to contact to win?
10,000 - 12,000 voters. My focus is on direct contact with as many high-propensity voters as possible between now and May 2nd.
What level and type of support would you want from the MetroTex Association of REALTORS® to assist in your campaign?
An endorsement, voter guide inclusion, and any direct-to-voter communications MetroTex provides for endorsed candidates. Strong public schools are the single biggest driver of property values and neighborhood desirability in our area. Your interests, my interests and the broader school board interests are naturally aligned.
Does this municipality have a campaign contribution limit or have you agreed to a self-imposed campaign contribution limit?
Texas does not impose campaign contribution limits for school board races. I have not agreed to a self-imposed limit.
