The Choice: Stable Relief vs. The 9.22% "Inflation Architect" Plan
Tax relief should benefit the people living on our streets, not just those in corporate boardrooms. I’m fighting to keep homes like this affordable for the families who have built our community.
URGENT ALERT: The Stacking Tax in a Global Crisis
With the Strait of Hormuz blocked and war-time inflation driving up the cost of gas and groceries, our families are already under pressure. My opponent, Helen Kerwin, has filed HB 130—a bill that would create a brand-new, European-style Value-Added Tax (VAT).
This isn't a cut. It’s an inflation multiplier.
The Hidden Costs of the Kerwin Plan (HB 130):
The 9.22% "Stacking" Trap: Don’t be fooled by the marketing. HB 130 creates a 6.72% state VAT, but it allows local layers to be added on top. When you add the state rate to the local and school "enrichment" layers, you aren't looking at a bargain—you're looking at a 9.22% stacked tax on nearly everything you buy.
State-Mandated Inflation: As a 30-year business veteran, I know that a VAT is a "Supply Chain Tax." It is collected at every stage—from the farmer to the trucker to the grocer. During a global energy crisis, this tax "cascades," turning a 9% tax into double-digit price hikes at the register. It taxes the milk to pay for the mansion.
The "Partial" Abolition Scam My opponent campaigns on "eliminating" property taxes, but HB 130 only addresses school M&O taxes.
The Reality: You will still pay property taxes for your City, your County, and your local Hospital District.
The Result: You keep most of your property tax bill, but you get a brand-new 9.22% tax on your groceries and car repairs.
The End of Local Control & Debt Risks: If school property taxes go to $0, local school boards effectively lose their voice to Austin bureaucrats. Furthermore, Cleburne and Mansfield ISD districts carry millions in bond debt. HB 130 puts that funding at risk, potentially freezing school construction in our fast-growing community.
Who Actually Wins? The Hidden Math of HB 130
The Kerwin plan is a windfall for the top 1% and a tax hike for the rest of us. Because sales and "Value-Added" taxes hit the money you spend on survival, working families pay a much higher percentage of their income than billionaires do.
When you look past the campaign slogans and read the actual text of HB 130, the math tells a very different story for District 58 families:
| The Kerwin Promise | The HB 130 Reality (The Math) |
|---|---|
| "Abolish Property Taxes" | Only addresses School M&O. Under Article 4, you will still pay City, County, and Hospital District property taxes. |
| "Tax Relief for All" | A 9.22% Stacked Tax. A new State VAT added on top of local layers, applying to groceries, labor, and services. |
| "Conservative Values" | Regulatory Explosion. Creates a massive new state bureaucracy to track VAT "Input/Output" credits. |
| "Protecting Local Control" | Austin Takeover. Decision-making power shifts from our local boards to Austin bureaucrats. |
(Swipe up/down or left/right inside the table to see full details)
What This Means for You:
Property Tax Relief: Real Impact vs. The "Swap"
| Category | Current System | 9.5% "Stacked" VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Seniors/Fixed Income | Huge Savings (Homestead & Senior Exemptions) |
LOSES EXEMPTIONS. Pays 9.5% more on everything. |
| Home & Auto Repairs | Minimal tax on labor |
9.5% TAX ADDED to all parts and labor. |
| Local Control | Decided by Mansfield Neighbors |
AUSTIN CONTROL. Decided by Bureaucrats. |
*Figures based on HB 130 (Special Session) and HB 2220 (Regular Session).
The Solution: The Oldham "Fair-Share" Alternatives
We don’t need a shell game; we need a system that is stable, fair, and keeps its promises to Texans.
Protect the $200,000 Senior Homestead Exemption
In 2026, thanks to the $200,000 Senior Exemption, your school tax bill is likely lower than it has been in decades. It is capped, predictable, and protected. I will fight to keep it that way. Don't trade your frozen tax cap for a "Grocery Tax" that rises with inflation.
Use the Surplus as a Shield
Texas has a multi-billion dollar surplus. We should use it to further compress property taxes now to shield families from war-time inflation—without creating a new state tax bureaucracy.Expand Medicaid to Lower Local Taxes
By bringing our own federal tax dollars back home, we reduce the "uncompensated care" costs that drive up your local county hospital taxes. It’s time to bring your money back to Johnson and Somervell counties.
The Bottom Line
Do we want a new 9.22% tax on everything you buy to fund a corporate giveaway? Or do we want to close loopholes and use our surplus to protect our families?
I’m Chris Oldham. I’m a business professional, not a political experimenter. Let’s keep Texas affordable.