U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, waves to the crowd during the July Fourth parade in McAllen in 2017.Vicente Gonzalez
Gonzalez said the second property is one that his wife owned prior to their marriage in 2008 and that she forgot to remove the homestead exemption on it until last year. Gonzalez’ wife removed the homestead exemption from her property in October 2021, a county appraiser said. Some Texans, like those who are elderly or disabled, are eligible for additional homestead exemptions.for a homestead exemption in Hidalgo County tells applicants they are eligible only if “you and your spouse do not claim a residence homestead exemption on any other property.” The application warns that anyone who makes a false statement on the application “could be found guilty of a Class A misdemeanor or a state jail felony.
Gonzalez, who currently represents the 15th Congressional District, is in a hotly contested battle for reelection after redistricting prompted him to seek reelection in the neighboring 34th District. Flores became the incumbent there earlier this summer after flipping the seat in a special election that attracted national attention, most notably from Republicans looking to make new inroads in South Texas.