ELECTION NOVEMBER 7, 2023
STATEWIDE ADMENDMENTS TO THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION
Let's begin at the beginning and explain how we get proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot: The Texas State Legislature must propose the amendment in a joint resolution of both the Texas State Senate and the Texas House of Representatives. The joint resolution can originate in either the House or the Senate. The resolution must be adopted by a vote of at least two-thirds of the membership of each house of the legislature. That amounts to a minimum of 100 votes in the House of Representatives and 21 votes in the Senate. This is what your elected officials have been doing during this legislature session, including the special sessions:
CONSTITUTIONAL ADMENDMENTS
Proposition 1: recognizes the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, and wildlife management and enshrines it in the Texas Constitution.
i vote YES. government has no right to restrict Americans from these activities.
Proposition 2: provides the option to local municipalities to exempt child-care facilities from property taxes within their jurisdiction.
i vote NO. they are wanting to exempt government subsidized facilities only and leave hard working Americans to carry the full burden.
Proposition 3: prohibits a net worth or wealth tax on individuals or business entities from ever being imposed in the state of Texas.
i vote YES. we don't want to penalize success.
Proposition 4: delivers $12 billion in property tax relief by increasing the homestead exemption to $100,000, establishing a 20% cap on the taxable value of certain non-homestead properties and creating elected positions on local appraisal boards.
i vote YES. property owners do not own their property if they have to pay for it every year (so to speak by being taxed through eternity). currently the appraisal board is comprised of "appointed" by the taxing units. ie, local, state, county, etc. it would be good to have these as elected positions.
Proposition 5: establishes the Texas University Fund to provide performance-based funding to Texas colleges so they can achieve national prominence as major research universities
i vote NO. we already have a fund. it's called the general fund. they need to manage our tax money better. we don't need to achieve national prominence as major research universities. they waste so much money on some of the funded studies/research as it is.
Proposition 6: creates the New Water Supply for Texas Fund, the statewide water public awareness account, and the Texas Water Fund to address critical water challenges across the state.
i vote NO. we already have a fund for that. it's called the general fund. maybe they should cut waste if they want to spend money elsewhere. we don't need higher taxes while we are dealing with Biden's inflation. Let's go Brandon
Proposition 7: creates the Texas Energy Fund for the development of reliable electric generating facilities across the state to provide energy security to all Texans.
i vote NO. we already have a fund for that. it's called the general fund.
Proposition 8: creates the broadband infrastructure fund to facilitate affordable and universal access to high-speed internet statewide.
i vote NO. we already have a fund for that. it's called the general fund.
Proposition 9: provides a cost-of-living adjustment for retired teachers in Texas. The amount of the COLA increase would be 2/3/6 percent depending on the member's retirement date.
i have so many questions about this proposition. if the teachers have never received a cost of living adjustment, i could vote YES on this proposition. i understand this will result in transferring $3.3 billion from the general fund to accomplish this.
Proposition 10: exempts medical or biomedical products manufacturer' equipment or inventory from ad valorem taxation to protect our healthcare network and strengthen our medical supply chain.
i vote NO. our healthcare system needs to be overhauled. money will not fix their problems
Proposition 11: permits conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds similar to other districts of similar size across the state.
i vote YES but i don't know why El Paso County can't take care of their own issues without a constitutional amendment.
Proposition 12: abolishes the office of county treasurer in Galveston County to provide for more government efficiency.
i vote YES. we should abolish a lot of government offices
Proposition 13: increases the mandatory age of retirement for state-level justices and judges from age 75 to age 79.
i vote NO. in fact, they should have to pass some sort of competency test each election cycle.
Proposition 14: creates the centennial parks conservation fund for the creation and improvement of state parks.
i vote NO. we already have a fund for that. it's called the general fund.
It looks like our legislature was overspending from the general fund and wanting to create other ways to increase our tax burden by creating alternate funding. Tell me that Texans are smarter than politicians.
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