Election? Apparently.
Texas has 11 new amendments and a thimbleful of voters
By Richard Whittaker, Fri., Nov. 6, 2009
Surprisingly, the nearest thing to a close race was Prop. 1, which allows the use of tax increment financing districts to pay for development buffer zones around military bases, and it still passed by 10 percentage points. Next closest was Prop. 4: Creating a fund to help increase the state's number of Tier One research universities may have invoked conservative ire, but it still passed by 14 percentage points. Both results paled in comparison to Prop. 11, limiting the state's eminent domain powers from being used to transfer private property to a private entity. Originally authored by Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, it got a last-minute boost from a controversial TV spot featuring Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples that was supposed to be an impartial public service announcement but seemed like a campaign endorsement. It passed with more than 81% of the vote.
While there were no major races on the local ballot, there was still some tax business to be sorted out. The city of Rollingwood and the Village of the Hills rebalanced their tax rates to free up more cash for road maintenance, while Travis County Emergency Service District No. 11, covering the southeast portion of the county, raised its sales and use rate from 1% to 1.5%. However, voters rejected Lake Travis ISD's request to raise its property tax rate 2 cents per $100 of assessed value, leaving the district facing a $1.7 million deficit.
Statewide Results – Texas Constitutional Amendments
Proposition | For | Against |
Buffer areas adjacent to military installations | 55% | 45% |
Regulate how property taxes are calculated | 68% | 32% |
Provide uniform standards for appraising property | 66% | 34% |
Fund emerging research universities | 57% | 43% |
Allow appraisal review board consolidations | 62% | 38% |
Bond authority for the Veterans' Land Board | 66% | 34% |
Texas State Guard may hold civil offices | 73% | 27% |
Authorize state funding of veterans hospitals | 75% | 25% |
Guarantee public access to public beaches | 77% | 23% |
Term limits for emergency service district boards | 73% | 27% |
Limit power of eminent domain | 81% | 19% |
Constitutional Amendment Elections: A Brief History
% turnout of registered voters in Texas constitutional amendment elections
2009 | 2007 | 2005 | 2003 | |
Statewide: | 8.1% | 8.7% | 18.0% | 12.2% |
Travis County: | 7.5% | 11.8% | 25.7% | 16.0% |
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