If there’s a beef we’ve got with this particular November election, it’s along the lines of, “Is this exercise in futility really necessary?” In too large part, the answer is a resounding No! The Travis County ballot is disfigured not only by the trivial, redundant, and/or reactionary proposed constitutional amendments generated by the Lege, but also by 24 (count ’em, 24!) charter amendment propositions confined in relevance to 219 voters in those portions of Travis Co. Precinct 372 which happen to fall in the Democratic Republic of Leander, aka the Wide Spot in the Road out on Highway 183. Would it be too much to ask that those folks all meet down at City Hall and decide whether the City Council must “approve the job descriptions of every employee” (Prop. 10)?
Far be it from this Council of Wise Elders to dictate the governance processes of Leanderians.
Even the Village of Bee Cave gets its own little sales tax proposition – if it applies to you, you already know who you are. There are also a couple of local Travis Co. EMS merger/annexation propositions – we say bring ’em all in, and God bless.
But there is, in fact, one substantive section of the ballot, tucked down in the lower left-hand corner (just above the Leander Place 5 special election, portions of Precinct 372). It lists three propositions, covering $150 million in county bonds: roads, parks, and jail. That’s all the ballot will tell you, and if you visit the Travis Co. Web site, there is precious little information about the projects – the Citizens Bond Advisory Committee had earlier posted some very useful stuff, but that’s mostly been replaced by extreme compressions of the available information, leavened with impenetrable legal jargon. (There is a handy if abbreviated brochure and map available there, or at the County Clerk’s office, that gives the basics.)
So it’s been unnecessarily difficult to sort out the details. But in fact, these particular bond packages make a lot of public sense, are not particularly expensive (a few dollars per year per homeowner), and we just wish the county were more adept at stating its case. In its stumbling absence, we’ll try to do the job, below. – The Chronicle Editorial Board
Bond Proposition No. 1: Yes.
$65,225,000 in road bonds and the levying of the tax in payment thereof. Most of the road projects to be undertaken are in the eastern part of the county, with a particular emphasis on road improvements made necessary with the progress of SH 130. We weren’t particularly enthusiastic about the highway, but it is in progress, and it will need an adequate secondary system so that residential neighborhoods nearby aren’t overwhelmed. There is also some Southwest road funding – frankly not much – the most controversial being the Reimers-Peacock road plans that seem largely a sop to would-be developers and aren’t wanted even by many of the nearby Hamilton Pool Road homeowners. But this is design funding only – still just a gleam in the planners’ eyes – and it’s a very small part of the much larger and necessary road/drainage proposition, countywide. We recommend your support.
Bond Proposition No. 2: Yes.
$62,250,000 in park bonds and the levying of the tax in payment thereof. This too is an omnibus package of parks, floodplain buyouts, and open-space acquisition. The highlight is the Reimer’s Ranch preservation acquisition (500 acres to become Southwest Metro Park land), as well as nearby open space, the Onion Creek parkland and open space near 71 East and 290, and various floodplain buyout projects (also East) that are both rational and forward-looking. Various environmental and citizens’ groups promoted the parks plan, and the commissioners responded, with the most common refrain being, “We only wish it could be more.” We enthusiastically recommend approval.
Bond Proposition No. 3: Yes.
$23,500,000 in jail facility bonds and the levying of the tax in payment thereof. In previous news reports, we’ve occasionally hammered the county for major and minor problems in its jail facilities, and we’ve hardly been alone. If for no other reason, the jail needs improvement and expansion because there aren’t sufficient beds or services for the inmates incarcerated there, and dozens are now shipped to Frio County (at great local expense). This bond will help bring the jail facility up to state standards – hardly an impossible stretch – and expand or improve service-related facilities that should serve inmates, guards, and citizens alike. As long as we’re jailing them, we should at least try to do it right. Vote yes.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
On Nov. 8, Texas citizens will once again be asked to go to the polls and write a constitution. The Chronicle strained again this year to find at least one among the nine offered propositions worth recommending to voters of sound mind and reasonable presumptions – but once again, had no luck. We only feel strongly about Proposition 2 – a disgrace to a free people and an abomination to fair men and women everywhere – but we urge you to vote NO on all nine propositions. – The Chronicle Editorial Board
Proposition 1: No.
Create the Texas Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund. This is yet another attempt by the state to underwrite the expenses of private industry – in this case, the relocation of major rail lines that are either getting crowded by urban growth or else figure in Gov. Perry’s grandiose plans for the Trans-Texas Corridor. We say let the railroads pay their own way.
Proposition 2: No!
Prohibit gay marriage or civil unions. This is the most outrageous proposition on the ballot, the most direct assault on human rights and privacy rights, and the most blatant attempt to write bigotry into the Texas Constitution since the Civil War. We need every one of you to get out on election day and vote to prevent the state of Texas from joining this march in the modern History of Infamy.
Proposition 3: No.
Clarify that certain economic development programs do not constitute a debt.” Prop. 3 has a local hook – Save Our Springs Alliance won a lawsuit against the Village of Bee Cave to stop the municipal underwriting of a shopping center to subsidize a private developer without even a mechanism established to do so. The Lege wants voters to ratify any and all such arrangements, yet the ballot language is so vague it should be rejected on those grounds alone.
Proposition 4: No.
Authorize denial of bail to a criminal defendant who violates a condition of release. This is a solution in search of a problem, and drafted in such vague language that even those who might support it should pause. There are other ways of dealing with this issue than by writing yet more specific legal exemptions into the state constitution, including a higher bail – not denying altogether such a basic protection against unjust imprisonment.
Proposition 5: No.
Allow the Legislature to define rates of interest for commercial loans. The Lege is worried that poor Texas bankers are not able to charge more than 10% interest (currently defined as usury) on commercial loans, as they can in 46 other states, and are selling the amendment as aimed only at “sophisticated commercial borrowers.” This is a foot-in-the-door amendment to give the banks whatever they want and undermine the anti-usury limits altogether.
Proposition 6: No.
Add two additional members to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The ballot language doesn’t say that the amendment would also eliminate geographic representation on the commission, in theory allowing the greater packing of the commission. It probably doesn’t matter whether the commission has 11 or 13 members, since judges virtually have to commit blatant public felonies to be subject to disciplinary action; we doubt seriously that adding a couple of commissioners will do much about that institutional problem.
Proposition 7: No.
Authorize line-of-credit advances under a reverse mortgage. Like Prop. 5, Prop. 7 is a gift to the bankers under the guise of helping creditors, in this case retired homeowners (over 62) whose only asset is their home. This amendment would create “lines of credit” to draw down smaller loan advances that often look reasonable but can quickly accumulate into heavy debt burdens – a circumstance ripe for abuse. Why make it easier to fleece small homeowners?
Proposition 8: No.
Relinquish any state claim to certain land in Upshur and Smith counties. Title to several thousand acres in the two counties was under dispute because of apparent vacancies in land surveys. The General Land Office has already relinquished claim to the bulk of the land, but another 950 acres remain in court. The constitution shouldn’t be a handy bludgeon to settle complicated land disputes.
Proposition 9: No.
Six-year terms for RMA board members. The Lege allowed six-year terms for regional mobility authorities, but anti-toll warriors won a ruling that the constitution prohibits terms of more than two years. The only way for voters to voice their general opposition to tolls is to vote against this amendment and Prop. 1 (the railroad subsidy amendment).
For full ballot language and longer explanations of our endorsements, see the issue of Oct. 21.
EARLY VOTING
Early voting in Travis Co. for the Nov. 8 joint special elections is ongoing through Friday, Nov. 4.All locations, except malls and mobile voting sites, are open Monday-Saturday, 7am-7pm, and Sunday, noon-6pm. Northcross and Highland Malls are open Monday-Saturday, 9am-8pm, and Sunday, noon-6pm.
For mobile voting times and locations, call 238-VOTE or see www.traviscountyelections.org.
CENTRAL
Travis Co. Tax Office, 5501 Airport Blvd.
Travis Co. Courthouse, 1000 Guadalupe
Fiesta Mart, 3909 N. I-35
University of Texas, UGL lobby (West Mall, UT Campus)
Randalls, 1500 W. 35th
NORTH
Highland Mall, 6001 Airport Blvd. (lower level, by JCPenney)
Randalls, 1700 W. Parmer at Metric Boulevard
Northcross Mall, 2525 W. Anderson
NORTHEAST
Albertsons, 11331 N. Lamar*
County Tax Office, Pflugerville, 15822 Foothill Farms Loop
NORTHWEST
Randalls, 10900-D Research at Braker Lane
HEB, 7301 FM 620 N.*
SOUTH
HEB, 2400 S. Congress*
Randalls, 2025 W. Ben White at Manchaca
SOUTHEAST
Albertsons, 1819 S. Pleasant Valley*
Albertsons, 5510 S. I-35 at Stassney
SOUTHWEST
Randalls, 6600 S. Mopac at William Cannon
Randalls, 9911 Brodie at Slaughter
EAST
HEB, 2701 E. Seventh*
Northeast Health Center, 7112 Ed Bluestein #155 (Springdale Shopping Center)
WEST
Randalls, 3300 Bee Caves Rd.
Randalls, 2303 RR 620 S.
* temporary building in parking lot
This article appears in Barbara Bush.