Published: November 02, 2009 02:57 pm      

Early voting complete

Sara Ortega

sortega@weatherforddemocrat.com

Early voting ended last Friday with 1,946 people turning out to vote by mail or in person.

“It was about what we expected,” Robert Parten, Parker County elections administrator said. “We didn’t really expect a very large turnout.”

With the exception of a possible tax rate change for Millsap and Aledo independent school districts and the proposed creation of Parker County Emergency Services District No. 7, the ballot consists of 11 propositions.

“Obviously there are a few school districts who are also having a little something in their communities,” Parten said, “but a majority of people just voted on the constitutional items.”

Regular voting begins today.



The propositions, according to the Secretary of State, are as follows:

Proposition 1 - The constitutional amendment authorizing the financing, including through tax increment financing, of the acquisition by municipalities and counties of buffer areas or open spaces adjacent to a military installation for the prevention of encroachment or for the construction of roadways, utilities, or other infrastructure to protect or promote the mission of the military installation.

Prop 2 — The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property’s value as a residence homestead.

Prop 3 — The constitutional amendment providing for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes.

Prop 4 — The constitutional amendment establishing the national research university fund to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence as major research universities and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund.

Prop 5 — The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to authorize a single board of equalization for two or more adjoining appraisal entities that elect to provide for consolidated equalizations.

Prop 6 — The constitutional amendment authorizing the Veterans’ Land Board to issue general obligation bonds in amounts equal to or less than amounts previously authorized.

Prop 7 — The constitutional amendment authorizing members of the Texas State Guard or other military organization to hold civil offices. Service members are already exempt from the statute that limits them from holding office, but the Texas State Guard has been left out of the current law.

Prop 8 — The constitutional amendment authorizing the state to contribute to the construction of a veterans’ hospital in the Rio Grande Valley. Currently, veterans on the Texas border must drive more than 300 miles to get care at a Veterans Administration facility.

Prop 9 — The constitutional amendment to ensure public access to Texas’ seaward shores.

Prop 10 — The constitutional amendment setting term limits for emergency services district boards.

Each of the propositions gained support of two-thirds of the state legislature before being placed on the ballot.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Prop 11 — The proposed amendment to the state constitution prohibits governments from taking private property for economic development to increase a tax base.