2019 Texas propositions

[Nice Guy Eddie 13411]

Any thoughts on the propositions on the ballot next week?  It's always so tough to really understand what the proposition will do since the people that want it passed are probably the ones who write it. They can be vague about the real purpose.

Prop 1 – allow someone the ability to hold more than 1 office as a municipal judge. Sound good to help small communities but also could allow 1 person to hold too many offices? I have no idea if this is a problem or not.

Prop 2 – Allow the Water Board to issue bonds for projects in poor areas

Prop 3 – allows the legislature to allow property tax exemptions in disasters.

Prop 4 – adds more language to make a state income tax more difficult to pass.  I would assume this isn’t necessary but allows some politicians to say they’re fighting for Texans.

Prop 5 – forces all revenue from the sporting goods tax to Parks & Wildlife and the Historical Commission.  Sounds like this was the intent when this tax was created in ’93 but never met.

Prop 6 – double the investment in the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas from 3 to 6 B. Hopefully this funding stays in Texas as much as possible.

Prop 7 - allows something called the Available School Fund to receive more funding from the state

Prop 8 - The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the flood infrastructure fund to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects.” – puts $800m from the rainy day fund to be used for natural disasters. Can have more funds added to it later on.

Prop 9 - “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state.” – basically makes the gold stored in the new depository to have a tax exemption. The govt is going to have make that a successful program whether it makes sense or not.

Prop 10 – allows police handlers to adopt the police dog or horse.  Sounds like most cities informally allow this but technically the animals are supposed to be auctioned since they’re considered an asset.  

 

[Voldemort86 2259]

5 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Any thoughts on the propositions on the ballot next week?  It's always so tough to really understand what the proposition will do since the people that want it passed are probably the ones who write it. They can be vague about the real purpose.

Prop 1 – allow someone the ability to hold more than 1 office as a municipal judge. Sound good to help small communities but also could allow 1 person to hold too many offices? I have no idea if this is a problem or not.

Prop 2 – Allow the Water Board to issue bonds for projects in poor areas

Prop 3 – allows the legislature to allow property tax exemptions in disasters.

Prop 4 – adds more language to make a state income tax more difficult to pass.  I would assume this isn’t necessary but allows some politicians to say they’re fighting for Texans.

Prop 5 – forces all revenue from the sporting goods tax to Parks & Wildlife and the Historical Commission.  Sounds like this was the intent when this tax was created in ’93 but never met.

Prop 6 – double the investment in the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas from 3 to 6 B. Hopefully this funding stays in Texas as much as possible.

Prop 7 - allows something called the Available School Fund to receive more funding from the state

Prop 8 - The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the flood infrastructure fund to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects.” – puts $800m from the rainy day fund to be used for natural disasters. Can have more funds added to it later on.

Prop 9 - “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state.” – basically makes the gold stored in the new depository to have a tax exemption. The govt is going to have make that a successful program whether it makes sense or not.

Prop 10 – allows police handlers to adopt the police dog or horse.  Sounds like most cities informally allow this but technically the animals are supposed to be auctioned since they’re considered an asset.  

 

Let me know when they decide to be a real state and let us vote on casinos / legal weed.

[FORTY NINE TO ZERO 2630]

Early voted earlier today.

I voted yes on all but nine. Don’t like the idea of gold being special. 
 

wasn’t sure on the income tax one. But ended up voting yes 

[Fudge Nuggets 19150]

8 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

.Prop 10 – allows police handlers to adopt the police dog or horse.  Sounds like most cities informally allow this but technically the animals are supposed to be auctioned since they’re considered an asset.  
 

Still maintaining laser-like focus on the real important stuff, I see.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13411]

8 hours ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

Still maintaining laser-like focus on the real important stuff, I see.

My thought as well. From some quick reading, there doesn’t appear to be any known cases where a handler wasn’t allowed to adopt their service animal as a pet, so we have this proposition solely as a hypothetical situation. 

[Surly Bevo 24696]

I voted against it for that very reason...don't waste my time at the state level with this bullshit

[kevwun 15643]

7 is very vague and that is a good reason to be weary of it.

[Neonmoon 38127]

Anyone want to do a pros/cons on each Prop? 

[ROFL BOX 6647]

15 hours ago, Surly Bevo said:

I voted against it for that very reason... don't waste my time at the state level with this bullshit

[Nice Guy Eddie 13411]

The Cancer Prevention & Research fund creates mixed feelings. I believe they've been caught several times mismanaging their funds but I don't know if they've made steps to fix the problems.. If the overall mission wasn't so important, I gather that it should have been shut down by now.

probably requires a different thread but it would be interesting to know more about the results of this fund, especially in regards to prevention. It's weird but prevention can be a political hot button as it usually requires advising people on behavior or regulating industries.

Edited November 4, 2019 by Nice Guy Eddie

[davidg 4028]

On 11/2/2019 at 8:48 AM, kevwun said:

7 is very vague and that is a good reason to be weary of it.

 

 

Here's a little bit better definition of all of the propositions

https://www.sos.texas.gov/elections/forms/2019-explanatory-statements.pdf

 

Explanatory Statements for the November 5, 2019 Constitutional Amendment Election

Proposition Number 1 (HJR 72)

HJR 72 proposes a constitutional amendment permitting an elected municipal judge to serve as a municipal judge in more than one municipality at the same time. Unlike an appointed municipal judge, an elected municipal judge may not concurrently hold another municipal judge office. This amendment would allow an elected municipal judge to serve as a municipal judge in more than one municipality at the same time, in the same manner as appointed municipal judges. The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment permitting a person to hold more than one office as a municipal judge at the same time.”

 

Proposition Number 2 (SJR 79)

SJR 79 proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the Texas Water Development Board to issue additional general obligation bonds, in an amount that does not exceed $200 million, for the economically distressed areas program. These bonds can only be used to provide financing for the development of water supply and sewer service projects in those economically distressed areas as defined by law. The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of additional general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board in an amount not to exceed $200 million to provide financial assistance for the development of certain projects in economically distressed areas.”

 

Proposition Number 3 (HJR 34)

HJR 34 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing the legislature to temporarily exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of certain property located in an area covered by a disaster declaration of the governor. The proposed amendment would allow the legislature to prescribe the method of determining the amount of the tax exemption and the duration of the exemption and also would allow the legislature to create any additional eligibility requirements for the tax exemption. The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of a portion of the appraised value of certain property damaged by a disaster.”

 

Proposition Number 4 (HJR 38)

HJR 38 proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting the state from imposing or collecting an individual income tax, including an individual’s share of partnership and unincorporated association income. There is no current constitutional bar on imposing or collecting an individual income tax. The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual income tax, including a tax on an individual’s share of partnership and unincorporated association income.”

 

Proposition Number 5 (SJR 24)

SJR 24 proposes a constitutional amendment that would automatically appropriate the net revenue received from the portion of the state’s tax revenue received on sales of sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Historical Commission (THC). The legislature would maintain the authority to determine the specific uses of the funds and their allocation between TPWD and THC. The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment dedicating the revenue received from the existing state sales and use taxes that are imposed on sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission to protect Texas’ natural areas, water quality, and history by acquiring, managing, and improving state and local parks and historic sites while not increasing the rate of the state sales and use taxes.”

 

Proposition Number 6 (HJR 12)

HJR 12 proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase the maximum bond amount for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) from $3 billion to $6 billion to be issued by the Texas Public Finance Authority. CPRIT was created in 2007 to promote and fund cancer research in Texas. CPRIT uses bond proceeds to award grants for cancer research and prevention. The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase by $3 billion the maximum bond amount authorized for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.”

 

Proposition Number 7 (HJR 151)

HJR 151 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing increased distributions from $300 million per year to $600 million per year to the available school fund and also allowing the State Board of Education, the General Land Office, and other entities that manage revenue from land or other properties held in the permanent school fund to distribute certain revenue to the available school fund. The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment allowing increased distributions to the available school fund.”

 

Proposition Number 8 (HJR 4)

HJR 4 proposes a constitutional amendment creating the flood infrastructure fund as a special fund in the state treasury, using money appropriated from the economic stabilization fund. The flood infrastructure fund would provide additional resources to implement plans to mitigate flood damage. The proposed amendment would authorize the Texas Water Development Board to use money in the flood infrastructure fund for drainage, flood mitigation, or flood control projects. The proposed amendment also would authorize the creation of separate accounts in the flood infrastructure fund as necessary to administer the fund or authorized projects. The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the flood infrastructure fund to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects.”

 

Proposition Number 9 (HJR 95)

HJR 95 proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to create a property tax exemption for precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state. The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state.”

 

Proposition Number 10 (SJR 32)

SJR 32 proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to allow a state agency or political subdivision to transfer a law enforcement animal to the animal’s handler or another qualified caretaker in certain circumstances. Currently, the Texas Constitution prevents the transfer of certain public property, such as law enforcement animals, to a private person or organization at no cost. This amendment authorizes the legislature to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to the animal’s handler or another qualified caretaker at no cost, upon the animal’s retirement or at another time if the transfer is determined to be in the animal’s best interest. The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to a qualified caretaker in certain circumstances.

 

 

[elfenix 34171]

i wonder how many people think there will be an income tax in texas tomorrow if they don't vote for prop 4?

[Nice Guy Eddie 13411]

27 minutes ago, elfenix said:

i wonder how many people think there will be an income tax in texas tomorrow if they don't vote for prop 4?

20% of the people that vote? 

Why are states structured that we need to constantly vote on propositions/amendments but the federal govt somehow seems to get by without them?  Are federal agencies basically allowed to create their own rules unless specifically not allowed to do so?

[kevwun 15643]

Texas has a shitty constitution is why.

[David Dennison 18655]

14 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

20% of the people that vote? 

Why are states structured that we need to constantly vote on propositions/amendments but the federal govt somehow seems to get by without them?  Are federal agencies basically allowed to create their own rules unless specifically not allowed to do so?

As far as income taxes are concerned, it's written into Article 8, Section 24(a) of the Texas Constitution: "A general law enacted by the legislature that imposes a tax on the net incomes of natural persons, including a person ’s share of partnership and unincorporated association income, must provide that the portion of the law imposing the tax not take effect until approved by a majority of the registered voters voting in a statewide referendum held on the question of imposing the tax. The referendum must specify the rate of the tax that will apply to taxable income as defined by law."

To change this, voters would have to approve an amendment to the constitution in the form of a joint resolution passed by 2/3 of both houses of the Texas legislature.

This virtually guarantees that there will never be an income tax in Texas.

Also what kevwun said.

Edited November 5, 2019 by David Dennison

[elfenix 34171]

7 minutes ago, kevwun said:

Texas has a shitty constitution is why.

yup. 

 

Quote

The current constitution is 86,936 words long and is the second longest of state constitutions in the United States. The longest state constitution in the United States is Alabama's Constitution which is 388,882 words long.^[1] From 1876 to 2017 the legislature proposed 680 constitutional amendments, 498 were approved by the electorate, 179 were defeated, and 3 never made it on the ballot.^[2]

Most of the amendments are due to the document's highly restrictive nature: the State of Texas has only those powers explicitly granted to it by the Constitution. However, despite its length, it is not nearly as long as the Alabama Constitution (which has been amended over 800 times despite having been adopted 25 years after Texas' current constitution) nor has it been amended as often as the California Constitution (which, due to provisions allowing amendments via initiative, is subject to frequent revision).