Robert Pratt
Because Texas’ constitution leaves much power in the hands of citizens and not in the hands of elected officials, Texans will be voting on 3 November 2015 in another Constitutional Amendment Election [see ballot language here.] My recommendations and thoughts on all seven follow.
Proposition 1 is the much needed boost in the homestead exemption for property taxes from $10,000 to $25,000. While the House blocked Senate efforts to index the exemption so that it keeps up with statewide property inflation, this big jump from ten to twenty-five grand is a positive step and deserves support. Vote “yes” on Prop. 1.
Proposition 2 extends an exemption provided to surviving spouses of disabled veterans to those of veterans who died before the previous law took effect. Vote “yes” on Prop. 2.
Proposition 3 changes the law to allow statewide elected officials to live in their home county while serving their term in office if they so choose. Currently the constitution requires statewide officials to live in Austin while serving. Modern transportation makes this unnecessary; vote “yes” on Prop. 3.
Those who oppose gambling on principle may want to oppose Prop. 4 which would allow professional sports teams to conduct charitable raffles during games. I’ve no problem with such and will vote “yes” on Proposition 4.
Proposition 5 deserves support as it will allow small counties to address local issues related to road construction and maintenance in a way that better fits the circumstances in rural Texas. Vote “yes” on Prop 5.
Proposition 6 is an important backstop to frustrate the far-Left and radical animal rights groups, among others, in their efforts to stop hunting and fishing. They may not be able to affect this issue statewide through the Legislature at present but, they can get liberal local jurisdictions to pass ordinances which would limit hunting and fishing which is currently legal. A BIG VOTE “YES” on Proposition 6.
Proposition 7 is part of the Legislature’s work to address funding for transportation projects. It dedicates part of the state sales tax and motor vehicle sale tax to the highway fund. These funds cannot be used for toll-roads. I support Prop. 7 strongly because it is not a new tax but simply takes a tax directly related to vehicles and applies the revenue to roads. Vote “yes” on Proposition 7.
Early Voting begins Monday, 19 October & runs through Friday, 30 October.
Thanks Robert for your analysis of the 7 Propositions! Once I find a Person or Source I can trust like Rush, Hannity, Levin and now You, My loyalty is steadfast!
Thank you so much for confirmation of my reading of the Props. Keep up the good work.
Great minds think alike. I had already made my decision. Glad you agree with me! Lol
Thanks for a trusted source that I can always check with. Usually have my mind made up but good to have confirmation.
Thanks Robert, it helps when we can vote as a group..
Thanks Robert
Thank you for your input. I have pretty much quit the ‘usual’ sources of news because of their bias and now use Rush, Hannity, Levin and you to keep me informed on what is going on. I appreciate that you focus on Texas as it is hard to get local political news.
Here is my explanation on the amendments that I disagree with you on, from a fellow also true conservative.
Proposition 2 One of the reasons I am against this proposition is that I think it is very poorly written. I am not normally for something on a needs bases but this is one of the few times I am. I do not want to give their spouses a blank check, if they do not need it. After all the spouse didn’t sacrifice and weren’t disable, so why should they receive special breaks? I had a neighbor that got a 100 % disability and he rode motorcycles and was almost as smart as you and me. Too bad he wasn’t as moral. The write up I read, did not say if they still got some of the disable spouse’s disability money? If so that could go for paying taxes.
Proposition 3 State wide elected officials need to live where the state agency they run is, usually Austin. They need to be physically present and in the office as much as possible to give direction and supervision to their staff on a daily basis. Thus they can be available to law makers and other government official, may be from other agencies on a personal face to face basis, to discuss Texas’ needs. That sure beats emails. You show up at the office every day you are in town, so why shouldn’t they? There needs to be some personal contact in our communications.
Proposition 4 Notice how charities like volunteer fire departments and volunteer emergency medical services can run raffles, but not regular fire departments and ambulances. These raffles are for non profit’s charities, not money making businesses like sports teams. It looks like part of the charity would be for the people that run the raffle. I would like to keep gambling and sports separate. Would not want it to go from a numbers draw to say something like predicting the final score or some thing like that. They got to make entry to the raffle, separate from the ticket price, so people who do not want to enter are not forced to as part of the ticket price to see the game. Ultimately they will sell more tickets this way, and likely start raising the ticket price. Some people might not like the gambling aspects and some not like their charity and not want to give to it. I would say some of the things that the NFL calls charities are more like liberal political programs. At minimum it needs more refining, with farther explanations. So I would say, may be get off that slippery slope with your roller skates and vote a hardy no.
Proposition 7 What we need is a smaller government not a bigger government. We need to cut programs, not let Robin hood take it from one program and redistribute that money to the State Highway Fund. Then they will complain that the people they took the money from need more money, so we got to raise taxes to get it. What a racket. Txdot already has got millions in missing funds according to audits and they have built special projects in cities where they are not suppose to be. I am not sure, but I am thinking they built a high speed rail in El Paso? If it not there it is some other place. They will spend it all, all you vote to give them whether they need it or not. That is not the way to run any government agency. You only spend money on necessary repairs, what ever that amount comes up to be. The more money you spend on infrastructure, the less money taxpayers will have to spend in stores, to help the economy. Don’t give Txdot (the State Highway Department) a blank check; make them justify every expenditure. In the last election they diverted funds from other state agencies to the State Highway Fund and they want to do it again, this year? When will this stop? Why don’t they tell us which agencies they are taking money from to give to the State Highway Fund? Is it the higher education fund? The more money the government throws at things like education or to cure cancer doesn’t automatically fix the problem and it will end with positive results. We can’t buy every thing. How come elected Legislatures with the facts are not deciding what the Transportation Commission should get, instead of necessarily ignorant voters who do not have any facts, doing the deciding in this election. It is because a Constitutional Amendment makes it more permanent than a law. As part of this Constitutional Amendment it says to reduce the amount of revenue it takes 2/3 vote, which is not likely to happen and to continue it takes a majority vote. That alone is not equal and is unjust. Why aren’t both votes by a majority? Give yourself a check by not giving them a blank check. If it is a law it not that hard to change from year to year, but if it is a Constitutional Amendment it is hard to change. They are near permanent, they just goes on and on and on, costing you and your family money, that you earned and could have and use.
Keep up the good work on your radio program. Sorry I did not study these amendments earlier.