The 11 Texas Republican Primary ballot propositions

Keep in mind that this is an opinion poll of Republican voters and not a policy referendum. When you vote YES or NO, you are telling the Texas Republican Party what you think should happen. You are not voting to make a law but merely saying you agree or disagree with the statement.

1.) Texas should replace the property tax system with an appropriate consumption tax equivalent.

2016 RPT Platform Priority #5 states that we should “replace the property tax system with an alternative other than the income tax.” The most equitable system of taxation is one based on consumption (Plank 175). View more

2.) No governmental entity should ever construct or fund construction of toll roads without voter approval.

Voters would decide if toll roads should be built at all or if toll roads should receive taxpayer funds to be built. It could delay construction but also puts the decision directly into the hands of the people paying for it.

3.) Republicans in the Texas House should select their Speaker nominee by secret ballot in a binding caucus without Democrat influence.

Before the legislative session begins, all the Texas House Republicans would hold a meeting, or caucus, and cast secret ballots to determine whom they should nominate for Speaker of the Texas House. Then at the beginning of the legislative session, all the Texas House Republicans would vote for that one nominee. As long as there is a Republican majority in the Texas House, this would ensure that Republicans, not Democrats, determine the Speaker of the Texas House.

4.) Texas should require employers to screen new hires through the free E-Verify system to protect jobs for legal workers.

E-Verify is an online system that employers can use to confirm the legal status of new hires. It compares information from an employee’s Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) to data from Homeland Security and Social Security Administration. This could be an added regulatory burden but would also ensure that employers do not accidentally hire illegal aliens.

5.) Texas families should be empowered to choose from public, private, charter, or homeschool options for their children’s education, using tax credits or exemptions without government constraints or intrusion.

Instead of the parents’ tax dollars going directly to public schools, parents would be allowed to take their own tax money and use it for their children’s education in whatever setting they choose. It would not allow parents to use other people’s tax money for their own children.

6.) Texas should protect the privacy and safety of women and children in spaces such as bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers in all Texas schools and government buildings.

Some schools have tried to allow boys to have access to girls’ private areas, including school showers and restrooms. This would address those concerns with a state protection for schools and government buildings. It would not add any requirements or regulations for private businesses.

7.) I believe abortion should be abolished in Texas.

Approximately 150 babies are aborted each day in Texas. Various approaches to ending abortion have been proposed. This is a statement that we want abortion to stop.

8.) Vote fraud should be a felony in Texas to help ensure fair elections.

In 2017, the Texas Legislature passed laws criminalizing election fraud as a Class A misdemeanor but increasing it to a felony for specific cases (for example, repeat offenders). This would make vote fraud an automatic felony offense.

9.) Texas demands that Congress completely repeal Obamacare.

Congress repealed the individual mandate for Obamacare in the tax reform bill; however, Obamacare as a system of socialized medicine still exists. This would remove it and return healthcare to the free market.

10.) To slow the growth of property taxes, yearly revenue increases should be capped at 4%, with increases in excess of 4% requiring voter approval.

Property taxes have been rising rapidly, especially in Texas’ larger cities. Currently, property taxes cannot be raised more than 8% each year without voter approval. This would lower the cap to 4%. Local government could still increase property taxes, but voters would have to weigh in for them to require you to pay over 4% more each year.

11.) Tax dollars should not be used to fund the building of stadiums for professional or semi-professional sports teams.

Currently, bonds have been used as a means for taxpayers to fund such stadiums. This would prohibit such use, requiring private donations to be used to build stadiums for professional or semi-professional sports teams. This does not affect school stadiums.