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General election for proposed constitutional amendments

Nov. 3, 2009

Megan Keyser | Lariat Staff The Wiethorn Visitors Center is one of dozens of locations in McLennan county that will act as a polling location for the general election.

Megan Keyser
Staff Writer

McLennan County is holding a general election today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at various county schools and churches. The election allows registered voters to vote for or against 11 proposed state constitutional amendments.

Propositions 2, 3 and 5 propose changes to how property value is determined for tax purposes, and Proposition 4 proposes the establishment of a national research university fund to help emerging research universities advance to major research university status.

Propositions 6 and 8 propose further privileges to Texas veterans through home and land mortgages and veterans hospital maintenance.

Proposition 7 proposes allowing members of the Texas State Guard to hold other civil offices simultaneously. According to a voter's guide provided by the Women Voters of Texas, this proposal came about because the Texas State Guard has become increasingly active in recent years.

Proposition 9 proposes defining state-owned public beaches that would allow legislative personnel to enact laws to protect the public's rights to public beaches.

According to a Texas Secretary of State explanation, Proposal 10 would authorize the legislature to limit members of a governing board of emergency services district to serving terms of no more than four years.

Proposition 11 says, "The constitutional amendment to prohibit the taking, damaging, or destroying of private property for public use unless the action is for the ownership, use, and enjoyment of the property by the State, a political subdivision of the State, the public at large, or entities granted the power of eminent domain under law or for the elimination of urban blight on a particular parcel of property, but not for certain economic development or enhancement of tax revenue purposes, and to limit the legislature's authority to grant the power of eminent domain to an entity."

The official language of each proposition, as well as explanations of that language and arguments for and against the proposed amendments, is available online at www.mclennanvotes.com. Voters may bring this guide with them to the polls.

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