Chronicle Endorsements for the November 7 Election

State Constitutional Amendments

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We've got a slew of constitutional amendments on the ballot this year coming out of the 88th legislative session. It's funky that our state does this, and for many years the Chronicle recommended voting against all such amendments in protest of cluttering the state constitution. But this is part of how our state functions, so we've done some digging through the clutter so you don't have to.

1) Protecting Bad Neighbor Farmers: No

Texas already has a broad Right to Farm statute, which was further broadened in the last legislative session anyway. Adding a constitutional amendment on top of that is not only unnecessary, it also gives an unprecedented level of protection for agricultural businesses that are bad neighbors, creating unreasonably high standards for cities to sue over threats to public health like overuse of pesticides. Texas Farm Bureau, which represents larger agribusiness, lobbied hard for this, and organizations representing smaller farmers like the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance have come out against.

2) Property Tax Exemption for Child Care Centers: Yes

Part of the reason younger generations are not having kids is because child care is too damn expensive. We should do everything we can to reduce that cost – allowing owners of child care centers to access tax exemptions for properties used to operate those facilities could help do that.

3) Blocking a Net Worth Tax: No

Republican legislators would like to amend the Texas Constitution to prohibit a hypothetical wealth tax, or "net worth" tax, which shifts tax burden to wealthier Texans; they argue that it penalizes business owners and people who may have significant assets but low cash flow. The Legislature isn't currently considering a net worth tax, but this would eliminate the option of ever doing so.

4) Big Three Property Tax Compromise: No

Property tax relief and increasing school funding were two of very few priorities that Democratic and Republican legislators agreed on going into the 88th legislative session. They failed to address the dire state of school funding in any meaningful way, but a big package of tax breaks for property owners – with a pittance offered to public schools – did reach Gov. Greg Abbott's desk after a second special session. Texas voters are now being asked to amend the state constitution to allow the package to take effect. This proposal devised by the state's Top Three Republicans would not add any new funding into the state's beleaguered public school system, but it would temporarily reduce the amount of revenue districts need to generate through property taxes by giving schools a one-time injection of funds from the state's budget surplus. We encourage Austin voters to reject this premise; the state should simply increase the basic allotment for schools in the state budget. This relief proposal also leaves renters out of the equation, though they indirectly pay a quarter of state school property taxes. Democrats pushed to include direct relief for renters because there's no guarantee homeowners will use tax savings to reduce or stabilize rents. That didn't make it into the proposal, and that's another good reason to vote this prop down.

5) Adding University Funding: Yes

In the past, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University have received most of the state's available research grants. Proposition 5 would create two new funds that would provide money for research grants to some of Texas' other large universities, including Texas State University, Texas Tech University, the University of Houston, and the University of North Texas. This will strengthen these universities, benefiting regional and state economic development.

6) State Water Fund: Yes

A $1 billion investment in Texas' broken water infrastructure is needed, and will address the roughly 50 gallons of water a day lost per home through leaky pipes. Part of the fund is also appropriated toward new supply projects, including marine desalination and treated fracking wastewater, as well as education programs about water loss. Sierra Club has not taken a position on Prop 6, as there are concerns about low-income rural communities not being prioritized for infrastructure investments and about the environmental and health impacts of possible supply projects, but the Chronicle feels an urgent investment in water is necessary, and we'll be watching the Texas Water Development Board for a transparent rulemaking process.

7) Incentives for New Gas Plants: No

Though the ballot language is vague enough to seem positive, Prop 7 would actually just give low-interest loans and grants to encourage the construction of new gas plants – benefits that they already get from the private market – and literally stipulates that new battery construction projects need not apply. Yes, we need more energy sources, but this would essentially create a taxpayer-backed subsidy for gas plants alone, creating an unfair disadvantage for renewables and their backups.

8) Expanding Broadband: Yes

Broadband access is not equitable in Texas, and Prop 8 would create a broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed internet to Texans statewide, including where private companies don't operate. This has broad bipartisan support, and the Legislature has already appropriated $1.5 billion to the proposed fund, contingent on voters approving this amendment.

9) Raising Teacher Retirement: Yes

Retired teachers in Texas do not have a cost of living adjustment built into their retirement plans, so some retirees have trouble keeping up with their bills. This year, legislators approved such an adjustment, proposing to transfer $5 billion from the current budget surplus to the Teacher Retirement System in order to keep it solvent. The transfer must be approved by voters, however. The Texas AFL-CIO, Raise Your Hand Texas, Texas Association of School Administrators, Texas Association of School Boards, and many other groups support this proposition, and we do too.

10) Corporate Tax Break on Medical Devices: Yes

We're generally against tax breaks for corporations, but at least this one would go to manufacturers of medical devices and biomedical products. Let's just hope that the executives at those manufacturing companies will pass their tax savings on to hospitals and patients who need those devices.

11) Adding El Paso Parks: Yes

Currently, most large counties in Texas are allowed to issue bonds to create parks and improve those they already have. El Paso County is not one of these, however, which has hampered its ability to develop a network of recreational facilities. Prop 11 would allow it to join the other counties. We support El Paso in voting to invest more in their parks.

12) Eliminating Galveston Treasurer: No Endorsement

Proposition 12 would eliminate the office of the county treasurer of Galveston County effective January 1, 2024, which would mean assigning the duties of the treasurer's office to people in other county offices. There's some history in Galveston driving this proposed amendment, but the Chronicle News team is not well-positioned to report on it, so we're staying out of this one.

13) Older Judges Allowed: Yes

Proposition 13 would raise the age at which state judges are required to retire from 75 to 79. As 84-year-old federal Judge David Hittner recently demonstrated in placing a temporary restraining order on the state's anti-drag bill, older judges can do a lot of good.

14) Historic Investment in State Parks: Yes

This $1 billion fund coming out of the surplus would support the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department in buying land to establish and develop new state parks, something sorely needed to conserve natural areas and to keep up with the demand of 10 million (and counting) Texans a year trying to access our current parks.

County Propositions

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Travis County will hold a bond election in conjunction with the scheduled Texas constitutional amendment election, and it's the first time in six years Travis County residents will vote on major investments in transportation infrastructure and parks. If both proposals pass, the monthly property tax impact for the owner of a median-value Travis County home will be about $4.

Proposition A – Transportation Projects: Yes

This $233 million investment in transportation projects is geared toward safety and capacity. The focus will be on several substandard roads across Austin, which share features like missing shoulders and narrow lanes. Each project also includes sidewalks and bike lanes or shared-use paths. For most homeowners, the monthly property tax impact would be a little under $2.

Proposition B – More Parkland: Yes

With a little more than $276 million, the county promises to acquire more land for parks and water conservation along existing greenway corridors in Lake Travis, Onion Creek, and Colorado River areas, among many others. The funds will also cover the creation of new community trails, buildings, and amenities. With rapid development in the county, if we want these areas preserved as parkland, now is the time to act. The median monthly property tax impact would be about $2.