Early voting has begun and continues through October 30 for items on the ballot in the November 3 general election. These items include key school-board elections in Houston ISD, neighboring Alief ISD, and Dallas ISD. Our Texas AFT affiliates in these districts have a major stake in the outcome of the board elections and hence are fully engaged. Other local items of note include a vote in Brazosport ISD on school bonds, with our local affiliate there taking a leading role in the campaign for passage.

 

For most voters statewide, though, this election is about 11 constitutional amendments passed by the Texas legislature and now presented, as required by law, for an up-or-down decision by Texas voters. While Texas AFT itself has not taken a formal position on these amendments, our union's delegates participated actively in the deliberations over the summer of the Texas AFL-CIO convention, which resulted in the recommendations noted below. For a thorough discussion of arguments for and against each amendment, see the Voters Guide provided by the League of Women Voters of Texas at http://www.lwvtexas.org/2009VG/2009CAVG[FINAL].pdf.

 

Amendment 1: Authorizes the issuance of bonds backed by local property taxes for cities and counties to buy land around a military base to create a buffer zone or to put in roads or other infrastructure that support the base's mission. The Texas AFL-CIO takes NO POSITION.

 

Amendment 2: Requires that a residential homestead be taxed on the property's value as a residence and not on the value of its potential "highest and best use." The Texas AFL-CIO recommends SUPPORT for this proposition.

 

Amendment 3: Requires local property appraisals to comply with uniform standards and procedures, which the legislature would prescribe. The Texas AFL-CIO recommends SUPPORT.

 

Amendment 4: Creates a National Research University Fund to provide support for seven emerging research universities (Texas Tech, UT-Arlington, UT-Dallas, UT-El Paso, UT-San Antonio, University of Houston, and University of North Texas). The Texas AFL-CIO takes NO POSITION.

 

Amendment 5: Allows for the voluntary consolidation of appraisal review boards in neighboring districts. The Texas AFL-CIO takes NO POSITION.

 

Amendment 6: Expands bonding authority for programs allowing veterans to finance land and home purchases. The Texas AFL-CIO recommends SUPPORT.

 

Amendment 7: Adds Texas State Guard members to the list of individuals exempted from the constitutional prohibition against holding two public offices at once. (Currently exempted, among others, are current and retired officers and enlisted members of the National Guard and U.S. Armed Forces.) The Texas AFL-CIO takes NO POSITION.

 

Amendment 8: Authorizes state spending to encourage federal placement of a veterans' hospital in the Rio Grande Valley. The Texas AFL-CIO recommends SUPPORT.

 

Amendment 9: Places the state guarantee of public access to Texas beaches, currently found in the Open Beaches Act, into the state constitution. The Texas AFL-CIO takes NO POSITION.

 

Amendment 10: Allows the legislature to extend terms of elected officers of emergency-services districts from the current two years to four. The Texas AFL-CIO takes NO POSITION.

 

Amendment 11: Places into the state constitution the existing ban on the "taking" of property for the purpose of economic development. Requires a two-thirds vote of the legislature to grant eminent-domain power to an entity. The Texas AFL-CIO recommends SUPPORT.