The November Constitutional Amendment Election is fast approaching and there will be 17 propositions or proposed amendments on the ballot. Because these off-year elections are usually low-turnout, it is one way the Texas Legislature grows government and increases our taxes. Don’t let that happen; VOTE. Early voting begins on Monday, October 20th and continues through Friday, October 31st. Election Day is Tuesday, November 4th. Check the Kerr County website for polling locations and times.
The Kerr County Republican Party in conjunction with the Texas Republican Party makes the following recommendations based upon these criteria:
- Vote NO on all bond elections.
- Vote NO on all tax increases.
- Vote NO on all tax exemptions.
- Vote YES on tax reductions.
- Vote YES to restrict crime.
- Vote YES to affirm rights given by God.
Please see below for our recommendations. The paper copy will be available at Republican Headquarters, 1226 Bandera Hwy, open M-F from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Call 830-792-5151 for an email copy, but remember you cannot take a cell phone into the polling place, only paper. And VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO OUR TEXAS CONSTITUTION
1 – “The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the permanent technical institution infrastructure fund to support the capital needs of the Texas State Technical College System.”
VOTE NO – Tax Increase and grows government
2– “… prohibiting the imposition of a tax on capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust.”
VOTE YES – Reduces Taxes
3 – “… requiring the denial of bail to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony.”
VOTE YES – Keeps violent criminals off the street
4 – “… to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund.”
VOTE NO – Tax Increase, reduces local govt control
5 – “… to exempt from ad valorem taxation tangible personal property consisting of animal feed held by the owner of the property for sale at retail.”
VOTE NO – Tax Increase for everyone else to cover this exemption. ***
6 – “… prohibiting the legislature from imposing an occupation tax on entities conveying securities or imposing a tax on certain securities transactions.”
VOTE YES – Prevents a tax increase
7 – “… an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that is service-connected.”
VOTE NO – Tax Increase for everyone else to cover this exemption***
8 – “… to prohibit death taxes applicable to a decedent’s property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession, or gift.”
VOTE YES – Will reduce death taxes on your estate
9 – “… to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.”
VOTE NO – Taxes increase for everyone else to cover this exemption. ***
10 – “… to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire.”
VOTE YES – Will reduce taxes in the event your homestead is not usable due to a fire. (similar to flood victims)
11 – “… to increase the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district of the market value of the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled.”
VOTE NO – Tax Increase for everyone else to cover this exemption. ***
12 – “… regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, … to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct.”
VOTE YES – Increases accountability for rogue judges.
13 – “… to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000.”
VOTE YES – Reduces Taxes for everyone
14 – “…for the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and related disorders.”
VOTE NO – Tax Increase. (Noble but hurts taxpayers, costs billions).
15 – “The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.”
VOTE YES. We shouldn’t need this, because God grants parents these rights, NOT the state. However, this just “affirms” that truth.
16 – “The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.”
VOTE YES!!
17 – “… an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders Mexico that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure.”
VOTE NO –Tax Increase for everyone else to cover this exemption. ***
***If we keep exempting everyone, others must pay the difference in their taxes.
Good motives don’t always make good policy. Every exemption is an admission that the property tax system is punitive and broken. Rather than exempting certain groups which shifts the burden to the non-exempt groups, spend less. Cut taxes!