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Voters approve a local Groundwater Conservation District
By Courtney Burleson, Managing Editor
Voters in Colorado County made their way to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 6 where the formation of a local Groundwater Conservation District was passed along with the majority of Constitutional Amendments appearing on the ballot.
The much publicized GCD election proved to be a close race as it was passed with 52.3 percent of the vote compared to 47.7 against. While opponents of the GCD took the lead during early voting with 147 votes compared to 113, election day proved a different outcome. The bulk of votes for the GCD came on election day with 1,125 compared to 982 against. Final numbers were 1,238 for a GCD and 1,129 against.
GCD Directors elected were as follows: Director, Place 1 - Betty Schurring; Director, Place 2 - Bill Briscoe; Director, Place 3 - Mike Wostarek; Director, Place 4 - Tom Kelley; Director at large - Marian Schonenberg; Director at large, Place 6 - Jim Wiese and Director at large, Place 7 - Scott Brasher.
In the Constitutional Amendments election, the results were as follows:
Passed, Proposition 1: updating the constitutional reference to San Angelo State University to conform with the statutory transfer of that institution from membership in the Texas State University System to membership into the Texas Tech University System;
Passed, Proposition 2: authorize the legislature to permit the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to issue up to $500 million in general obligation bonds to finance educational loans to college and university students, and to enter into bond enhancements agreements;
Passed, Proposition 3: authorize the legislature to limit the maximum appraised value of a residence homestead for property tax purposes in a tax year to the lesser of the most recent appraisal valuation, or 100 percent, or a greater percentage as determined by the legislature, of the appraised value in the preceding tax year;
Passed, Proposition 4: authorize the legislature to permit the Texas Public Finance Authority to issue up to $1 billion in general obligation bonds by the legislature for the following state agencies: the Texas Building and Procurement Commission; the Parks and Wildlife Department; the Department of the Adjutant General; the Department of State Health Services; the Department of Aging and Disability Services; the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired; the Texas Youth Commission; the Texas Historical Commission; the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; the Texas School for the Deaf and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Passed, Proposition 5: authorize the legislature to permit cities with a population of less than 10,000 to hold an election to allow the city to enter into an agreement with a property owner to temporarily freeze taxes on property either in or adjacent to an area approved for funding under the Downtown Revitalization Program or the Main Streets Improvements Program administered by the Department of Agriculture;
Passed, Proposition 6: authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem tax one motor vehicle owned by an individual that is used by the individual for both business and personal use.
Passed, Proposition 7: allow a governmental entity to sell property acquired through eminent domain to its immediately previous owner at the original purchase price if the public use of the property has been canceled;
Passed, Proposition 8: clarify home equity loan procedures and protections and make confirming changes to the written disclosure provided to the borrower at the loan closing;
Passed, Proposition 9: authorize the legislature to exempt all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of veterans certified as having a service-connected 100 percent disability rating.
Passed, Proposition 10: remove constitutional references to the former office of inspector of hides and animals.
Passed, Proposition 11: require a vote taken in either house of the legislature to be recorded by record vote. The record vote must be archived and available for public viewing on the Internet for at least two years.
Passed, Proposition 12: authorize the Texas Transportation Commission to issue up to $5 billion in general obligation bonds for highway improvement projects;
Passed, Proposition 13: authorize the denial of bail to a person who violates conditions of release in a family violence case and permit the legislature to authorize the denial of bail to a person who violates certain court orders in a family violence case;
Passed, Proposition 14: limit a state justice or judge's service;
Passed, Proposition 15: require the legislature to establish the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas;
Failed, Proposition 16: authorize the issuance of up to $250 million in general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board to provide financial assistance to economically distressed areas of the state to help provide adequate sewer and water supply services for residential use.
As of Friday, Nov. 2 approximately 265 people had cast early votes in the GCD and Constitutional Amendments election, according to Colorado County Clerk Darlene Hayek.
The total number of votes cast for Colorado County on Tuesday, election day was 2,162.
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