The Collin County Observer

CLICK HERE FOR ELECTION RESULTS FOR THE NOVEMBER 3, 2009 PROPOSITIONS.

Today is election day in Texas.

Collin County voters will have an opportunity to approve or reject 11 constitutional amendments. Voters in Wylie and Farmersville will also have local initiatives on their ballots.

Collin County voters will experience a new way to vote this election day. For this election, they no longer must vote at their neighborhood precinct. Just as early voting allows registered voters to cast ballots at any polling locale before Election Day, a pilot program allows the Vote Center concept to work the same on Nov. 3 at 57 different locations. As long as you’re registered in this county, there is no need to worry about which precinct in which you’re registered and which polling location applies to that precinct.

The county's Vote Center page explains:

Since Collin County voters can cast ballots at any vote center, we’ve tried to make it as easy as possible to find a vote center close to your home, work or wherever you happen to be in the county while the polls are open.

If you want to pick your polling locale online, you can logon to our Election Day Polling Location Search, type any county address and zip code, and the interactive map will find the closest poll to you, plus tell you how to get there.

We’ve also posted the master list of all 57 locations, from the Allen Municipal Court Building to Fire Station #5 in McKinney? to the Wylie Municipal Complex. While you’re viewing the list, take a look to the right hand columns, where we’ll have a traffic light to show you whether the poll is being used heavily or not – and an estimated wait time for each location. Don’t have a lot of time to wait in line? Scan for locales that aren’t as busy.

On the ballot will be the 11 Constitutional Amendments approved by the legislature last year.

As listed on the Texas Secretary of State's web site, the amendments are:

Proposition 1
HJR 132 would amend the constitution to authorize the legislature to allow a municipality or a county to issue bonds and notes to finance the purchase of buffer areas or open spaces adjacent to military installations. The buffer areas would be used to prevent encroachment or to construct roadways utilities, or other infrastructure to protect or promote the mission of the military installation. The municipality or county may pledge increases in ad valorem tax revenues for repayment of the bonds or notes.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the financing, including through tax increment financing, of the acquisition by municipalities and counties of buffer areas or open spaces adjacent to a military installation for the prevention of encroachment or for the construction of roadways, utilities, or other infrastructure to protect or promote the mission of the military installation."

Proposition 2
HJR 36 would amend the constitution to authorize the legislature to provide for the taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property's value as a residence homestead, regardless of whether the property may have a higher value if it were used for other purposes.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property’s value as a residence homestead."

Proposition 3
HJR 36 would amend the constitution to require the legislature to provide for the administration and enforcement of uniform standards and procedures for appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment providing for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes."

Proposition 4
HJR 14 would amend the constitution to establish the national research university fund to provide a source of funding that will enable emerging research universities in this state to develop into major research universities. The amendment would require the legislature to dedicate state revenue to the fund and to transfer the balance of the existing higher education fund to the national research university fund. This amendment would further require the legislature to establish the criteria by which a state university may become eligible to receive and use distributions from the fund.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment establishing the national research university fund to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence as major research universities and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund."

Proposition 5
HJR 36 would amend the constitution to authorize the legislature to allow for a single appraisal review board for two or more adjoining appraisal entities that elect to provide for consolidated reviews of tax appraisals.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to authorize a single board of equalization for two or more adjoining appraisal entities that elect to provide for consolidated equalizations."

Proposition 6
HJR 116 would amend the constitution to authorize the Veterans' Land Board to issue general obligation bonds, subject to certain constitutional limits, for the purpose of selling land and providing home or land mortgage loans to veterans of the state.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the Veterans ’ Land Board to issue general obligation bonds in amounts equal to or less than amounts previously authorized."

Proposition 7
HJR 127 would amend the constitution to allow an officer or enlisted member of the Texas State Guard or other state militia or military force to hold other civil offices.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment to allow an officer or enlisted member of the Texas State Guard or other state militia or military force to hold other civil offices.

Proposition 8
HJR 7 would amend the constitution to authorize the state to contribute money, property, and other resources for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of veterans’ hospitals in this state.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the state to contribute money, property, and other resources for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of veterans hospitals in this state.”

Proposition 9
HJR 102 would define what is a state-owned public beach. The public, individually and collectively, would have an unrestricted right to use and a right of ingress to and egress from a public beach. The amendment would authorize the legislature to enact laws to protect these rights.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment to protect the right of the public, individually and collectively, to access and use the public beaches bordering the seaward shore of the Gulf of Mexico."

Proposition 10
HJR 85 would amend the constitution to authorize the legislature to provide that members of the governing board of an emergency services district may serve terms not to exceed four years.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment to provide that elected members of the governing boards of emergency services districts may serve terms not to exceed four years.

Proposition 11
HJR 14 would amend the constitution to provide that the taking of private property for public use (“eminent domain”) is authorized only if it is for the ownership, use, and enjoyment of the property by the State, its political subdivisions, the public at large, or by entities granted the power of eminent domain, or for the removal of urban blight. The amendment would prohibit the taking of private property for transfer to a private entity for the purpose of economic development or to increase tax revenues. The amendment would also limit the legislature's authority to grant the power of eminent domain in the future unless it is approved by a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to each house.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "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 Wylie School Board of Trustees has placed on the ballot three bond propositions. They are:

Proposition 1
THE ISSUANCE OF $7,775,000 OF BONDS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE FOR FIBER OPTIC AND SECURITY UPGRADES AT ALL CAMPUSES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WYLIE STADIUMS AND LEVYING THE TAX IN PAYMENT THEREOF, INCLUDING THE COSTS OF ANY CREDIT AGREEMENTS EXECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE BONDS.

Proposition 2
THE ISSUANCE OF $24,940,000 OF BONDS FOR ADDITIONS AND RENOVATIONS TO BURNETT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, HARRISON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL, HARTMAN, BIRMINGHAM AND AKIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF ACHIEVE ACADEMY AND LEVYING THE TAX IN PAYMENT THEREOF, INCLUDING THE COSTS OF ANY CREDIT AGREEMENTS EXECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE BONDS.

Proposition 3
THE ISSUANCE OF $44,250,000 OF BONDS FOR ADDITIONS, CONVERSIONS AND ATHLETIC IMPROVEMENTS TO WYLIE EAST HIGH SCHOOL AND ADDITIONS, RENOVATIONS, INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES AND ATHLETIC IMPROVEMENTS AT WYLIE HIGH SCHOOL AND LEVYING THE TAX IN PAYMENT THEREOF, INCLUDING THE COSTS OF ANY CREDIT AGREEMENTS EXECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE BONDS

The Farmersville proposition reads:

"The legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only."

Bill