Election Day comes Tuesday, as voters face 11 propositions
Updated: 11/2/2009 8:01 PM
By: Associated Press
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Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning.
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While 2009 does not mark a major election year, those who do vote Tuesday will make some important changes to the Texas Constitution.
Supporters of the 11 amendments to the Texas Constitution on the Nov. 3 ballot were doing whatever they could Monday to get some last minute attention.
"We want to make sure public access to beaches is enshrined in the constitution," Alejandro Savransky, field organizer for Environment Texas, said.
To illustrate his support for Proposition 9, which protects the right of the public to access and use the public beaches bordering the seaward shore of the Gulf of Mexico, Savransky put on his swimsuit and grabbed a beach ball.
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Election Day
News 8's Karina Kling tells you what advocates and state leaders were doing the day before Election Day.
 
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State legislators and other leaders also tried to make one last plug for Proposition 4 at a news conference Monday morning.
"At a time when Texas is attracting new businesses and new capital and new citizens, surging population, we ought not to be a net exporter of our best and brightest students," Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, said.
If Proposition 4 passes, it would mean more money to help state universities reach Tier 1 status like the University of Texas at Austin.
Proposition 11 has attracted statewide attention, particularly against the backdrop of the Trans Texas Corridor, which required construction on private property.
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State legislators tried to make one last plug for Proposition 4.
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If passed, Proposition 11 would ban the state government from taking private property and giving it to a private developer to boost the local tax base.
Other amendments involve changes to property appraisals, improving state aid to veterans hospitals and land sales to veterans.
Preliminary numbers from early voting showed fewer than 2 percent of registered voters in the 15 most populous counties cast ballots.
Houston came in first, but they are electing a mayor.
"There's a point in time where the citizen has to do their duty and that is show up at the polls," Gov. Rick Perry said.
Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Along with 11 statewide propositions, Tuesday's election ballot will also feature more local items for some Central Texas residents.
Hutto
Hutto will hold its first ever bond election on Nov. 3. Voters will decide on improvements to parks and roads, and whether to improve parks, build the city's first sports complex, or partner with the YMCA for a recreation center.
San Marcos
San Marcos voters will also see two seats on the San Marcos City Council on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Lisa Marie Coppoletta, Shuane Maycock and Ryan Thomason are running for the San Marcos Place 5 seat currently held by Pam Couch. In Place 6, incumbent John Thomaides faces Anita Fuller and Monica Garcia.
Statewide
Eleven proposed constitutional amendments go before Texas voters in the Nov. 3 election. The proposals passed both chambers of the Legislature with a two-thirds vote and must win voter approval to be added to the state constitution.
The propositions are:
PROPOSITION 1: Authorizes financing methods for municipalities and counties to acquire buffer zones or open spaces next to military bases. The proposal could prevent encroachment next to the base and allow construction of roads, utilities and other infrastructure to promote the mission of a military base.
PROPOSITION 2: Allows the Legislature to provide for ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property's value as a residence, not at the potentially higher commercial use value.
PROPOSITION 3: Provides for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for taxation. Texas lacks uniform standards, and proponents say this amendment would ensure that property in diverse parts of the state are valued using the same generally accepted practices.
PROPOSITION 4: Establishes a national research university fund to help emerging research universities achieve national prominence as major research universities. Those pushing the proposal say it will provide funding similar to what elevated Texas A&M University and the University of Texas to Tier 1 status, providing jobs and stature or the state. Others question whether now is the time to spend such money.
PROPOSITION 5: Permits the Texas Legislature to allow a single board of equalization for two or more adjoining appraisal entities. That means area appraisal boards can be consolidated if they choose.
PROPOSITION 6: Authorizes the Veterans' Land Board to issue general obligation bonds in amounts equal to or less than amounts previously authorized. It would prevent the land board from continually having to seek legislative authorization.
PROPOSITION 7: Allows an officer or enlisted member of the Texas State Guard or other state militia or military force to hold other civil offices. This would correct what some said is an oversight in the state constitution.
PROPOSITION 8: Authorizes the state to contribute money, property and other resources to establish veterans hospital. It's designed to speed up efforts to open a federal Veterans Administration hospital in the Rio Grande Valley, where residents currently must travel to San Antonio to receive some VA hospital services.
PROPOSITION 9: Protects the right of the public to access and use the public beaches bordering the seaward shore of the Gulf of Mexico. This would block private developers from restricting beach access to the public, but some said it could infringe on private property rights.
PROPOSITION 10: Limits elected members of the governing boards of emergency services districts to terms no longer than four years.
PROPOSITION 11: Prohibits governments from taking private property for private economic development to increase a tax base. It also limits the Legislature's power to grant eminent domain authority to a governmental entity.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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