Voters to decide on local issues and state constitutional amendments

Voters in Texas have several state constitutional amendments on the ballot as well as local issues in the November 5 election. Early voting is October 21-November 1.

Burnet Consolidated Independent School District voters can vote yes or no to a $33.1 million bond, and Horseshoe Bay voters will decide mayoral and city council races.

In Double Horn, where residents voted last year to incorporate, a ballot measure asks residents if they want to abolish their young city. In Granite Shoals, voters have a $7 million bond on the ballot for surface and groundwater projects as well as 11 city charter propositions.

Residents of the Chisholm Trail Special Utility District of Burnet County have a directors election on the ballot. Six people are vying for three spots: Ronald Dockrey, Robert Kostka, John Fisher, Gary A. Goodman, Jeff Daniell, and Robert E. Johnson Jr.

Voters can view sample ballots on the Burnet County Elections Office and Llano County Elections Office websites.

All Texans can vote on the state constitutional amendments on the ballot. There are 10 propositions before voters this fall. These are:

Proposition 1: The constitutional amendment permitting a person to hold more than one office as a municipal judge at the same time.

Proposition 2: The constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of additional general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board in an amount not to exceed $200 million to provide financial assistance for the development of certain projects in economically distressed areas.

Proposition 3: The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of a portion of the appraised value of certain property damaged by a disaster.

Proposition 4: The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual income tax, including a tax on an individual’s share of partnership and unincorporated association income.

Proposition 5: The constitutional amendment dedicating the revenue received from the existing state sales and use taxes that are imposed on sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission to protect Texas’ natural areas, water quality, and history by acquiring, managing, and improving state and local parks and historic sites while not increasing the rate of the state sales and use taxes.

Proposition 6: The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase by $3 billion the maximum bond amount authorized for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

Proposition 7: The constitutional amendment allowing increased distributions to the available school fund.

Proposition 8: The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the flood infrastructure fund to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects.

Proposition 9: The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state.

Proposition 10: The constitutional amendment to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to a qualified caretaker in certain circumstances.

The League of Women Voters of Texas voters guide has a breakdown and explanation of the proposed state constitutional amendments.

In Burnet County, early voting takes place at the Burnet County AgriLife Extension Office, 607 N. Vanderveer in Burnet, and the Courthouse South Annex, 810 Steve Hawkins Parkway in Marble Falls.

Early voting hours at both sites are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. October 21-23, October 25, October 28-30, and November 1. The locations are open for extended hours, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., on October 24 and October 31.

In Llano County, early voting takes place at:

• Llano County Library, 102 E. Haynie St. in Llano, from 7 a.m.-7 pm. October 21, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. October 22-25, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. October 28, and 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. October 29-November 1.

• Kingsland Branch Library, 125 W. Polk St. in Kingsland, from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. October 21-25 and October 28-November 1.

• Horseshoe Bay City Office, #1 Community Drive, from 8:30 a.m-4:30 p.m. October 21-25 and October 28-November 1.