Mixed bag

Some of the proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution have received little comment or opposition. In at least one case the matter has become routine.

Perhaps people have become too accustomed to government being involved in matters that don’t really pertain to it.

Proposition 6 is a perfect example; it would authorize the Veterans Land Board to issue general obligation bonds to make low-interest home loans to Texas veterans. This issue appears on the ballot periodically, and always passes. No opposition has been expressed this year either.

Voters approved creation of the land fund with an amendment to the Constitution in 1946, to help World War II veterans buy homesteads in the state. It is hardly the first, or only, fund in the nation, or in the state, set up for home loans.

The Valley fund, however, is inefficient. Veterans who have taken advantage of these loans traditionally have an excellent record of paying them down. However, because it is financed through bonds, the state must use those loan payments to retire its own bond obligations. Thus, the money eventually runs out and new bonds must be authorized to keep the program running.

It’s worth asking if state government should be acting as a financial intermediary, but support for this fund is widespread, and people seem to have grown accustomed to the government breaching into the loan business.

Better questions can be asked about the need to continually amend the Constitution just to maintain a loan fund, and for the use of bonds to maintain a fund that, it appears, will be permanent. Lawmakers in the future should consider the creation of an endowment that can maintain a permanent fund that won’t require constant additions to our governing legal document.

Proposition 7 would allow members of the Texas State Guard or other state militia or military force to hold public office.

The Constitution prohibits people receiving salaries or other compensation from the state from holding elected office. The intent was to keep people from serving on boards in which they might vote on issues that would affect their personal position or compensation directly. Over the years, however, dozens of exemptions have been made, and it is now common to see teachers, fire fighters, local and federal law enforcement officials, etc., serve on voting boards. About the only exemption left is for Guard and militia members, and the consensus is that it is an oversight. The exemptions are so common that maintaining the prohibition for militia members is discriminatory.

Proposition 10 changes the terms of office for members of emergency service boards from two to four years. This would bring these terms in line with the norm for most other offices. Because re-election is so common the shorter term length has become moot, and election districts could save money if fewer elections are needed.

Propriety aside, it’s hard to argue against these three amendments. Given voters’ history of supporting state-funded home loans, exempting offices from patronage guidelines and re-electing officials, these measures are likely to pass.