Decision time: VA hospital, residential homestead legislation top ballot

Elections officials are hoping there will be a rush of registered voters visiting the polls to cast ballots in today’s Texas Constitutional Amendment election.

On the ballot are 11 proposed changes to the state Constitution, with one calling for the state to work with the federal government for construction of a veterans hospital in the Rio Grande Valley.

Cameron County’s 52 polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.

Of the county’s 168,970 registered voters, only 1,385 took advantage of early voting, which ended Friday, according to early voting results provided by the Cameron County Election and Voter Registration Office.

Elections Administrator Roger Ortiz is not predicting a big turnout, but hopes he is wrong and that a lot more than the estimated 2,000 will get out and vote today.

Although Valley veterans have been pushing the Proposition 8 amendment, their efforts didn’t surface during early voting, Ortiz said. "I just don’t see them (the voters) coming out to the polls."

Proposition 8 says, "The constitutional amendment authorizing the state to contribute money, property, and other resources for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of a veterans hospital in this state."

Currently, veterans have to travel to Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio for major surgeries. Proposition 8 would help with the construction of a full-fledged medical facility to care for veterans here.

The Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley has been working hard to get a good voter turnout so that the proposition passes with a good number of votes, said Treto Garza, an alliance member.

The organization has been handing out pamphlets on Proposition 8 and would continue to do so until Election Day, Garza said.

Pamphlets asking voters to support the amendment showed up in at least one church bulletin in Brownsville on Sunday and even instructed residents where they could cast votes on Election Day.

Ortiz believes that Proposition 2, which would require a residential homestead located in a business district to be appraised as a residential property and not commercial property, also will draw voters.

Currently, homesteads in commercial districts are valued as commercial property.

Proposition 2 says, "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."

Turnout has been low despite advance publicity, Ortiz said.

"I just don’t know why there’s very little interest," he said.

EARLY VOTING RESULTS

Cameron County Elections Office, 954 E. Harrison in Brownsville – 558

Central Fire Station, 121 W. Jefferson in Harlingen – 461

San Benito Community Center, 210 E. Heywood St. in San Benito – 194

Los Fresnos Community Building, 204 N. Brazil in Los Fresnos – 172

Total early votes: 1,385

LIST OF CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSITIONS:

Proposition 1

"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

"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

"The constitutional amendment providing for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes."

Proposition 4

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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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."

(Source: Texas Secretary of State)