SAN ANTONIO — Election Day is just four days away. There are no City Council Races up for vote this time around but many amendments will be on the ballot. How many amendments? Fourteen. Some will create or alter funds to support higher education research, and broadband and water infrastructure.
We'll highlight three of them. The first is Proposition 4. Cutting through the legal lingo, it deals with property tax rates and school funding.
If you vote "for" this one the package would allow school districts to lower their property tax rates. It would also raise homestead exemption, or how much of a home's value that can't be taxed to pay for public schools from from $40,000 to $100,000. The only hiccup, it'll cost taxpayers $5.6 billion. If you vote "no" nothing will change.
Second on the list is Proposition 7. It reads, "The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities."
If you vote for this amendment it would create a state fund allowing officials to distribute loans and grants to companies aiming to build new natural gas-fueled power plants. On the flip side, gas-fueled power plants are not always reliable and emit greenhouse gasses, which are helping to drive climate change.
Finally, we land on Proposition 8. It is worded, "The constitutional amendment creating the broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects."
If approved, $1.5 billion would be allocated to expand internet availability in Texas where 7 million people currently lack access. These dollars would help pay to develop and finance broadband and telecommunications services as well as 911 services.
KENS5 has you covered with the 2023 Voter Guide including more about the amendments and the steps you need to take to vote. Also we have a sample ballot for next Tuesday's election.