Posts Tagged ‘Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’

Texas Early Voting Starts Today (And Constitutional Amendment Recommendations)

Monday, October 20th, 2025

Another off-year local and Texas Constitutional Amendment election has snuck up again, and early voting for it started today.

Let’s take a look at those amendments and whether you should vote for or against them. And, what do you know, Texas Scorecard has already done a roundup incorporating analysis from of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, True Texas Project, Texas Policy Research, and Texas Eagle Forum. There’s a lot of unanimity, with a few notable exceptions. Scorecard’s links are to the bill’s legislative tracking page, but I’ve drilled down slightly deeper to link to the actual text of the bills in question.

  • Proposition 1 (SJR 59): Creating funds to support the capital needs of educational programs offered by the Texas State Technical College System.
    TFR: Oppose
    TTP: Oppose
    TPR: Oppose
    TEF: Oppose

    My analysis: Texas higher education has done a poor job with the money they’ve already been allotted, and shouldn’t get big new piles of it, especially until the taint of social justice has been completely eradicated from the system. My recommendation: Oppose.

  • Proposition 2 (SJR 18): ​​Banning taxes on the realized or unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Support
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Support

    My analysis: This is a preemptive strike against the loony left idea of taxing unrealized capital gains, an absolutely insane idea guaranteed to discourage investment and destroy the economy. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 3 (SJR 5): Denying bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony.
    TFR: Neutral
    TTP: Support
    TPR: Oppose
    TEF: Oppose

    My analysis: This amendment has the most split verdict of any of them. Conservatives see law and order breaking down in blue cities thanks to Democrat judges letting repeat felons out on trivial bonds. Libertarians see this measure as possibly violating due process rights. But the problem we’re seeing on places like Harris County stem from letting criminals walk rather than too many innocent citizens being denied bail. My recommendation: Support, but I expect any gains in keeping more dangerous repeat offenders off the streets will be minimal as long as those same (frequently Soros-backed) Democrat judges are in office.

  • Proposition 4 (HJR 7, enabling legislation HB 16): Dedicating a portion of state sales and use tax revenues to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue.
    TFR: Oppose
    TTP: Oppose
    TPR: Oppose
    TEF: Oppose

    My analysis: Water is a largely local issue, and should be handled at the local level, not using a statewide slush fund. My recommendation: Oppose.

  • Proposition 5 (HJR 99, enabling legislation HB 1399): Exempting from ad valorem taxation tangible personal property consisting of animal feed held by the owner of the property for sale at retail.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Support
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Support

    My analysis: For those outside of Texas, most food you buy in a grocery store here isn’t taxed (save junk food like candy, etc.). This adds animal feed to the sales tax exemption list, which will help out Texas farmers. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 6 (HJR 4): Prohibits the Legislature from imposing an occupation tax on certain entities that enter into transactions conveying securities or imposing a tax on certain securities transactions.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Support
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Support

    My analysis: This makes sure that security trading venues like the new Dallas Stock Exchange don’t get hit with transaction taxes that would drive them away. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 7 (HJR 133): Providing for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that is presumed to have been service-connected.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Oppose
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Neutral

    My analysis: Another split decision. While theoretically an extension of the war widow exemption, it gets off into the weeds, especially when it specifies that the surviving spouse cannot have remarried. My recommendation: Neutral.

  • Proposition 8 (HJR 2): Prohibiting the Legislature from imposing death taxes applicable to a decedent’s property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession, or gift.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Support
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Support

    My analysis: If we could fund the entire government off death and land taxes instead of income taxes, I could get behind that. But that’s not the world we live in. Texas doesn’t have an estate or inheritance tax, and doesn’t need one, and that fact provides incentive for wealthy individuals in state that do have those (New York and Illinois among them) to move here. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 9 (HJR 1, enabling legislation HB 9): Exempting from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Support
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Support

    My analysis: This is a big, welcome jump from the current $2,500 exemption, and will help small businesses keep more of their own money. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 10 (SJR 84): Providing a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Support
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Support

    My analysis: Stands to reason you shouldn’t be taxed for property that burned down, but this seems oddly specific. Maybe it’s a result of the screwage that California property owners are getting after the Pacific Palisades fire. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 11 (SJR 85): Increasing the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district of the market value of the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled.
    TFR: Neutral
    TTP: Oppose
    TPR: Oppose
    TEF: Oppose

    My analysis: Interestingly, the institutes oppose this because it isn’t broad-based tax reform. True, but I favor it because you can’t let the best slay the better, and because I’ll be eligible for it entirely too soon. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 12 (SJR 27, enabling legislation SB 293): Relating to the authority of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the tribunal, and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct.
    TFR: Neutral
    TTP: Support
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Support

    My analysis: This effectively removes two seats appointed by the Texas State Bar Association and replaces adds those seats to those appointed by the governor. Bar Associations all across the country have been infected by social justice, and this removes another potential infection vector. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 13 (SJR 2, enabling legislation SB 4): Raising the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Reluctantly Support
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Reluctantly Support

    My analysis: Once again the think tanks are bellyaching that this isn’t the broad-based elimination of the property tax they wanted. Get over it, and don’t let the best slay the better. And this one will benefit me personally. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 14 (SJR 3, enabling legislation SB 5): Creating the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and related disorders in this state.
    TFR: Oppose
    TTP: Oppose
    TPR: Oppose
    TEF: Oppose

    My analysis: Important cause, but let individual institutions and foundations pay for the research on this, not create a state-run slush-fund for the connected. My recommendation: Oppose.

  • Proposition 15 (SJR 34): Parents are the primary decision makers for their children.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Oppose
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Support

    My analysis: This is to head off those radical leftists that declare that children belong to the state, and those states using that power to oppose transsexual madness on children behind parent’s backs. True Texas Project opposes it because it doesn’t think it should even have to be stated, but a lot of obvious things now have to be spelled out thanks to the madness of social justice here in the crazy years. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 16 (SJR 37): Voters must be United States citizens.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Support
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Support

    My analysis: Like this. This shouldn’t even have to be spelled out, except that places like Minnesota are handing out driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, and then using them as an excuse to let them vote. My recommendation: Support.

  • Proposition 17 (HJR 34, enabling legislation HB 247): Providing an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders the United Mexican States that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure and related improvements.
    TFR: Support
    TTP: Support
    TPR: Support
    TEF: Support

    My analysis: This just means that property owners can’t be taxed extra for the border wall. My recommendation: Support.

    • Williamson County early voting locations.

    Travis County early voting locations.

    Be sure to locate your voter registration card, get out and vote!

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Border Control, Budget, Crime, Social Justice Warriors, Texas | 7 Comments »

    Texas Constitutional Amendment Voting Started Today (With Recommendations)

    Monday, October 23rd, 2023

    Another Constitutional Election Ballot (crappy formatting there, Ballotpedia is upon us, and early voting starts today.

    Here’s Texas Scorecard’s roundup, with input from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, True Texas Project, and the Huffines Liberty Foundation and links to Texas Legislative Council Analysis of the amendments. The Texan also has a roundup.

    Here’s my quick and dirty list of propositions and recommendations.

    1. Proposition 1 (HJR 126): Protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management. This is the “right to farm” bill, which provides a bulwark against local, state and federal interference in food-growing activities, such as were messed with by some states during the 2020 Flu-Manchu panic (such as Michigan’s Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer banning seed sales. And remember, such interference in people growing food on their own land was blessed by the Supreme Court in Wickard vs. Flburn. Recommendation: Vote FOR Proposition 1.
    2. Proposition 2 (SJR 64): Authorizing a local option exemption from ad valorem taxation by a county or municipality of all or part of the appraised value of real property used to operate a child-care facility. Another subsidy for a favored industry. Recommendation: Vote AGAINST Proposition 2.
    3. Proposition 3 (HJR 132): Prohibiting the imposition of an individual wealth or net worth tax, including a tax on the difference between the assets and liabilities of an individual or family. A wealth tax is total commie bullshit. Recommendation: Vote FOR Proposition 3.
    4. Proposition 4 (HJR 2 from the second special session): Authorizing the legislature to establish a temporary limit on the maximum appraised value of real property other than a residence homestead for ad valorem tax purposes; to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district applicable to residence homesteads from $40,000 to $100,000; to adjust the amount of the limitation on school district ad valorem taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of the elderly or disabled to reflect increases in certain exemption amounts; to except certain appropriations to pay for ad valorem tax relief from the constitutional limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations; and to authorize the legislature to provide for a four-year term of office for a member of the board of directors of certain appraisal districts. Well, that’s a mouthful. I don’t care for the little unrelated special interest payoff shoved in at the end, but do appreciate the tax relief, temporary though it may be. Recommendation: Vote FOR Proposition 4.
    5. Proposition 5 (HJR 3): Relating to the Texas University Fund, which provides funding to certain institutions of higher education to achieve national prominence as major research universities and drive the state economy. Our social justice-infected universities need less money, not more, and if they’re not willing to give up being factories for radical leftwing indoctrination, they need hard reboots. Recommendation: Vote AGAINST Proposition 5.
    6. Proposition 6 (SJR 75): Creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state. While there’s a need for various water projects around the state, “creating fund X administered by agency Y for the benefit of entity Z” type schemes always offer the opportunity of abuse, and the principle of subsidiarity demands that local entities pay for their own damn water projects, not rely on off-general budget slush funds. Recommendation: Vote AGAINST Proposition 6.
    7. Proposition 7 (SJR 93): Providing for the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities. While Texas needs more reliable grid, I see nothing about this proposition that would prevent the fund from being used to subsidize more of the unreliable “green” energy lawmakers already seem to love subsidizing. To quote the Huffines Foundation: “Proposition 7 would increase the cost of electricity without improving the reliability of the electric grid. It would also accelerate the trend toward ending market competition and putting Texas politicians and bureaucrats in control of the Texas electricity market. Texans should reject more subsidies for electric generators and let politicians know that grid reliability should be increased by ending renewable energy subsidies.” Recommendation: Vote AGAINST Proposition 7.
    8. Proposition 8 (HJR 125): Creating the broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects. More corporate welfare for things the state shouldn’t be subsidizing. Recommendation: Vote AGAINST Proposition 8.
    9. Proposition 9 (HJR 2 from the regular session): Authorizing the 88th Legislature to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to certain annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. TFR and TTP came out as neutral. While not philosophically opposed, I suggest voting against until there’s an outside audit to confirm that none of this money is being siphoned off into ESG investing. Recommendation: Vote AGAINST Proposition 9.
    10. Proposition 10 (SJR 87): Authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation equipment or inventory held by a manufacturer of medical or biomedical products to protect the Texas healthcare network and strengthen our medical supply chain. More special interests carveouts. Vote AGAINST Proposition 10.
    11. Proposition 11 (SJR 32): Authorizing the legislature to permit conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds supported by ad valorem taxes to fund the development and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities. El Paso should pay for it’s parks out of general funds, not bonds, since parks don’t generate revenue to pay back bonds. Vote AGAINST Proposition 10.
    12. Proposition 12 (HJR 134): Providing for the abolition of the office of county treasurer in Galveston County. Normally, I’d be for anything that eliminates a government official. But there’s this from TTP: “AGAINST –The current Treasurer campaigned on a promise to eliminate his position, which prompted this legislative action. Since one less government position means less government, we initially supported this amendment. However, we then heard from many conservative activists in the Galveston area who said they don’t want the position to be dissolved because there will be no more accountability to the office and it will be handed to cronies.” I sort of believe this, since my late uncle (who ran a restaurant there) said Galveston was corrupt from top to bottom. No recommendation.
    13. Proposition 13 (HJR 107): Increasing the mandatory age of retirement for state justices and judges. AGAINST. Turnover at least offers the opportunity of breaking up entrenched power.
    14. Proposition 14 (SJR 74): Providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund to be used for the creation and improvement of state parks. More off-budget shenanigans. Vote AGAINST Proposition 12.

      15. Williamson County early voting locations can be found here. Travis County early voting locations can be found here.

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Elections, Regulation, Texas, Waste and Fraud, Welfare State | 9 Comments »