The state constitution could face substantial expansion if amendments supported by the 82nd state legislature are passed by voters this fall.
Gov. Rick Perry has called for 10 constitutional amendments to be placed on the Nov. 8 general election ballot, including the first constitutional amendment from state Rep. Rob Orr, R-Burleson.
House Resolution 109, by Orr, will appear on the ballot as Proposition 6. It aims to clarify the permanent school fund, allowing the General Land Office to distribute revenue from permanent school fund land or other properties to the available school fund to provide additional funding for public education. It also provides for an increase in the market value of the permanent school fund for the purpose of allowing increased distributions from the available school fund.
Approval would result in as much as $300 million annually for public education, an attempt to ease hamstrung local public school finance.
“It will benefit the school children of Texas,” Orr said. “We started to look at the fund and it turned out we needed a constitutional amendment to do this.”
He’s excited about having an idea he created advance to the ballot, but more excited that it will help public schools.
“This is a way to get more money into public education without raising taxes,” Orr said.
The amendment would call for creation of no new tax dollars and create transparency between the state board of education and the General Land Office, Orr said.
“It would also never deplete the permanent school fund,” he said.
The surviving spouse of a completely disabled veteran would get a tax break if Proposition 1 were to pass. It authorizes the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the spouse.
Voters will be asked whether to support issuance of additional general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board. Proposition 2 would provide the authority to issue bonds not to exceed $6 billion outstanding at any time.
Students would be provided the funding mechanism to attend college in Proposition 3. The amendment asks voters to weigh issuance of general obligation bonds of the state of Texas to finance educational loans.
Unproductive, underdeveloped or blighted areas could be assisted by passage of Proposition 4. The amendment would authorize the legislature to permit a county to issue bonds or notes to finance development or redevelopment of these areas, and to pledge for repayment of the bonds. The amendment does not provide authority for increasing ad valorem tax rates.
Cooperation between cities and counties with common interests could be increased by Proposition 5. It would allow cities or counties to enter into interlocal contracts with other cities or counties without the imposition of a tax or the provision of a sinking fund.
Voters will get the opportunity to decide whether 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 in Proposition 7.
Open-space taxation will also be weighed by voters. Proposition 8 asks voters to decide whether to support the appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes of open-space land devoted to water stewardship purposes on the basis of its productive capacity.
More mistakes could be wiped clean from criminal records, if voters support Proposition 9. The amendment would authorize the governor to grant a pardon to a person who successfully completes a term of deferred adjudication community supervision.
Election and length-of-service law would be weighed by voters in Proposition 10. The amendment would change the length of the unexpired term that causes the automatic resignation of certain elected county or district officeholders if they become candidates for another office.
By BRIAN PORTER burlesonstar@thestargroup.com