Young Chamber recommendations on State Prop 2 and City of Austin Prop A

On November 2, 2021 and in the weeks of early voting, Austin-area voters will have the opportunity to vote on ten ballot propositions.

The Austin Young Chamber encourages all young professionals, and all voters, to learn more about each proposition and cast your ballot.

The Austin Young Chamber recommends the following positions and resources in alignment with our Policy Priorities:

BALLOT INFORMATION & RECOMMENDATIONS:
Voters are being asked to consider changes to the Texas Constitution – see ballot language here. Additionally, Austinites will be asked to vote on two propositions as part of a special election – see ballot language here.

• Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the professional sports team charitable foundations of organizations sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to conduct charitable raffles at rodeo venues.”
• Background: Should this proposition pass, certain professional sports teams sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association would be allowed to hold charitable raffles at rodeo venues.

Although a stance was considered, this proposition does not fall within the scope of our Policy Priorities. Austin Young Chamber makes no recommendation and encourages you to conduct research into the impact of this ballot proposition.

• Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment authorizing a county to finance the development or redevelopment of transportation or infrastructure in unproductive, underdeveloped, or blighted areas in the county.”
• Background: TRZs are a special type of funding source created by the state to help fund infrastructure projects. Historically, TRZs were only available to certain counties under very specific criteria. Their use and applicable circumstances have gradually increased over time. Should this proposition pass, this proposition would level the playing field and make this tool available to ALL counties, including Travis county. While not every project will be the right fit for our community, we support adding this tool to the funding toolbox. Importantly, TRZ funding still requires public hearings to ensure local accountability. We encourage the community to stay engaged on specific TRZ funding opportunities to ensure responsible use of taxpayer funds.

Austin Young Chamber recommends a YES vote. This proposition is in alignment with the Austin Young Chamber Policy Priorities, specifically in our focus on addressing transportation infrastructure needs.

• Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment to prohibit this state or a political subdivision of this state from prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations.”
• Background: Should this proposition pass, no state, city, county or other political subdivision would be able to prohibit or limit religious services or religious organizations.

Although a stance was considered, this proposition does not fall within the scope of our Policy Priorities. Austin Young Chamber makes no recommendation and encourages you to conduct research into the impact of this ballot proposition.

• Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment changing the eligibility requirements for a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a justice of a court of appeals, and a district judge.”
• Background: Should this proposition pass, changes to eligibility requirements for a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a justice of a court of appeals, and a district judge would be as follows:
  • requires candidates to be residents of Texas as well as citizens of the United States;
  • requires 10 years of experience in Texas as a practicing lawyer or judge of a state or county court for candidates of the supreme court, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, or a court of appeals;
  • requires 8 years of experience in Texas as a practicing lawyer or judge of a state or county court for candidates of a district court;
  • disqualifies candidates if their license to practice law was revoked or suspended during experience requirement; and
  • applies these requirements to individuals elected or appointed to a term beginning after January 1, 2025.

Although a stance was considered, this proposition does not fall within the scope of our Policy Priorities. Austin Young Chamber makes no recommendation and encourages you to conduct research into the impact of this ballot proposition.

• Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment providing additional powers to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct with respect to candidates for judicial office.”
• Background: Should this proposition pass, charges that can currently only be brought against official judges can be applied to candidates for said positions.

Although a stance was considered, this proposition does not fall within the scope of our Policy Priorities. Austin Young Chamber makes no recommendation and encourages you to conduct research into the impact of this ballot proposition.

• Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment establishing a right for residents of certain facilities to designate an essential caregiver for in-person visitation.”
• Background: Should this proposition pass, a resident of an assisted living facility, can designate an essential caregiver- a family member or other outside caregiver, who is permitted to visit the resident following screenings outlined by the Health and Human Services Commission.

Although a stance was considered, this proposition does not fall within the scope of our Policy Priorities. Austin Young Chamber makes no recommendation and encourages you to conduct research into the impact of this ballot proposition.

• Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment to allow the surviving spouse of a person who is disabled to receive a limitation on the school district ad valorem taxes on the spouse’s residence homestead if the spouse is 55 years of age or older at the time of the person’s death.”
• Background: Should this proposition pass, the homestead exemption of a person 65 or older or disabled transfers to their spouse on death. This includes a total of $35,000 exemption and a transfer of the tax ceiling on the primary residence.

Although a stance was considered, this proposition does not fall within the scope of our Policy Priorities. Austin Young Chamber makes no recommendation and encourages you to conduct research into the impact of this ballot proposition.

• Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide 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 member of the armed services of the United States who is killed or fatally injured in the line of duty.”
• Background: Should this proposition pass, a surviving spouse of a member of the armed services killed in the line of duty, will have a total exemption and pay $0 in property tax.

Although a stance was considered, this proposition does not fall within the scope of our Policy Priorities. Austin Young Chamber makes no recommendation and encourages you to conduct research into the impact of this ballot proposition.

• Ballot Language: “Shall a petitioned ordinance be approved to enhance public safety and police oversight, transparency and accountability by adding new chapter 2-16 to establish minimum standards for the police department to ensure effective public safety and protect residents and visitors to Austin, and prescribing minimal requirements for achieving the same, at an estimated cost of $271.5 million – $598.8 million over five years?”
• Background: This proposition would require the Austin Police Department (APD) to hire additional staff and maintain a minimum number of officers for every 1000 residents. The estimated cost of this proposition is $271.5 million – $598.8 million over five years, on top of a record setting APD budget presently set for 2021-2022. To fund this investment, the city would need to raise taxes and/or cut programs and budgets from other city departments such as the Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Libraries, Arts or Parks. See the City of Austin’s Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget here.

Austin Young Chamber recommends a NO vote. Austin Young Chamber believes the cost of this proposition would divert resources from the City of Austin budget that address other priority issues within the Austin Young Chamber Policy Priorities.

• Ballot Language: Shall the City Council be authorized to convey or lease approximately 9 acres of parkland currently used as the Central Maintenance Complex (CMC) located at 2525 S. Lakeshore Blvd. through a public bidding process, where the total value of the bid is equal to or greater than the appraised fair market value of CMC, in exchange for at a minimum: 1) at least 48 acres of waterfront land contiguous to an existing City park; and 2) the cost or construction of a new maintenance facility for the Parks and Recreation Department on other city-owned land; and 3) partial or full funding for the removal of Fiesta Gardens’ existing maintenance facility and restoration of that land to parkland?
• Background: The City of Austin is required to receive voter approval to sell parkland. The City seeks to sell current city-owned land to gain parkland and a maintenance facility. Based on the location of this land on S. Lakeshore Blvd., it is likely Oracle will try to purchase the land, though there will be a public bidding process to complete the sale.

Although a stance was considered, this proposition does not fall within the scope of our Policy Priorities. Austin Young Chamber makes no recommendation.