To make well-informed votes educate yourselves on the proposed changes
By State Rep. Todd Hunter
AUSTIN Texas (Texas Insider Report) On Tuesday November 5th as well as during early voting which has already begun the residents of Texas have the ability to vote on ten proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. The ten amendments were introduced by legislators in the 86th Legislative Session.
Over the next few weeks we will continue to review each proposed amendment and this week we will review the next three propositions.
Proposition 4: Prohibiting a state individual income tax.
The wording on the ballot will be:
- The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual income tax including a tax on an individuals share of partnership and unincorporated association income."
Although the Texas Constitution already requires a proposed income tax be approved by voters in a referendum it does not explicitly prohibit such a tax. This proposition would make it clear once and for all that the state could not impose an individual income tax.
Proposition 5: Dedicating sporting goods sales tax revenue to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Historical Council (THC).
The wording on the ballot will be:
- The constitutional amendment dedicating the revenue received from the existing state sales and use taxes that are imposed on sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission to protect Texas natural areas water quality and history by acquiring managing and improving state and local parks and historic sites while not increasing the rate of the state sales and use taxes."
This proposition would allow automatically appropriating the net revenue received each state fiscal year from the collection of the sporting goods sales tax to the TPWD and the THC. The proposition would define sporting goods" as items of tangible personal property designed and sold for use in a sport or sporting activity excluding apparel and footwear except that which is suitable only for use in a sport or sporting activity.
If approved by voters Proposition 5 would take effect September 1 2021 and would apply only to state tax revenue collected on or after that date.
Proposition 6: Increasing CPRITs bond authority from $3 billion to $6 billion.
The wording on the ballot will be:
- The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase by $3 billion the maximum bond amount authorized for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas."
The Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) provides grants to support institutions of learning advanced medical research facilities and other entities in finding the causes of all types of human cancer and developing cures from lab research and clinical trials.
As of February 2019 CPRIT had awarded about 1300 grants totaling $2.2 billion to about 100 academic institutions nonprofits and public companies.
If approved this proposition would increase the maximum amount of general obligation bonds the Texas Public Finance Authority could provide for issue and sell on behalf of CPRIT from $3 billion to $6 billion.
Educate yourself & make well-informed votes
To make well-informed votes we must educate ourselves on the changes proposed.
- For more information on these propositions please visit https://hro.house.texas.gov/pdf/focus/amend86.pdf.
- This site includes more Details & Specifics on each Amendment.
- You will also have access to the arguments For & Against each Amendment on this website as well.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned above please dont hesitate to call my Capitol or District Offices. As always my offices are available at any time to assist you with Constituent Services questions concerns or comments (Capitol Office: 512-463-0672; District Office: 361-949-4603).
And feel free to contact my office if you have questions or issues regarding any Texas State Agency.
Texas State Representative Todd Hunter represents Texas House District 32 covering Aransas Calhoun Nueces (Part) & San Patricio Counties. He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.texas.gov or at 512-463-0672.
