The Texas Constitutional Amendment took place November 2, with eight propositions up for a vote on the ballot. NBC DFW stated that these amendments hold more explicit language and less political lingo. According to the University of Texas Government Professor Zach Elkins, there was also less discussion of political topics as a whole this year.
“What’s different also is that there are very few propositions related to taxes,” Elkins said. “You might remember the one from two years ago outlawing income tax and that brought a lot of people to the polls. I feel like these are a little less political, a little less controversial than they have been.”
The 2021 Ballot
What amendments did Dallas residents vote on in the November 2 election?
Proposition 1, also referred to as HJR 143, would allow sports teams sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to hold charity raffles at rodeo events/venues.
Passed: Yes
Proposition 2, also referred to as HJR 99, authorizes counties to fund the development/re-development of an underdeveloped area as well as pledge to repay bonds on property tax revenues on property in that area. This amendment offers a county that issues bonds more than 65 percent of an increase in ad valorem tax revenue each year [a tax based on the assessed value of an item].
Passed: Yes
Proposition 3, also referred to as SJR 27, is an amendment that prohibits Texas [or a political subdivision of Texas] from barring or limiting the services of religious organizations. NBC DFW reported that an executive order by Abbott restricted how many people could be in public gatherings which included religious ceremonies. This amendment would make religious groups exempt from the executive order.
Passed: Yes
Proposition 4, also known as, SJR 47, is a constitutional amendment that changes the eligibility for the Texas Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, Court of Appeals and District Judge. According to Ballotpedia, Proposition 4 changes the required 10 years of experience as a lawyer/judge to 10 years as a Texas licensed lawyer or judge at a state or county court to be a Justice of the Supreme Court, the court of criminal appeals or court of appeals.
Passed: Yes
Proposition 5, also known as, HJR 165, is a constitutional amendment that allows the state commission on judicial conduct to only take complaints or reports from people who are candidates for judicial office, as opposed to just those who already hold a position in the judicial office.
Passed: Yes
Proposition 6, also referred to as SJR 19, is a constitutional amendment that offered assisted living residents the right to designate a caregiver for in-person visitation. According to NBC DFW, amid pandemic conditions, people who were in assisted living housing could not have visitors for months on end. This would permit at least one family member to be present with them.
Passed: Yes
Proposition 7, also known as HJR 125, is a constitutional amendment that allows the surviving partner of a disabled child to receive a limited school district ad valorem tax [a tax based on the assessed value of an item] on their residence if their spouse was 55 or older at the time of death.
Passed: Yes
Proposition 8, also referred to as SJR 35, is a constitutional amendment that allows the legislature to offer exemptions from the ad valorem tax for all/part of the market value for the home of the surviving spouse of a member of the U.S. armed forces who is killed/fatally wounded in duty.
Passed: Yes
Glenn Heights City Council
Glenn Heights City Council Place 1 [Unopposed]
Sonja A. Brown: Won by 100 percent of the vote
Glenn Heights City Council Place 3
Travis Bruton: Won 77 percent of the vote
Glenn Heights City Council Place 5 [Unopposed]
Shaunte L. Allen: Won 100 percent of the vote
Highland Park ISD Proposition A
Proposition A provides a compensation increase for teachers and staff using four golden pennies [tax revenue that is not subject to recapture [tax revision that allows the IRS to collect Taxes on the profitable sale of assets by the State of Texas].
Passed: Yes
Mesquite City Council & Mayor
Mesquite Mayor
Dan Aleman: Won 61 percent of the vote
Mesquite City Council PIace 1
Jeff Casper: Won 44 percent of the vote
Mesquite City Council Place 2
Kenny Green: Won 80 percent of the vote
Mesquite City Council Place 3
Jennifer Viddler: Won 46 percent of the vote
Mesquite City Council Place 4
Tandy Boroughs: 52 percent
Mesquite City Council Place 5
B.W. Smith: 62 percent
Mesquite City Council Place 6
Debbie Anderson: 51 percent
Mesquite Mayor
Dan Aleman: 61 percent
Dallas Proposition Results
Lewisville Proposition A (Denton, Dallas Counties) adds another seat to their City Council, making a total of six. This would change the number of council members that need to be present to dictate a majority. This is tied to a proposed annexation of the Castle Hills community later this year.
Passed: Yes
Mesquite Proposition A (Denton, Dallas Counties)
According to the city of Mesquite, proposition A allows a homeowner to pay $10 more per month in city taxes, depending on the average property value. The tax rate does not impact homeowners who qualify under the Homestead Exemption [for those age 65 or older] with their property appraiser.
Passed: Yes
Richardson Proposition A – Street Improvements (Dallas, Collin Counties)
According to Community Impact, a part of a proposal package by Richardson, proposition A focuses on traffic infrastructure; it will fix at least 15 traffic signals, adding four more as well. The proposition will also be funding work on Mckinney street and Glenville Drive.
Passed: Yes
Richardson Proposition B – Public Buildings (Dallas, Collin Counties)
According to Community Impact, proposition B will be allocating a $64 million budget to the renovation of the Richardson Public Library, City Hall, Fire Station No. 5 and the Richardson Animal Shelter.
Passed: Yes
Richardson Proposition C – Sidewalks (Dallas, Collin Counties)
According to Community Impact, proposition C will for sidewalk work, distributing $8.5 million toward residential [$7.2 million] and commercial areas [$1.2 million].
Passed: Yes
Richardson Proposition D – Flood Control (Dallas, Collin Counties)
According to Community Impact, proposition D will distribute an $8 million dollar budget towards drainage for the West fork Cottonwood Creek [$6.2 million] detention basin and Erosion Projects for Prairie, Huffines and Chestnut Creek [$1.6 million].
Passed: Yes
Richardson Proposition E – Parks (Dallas, Collin Counties)
According to Community Impact, proposition E is putting $7.5 million towards playground redevelopment [$3 million], Glenville property activation [$2.75 million], Apollo property activation [$1 million] and enacting the first phase of the Breckinridge Park playground relocation.
Passed: Yes
Sachse Proposition A – Street Improvements (Dallas, Collin Counties)
According to Sachse news, proposition A is distributing $23.3 million for phases 2 and 3 of Sachse’s Road Plan.
Passed: Yes
Sachse Proposition B – Street Improvements [Dallas, Collin Counties]
According to Sachse news, proposition B will be allocating $20.6 million to rebuild Bailey-Hooper Road as well as highway 78 to Sachse Road.
Passed: Yes
Sachse Proposition C– Street Improvements [Dallas, Collin Counties]
According to Sachse news, proposition C allocates $5 million to street, drainage, sideway work and intersection renovations.
Passed: Yes
Sachse Proposition D– Animal Shelter [Dallas, Collin Counties]
According to Sachse news, proposition D will be paying out $5 million towards designing and building an animal shelter for Sachse.
Passed: Yes
Wylie Proposition A– Street Improvements [Dallas, Collin Counties]
According to Wylie Texas. Gov, proposition A will be allocating $35 million towards the expansion and reconstruction of McMillen Dr., Park Blvd. and S. Ballard Ave. /Sachse Rd.
Passed: Yes
Wylie Proposition B– Street Improvements [Dallas, Collin Counties]
According to Wylie Texas. Gov, proposition B will be putting $10 million towards street and alley repair.
Passed: Yes
Wylie Proposition C– Street Improvements [Dallas, Colin counties]
According to Wylie Texas. Gov, proposition C will be putting $5 million in funds towards improving Wylie’s Historic Downtown District. Wylie Texas. Gov stated that the renovative work could include repairing, reconstructing and expanding streets, thoroughfares, alleys and sidewalks.
Passed: Yes