The Galveston County Daily News

The proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot offer at least a couple of good reasons to get out to vote Tuesday. Here’s how we would mark the ballots for each proposition.

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1) Would allow a city or county to issue bonds for buffer areas around military bases. The buffers could be used to allow the bases to expand and to allow for future roadways and utility easements into a military installation.

Vote: For

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2) Would limit the value of a residence homestead to its value as a residence, regardless of whether the property would have a taxable higher value if used for other purposes. Homesteads are virtually sacred in Texas and should be. If your home is your home, it should be valued as such, regardless of whether it would have a higher taxable value if you sold it to developers of high-rise condos.

Vote: For

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3) Would require the legislature to provide for “uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes.” The argument for uniformity is that the different standards allow for lower appraisals in some counties than in others. Translation: Folks in some parts of the state, such as those in the Houston school district, aren’t contributing as much to the support of public schools.

Vote: For

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4) Would establish a fund to allow emerging universities — that is, those that don’t involve Aggies and Longhorns — to develop their capacities for research. This is one of the genuinely good ideas on the ballot.

Vote: For

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5) Would allow for a single appraisal review board for two or more adjoining appraisal districts. This one is aimed at helping rural, sparsely settled counties that are having a hard time finding candidates.

Vote: For

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6) Would allow the Texas Veterans Land Board to authorize bonds without having to go back continuously to voters to fund a program to help veterans buy homesteads. As authorized bonds are retired, the board would be allowed to use that debt capacity to reissue bonds without having to go back to the voters. This program is one of the real benefits Texas awards its veterans. But one of the reasons it has such as good record is that it is accountable to voters, who, incidentally, have always supported these bonds. We love the program, but voters should, just as a matter of principle, reserve the right to vote on debt.

Vote: Against

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7) Would allow members of the Texas State Guard or other members of a military force to hold civil office. This corrects an oversight. Military officers, including those in the National Guard, already are exempt from a constitutional ban on holding more than one civil office for which the person receives compensation.

Vote: For

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8) Would allow the state to contribute toward veterans hospitals, which are operated by the federal government. Veterans hospitals are a federal, rather than a state, responsibility. But combining state funds with federal funds would allow some expansion of facilities and care. Texas has nine hospitals and 1.7 million veterans. The state should help to the extent it can.

Vote: For

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9) Is another attempt to define what is a public beach and restates the right of the public to the beach. We’ve written about this before. Beaches should belong to the public.

Vote: For

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10) Would set the terms of members of the boards of emergency services districts at four years. Directors elected to two-year terms govern these districts. The argument is that four-year terms would result in more stability. The flip side of that argument is that change would result in less accountability. Members of the Texas House have to face the voters every two years. Emergency district directors should too.

Vote: Against

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11) Is an attempt to restrict the use of eminent domain and would specifically prohibit the transfer of the taken property to a private person or company for the purposes of economic development. Texans are traditionally cautious about the use of eminent domain and should be.

Vote: For

That’s how we’d mark our ballot. Our best advice, though, is to be sure to exercise your right to vote.