Nine constitutional amendments graced the Texas ballot this year. A handy guide on the arguements for or against them can be found here. UPDATE: Results are found here
Prop 1. Creates a fund in the state treasury for Texas railroad relocation and improvement
Christopher says: AGAINST. More state spending = bad. The arguments for are highly speculative, like better public safety. PASSED (54%-46%)
Prop. 2 Defines marriage as a union only between one man and one woman
Christopher says: FOR. This is the hot ticket item. Although I have enough libertarian beliefs, I don't think gays should raise kids, so I don't see why gays need to get married. PASSED (76%-24%)
Prop. 3 Clarifies that certain economic development programs do not constitute a debt.
Christopher says: FOR. This was slightly confusing to unsuspecting voter, but the arguments against weren't at all convincing. PASSED (52%-48%)
Prop. 4 Adds a provision to consider previous violations of release when a defendant in a felony case is up for bail at a later hearing
Christopher says: FOR. It just makes common sense, that if a defendant has fleed before he might again and that is worth considering. The arguements are really poking at straws, including one that "gives too much power to judges" (to be discussed below). PASSED (85%-15%)
Prop. 5 Allows the Texas Legislature, which regulates the interest rates of all loans, to create exemptions to interest rate ceilings, specifically for the commercial loan industry
Christopher says: FOR. 46 other states already do not regulate rates and the world isn't ending. The arguments against worry about borrower protection, but these are commercial loans. If you are going to start a business and get a loan, you should be responsible enough to review the terms and conditions. If you can't, hire a lawyer. REJECTED (43%-57%)
Prop. 6 Increases the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct (SCJC) from 11 to 13 members and eliminates current restrictions on geographic location of public members
Christopher says: AGAINST. Why do they need 2 more? More importantly, geographical domination could happen. In a state that is 70% conservative, liberal enclaves could gain excessive representative. PASSED (63%-37%)
Prop. 7 Authorizes senior homeowners to take line-of-credit advances under a reverse mortgage
Christopher says: FOR. Why not? The arguments against are "nannyish" in nature. Seniors should be allowed to make decisions on their own. PASSED (60%-40%)
Prop. 8 Releases the state’s right to claim ownership of 4,600 acres of land in Upshur County and 950 acres of land in Smith County.
Christopher says: FOR. It sounds like government pulled this ownership out of their rear and 1000+ people stand to lose out. One of the arguments against, "that it should be left up to the courts, not voters" is a likely liberal arguement, but it is contradiction to the earlier liberal arguement on bail which worried that "too much power would be given to judges." PASSED (61%-39%)
Prop. 9 Changes terms for Regional Mobility Authority (RMA) board members from two-year terms to staggered, six-year terms
Christopher says: AGAINST. Members voting themselves longers terms? I don't like the sound of that. I'm not even sure what the RMA does....but the longer the term, the worse the corruption. REJECTED (47%-53%)
UPDATE: I was 6 of 9 on the proposals. On prop 5 maybe it wasn't a bad thing it failed. It could be that it's never a good thing to take off a cap like that. It's like prop 9, it's never a good thing extend politicans terms or prop 1 let the state spend more money.
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