Local balloters agree with state in passing amendments

The seven constitutional amendments proposed by the 84th Texas Legislature sailed through approval by voters statewide as well as here at home on Tuesday, Nov. 3, bringing to 491 the number approved since 1876.

Local approval did not come from a large number of registered voters. Turnout was 16.25 percent in Burnet County and 17.66 percent in Llano County. Statewide figures are not made available from the Texas Secretary of State until all votes are canvassed officially.

The most closely followed local election was the countywide local option on liquor sales, approved by 78.28 percent of the voters in Burnet County. The results were 3,311 votes for to 1,031 votes – or 23.74 percent – against.

The approval came on the heels of a concentrated effort by the Burnet County Committee for Economic Growth that touted the potential of $34.1 million in annual spending, more than 300 jobs and a $771,565 increase in local sales taxes. Still at question is whether approval supersedes local city ordinances.

Also in Burnet County was consideration of a local sales tax for the support of Emergency Service District 9. Of 358 votes cast, 212, or 59.22 percent, said yes and 148, 40.78 percent, said no. The unincorporated area previously collected only the state's 6.25 cents on sales and approval of an additional 2 cents brings the total to 8.25 cents.

That could mean as much as $200,000 annually for training and support of emergency medical personnel.

A single vote rubber stamped a number of items on the Burnet County ballot. They were the four propositions establishing Burnet County Municipal Utility District 1 and its five board members: Allan Brandt, Allen Cowden, Jeffrey McDowell, Jon Snyder and Keenan Wilson.

The 27 voters in the Chisholm Trail Special Utility District (SUD), that serves primarily Williamson Bell and a bit of Burnet County, local voters followed suit with the rest of the SUD, approving Mike Sweeney and Sheila Cunningham with 10 and 9 votes respectively.

In the Constitutional Amendment voters in Burnet and Llano Counties were, in most cases somewhat more generous with their approval than statewide. As in the rest of the state, the only substantial hesitancy was reflected in totals for Propositions 3 and 4.

Proposition 3 overturned the requirement that statewide officials live in Austin, supported by 66 percent of voters statewide. The vote in Burnet and Llano Counties was 65 percent and more than 69 percent, respectively. As a result not even the attorney general, the comptroller or commissioners of land and agriculture will have to live in the capital city.

Proposition 4, approved by 69 percent of voters statewide, allows charitable foundations of professional sports teams to conduct charity raffles that split money between winners and a charity at stadiums. In Burnet County, 64 percent of voters said yes. In Llano County, it was 65 percent.