*** bring this sheet to the polling place with you ***
These recommendations were agreed upon by the members of the Waco Chapter of Mothers for Democracy at our 9/25/25 meeting. You may come to a different conclusion. Vote your conscience; this is only a guide.
2025 Ballot Propositions - Texas Constitutional Amendments
Proposition 1 - Texas State Technical College System capital fund NO
- Limited to capital needs, not programs
- Would go around the lege’s appropriation process
- Would allow governor to award lucrative construction contracts to donors
Proposition 2 - prohibits any capital gains tax ever NO
- Great for the super wealthy
- No such tax is proposed, but what if TX gets in bad financial straits? Then the lege couldn’t tax the super rich
Proposition 3 - requires judges to deny bail under certain circumstances NO
- This would remove judges’ discretion
- Would affect low and middle income persons who need to be out on bail to work
- Would result in low and middle income people being imprisoned without a trial
Proposition 4 - part of sales and use taxes would go to Texas water fund YES
- TX needs more investment in its water fund than this, but it’s a good start
Proposition 5 - exempts animal feed from ad valorem taxes LEAN YES
- Would make animal feed more affordable for TX farmers and ranchers
- Might be used to help big ag, but no one has figured out how it would help big ag more than smaller producers
Proposition 6 - prohibits any tax on securities ever NO
- Great for the super wealthy, who can afford to invest in stocks and bonds
- No such tax is proposed, but what if TX gets in bad financial straits? Then the lege couldn’t tax the super rich
Proposition 7 - authorizes lege to provide homestead exemption for surviving spouse of a veteran who dies of a service-related condition or disease YES
- Supports veterans
- Limited application, although it will raise local taxes for others
Proposition 8 - prohibits any estate taxes ever NO
- Great for the super wealthy
- No such tax is proposed, but what if TX gets in bad financial straits? Then the lege couldn’t tax the super rich
Proposition 9 - authorizes lege to exempt $125,000 in valuation of income-producing property NO
- Really great for wealthy and agribusiness
- Would increase the tax burden on others because local tax rates would rise
Proposition 10 - authorizes lege to provide temporary exemption for valuation of improvement after a house fire YES
- This exemption would be only temporary and for limited circumstances
- This is Texas being nice
Proposition 11 - authorizes lege to increase valuation exemption for homestead for elderly or disabled NO
- Lege should help elderly and disabled, but not only those who are homeowners
- Would make local tax burden fall on those who are already paying a lot
- Exemptions already exist
Proposition 12 - modifies the State Commission on Judicial Conduct NO
- Puts the governor in charge of appointments to the Commission on Judicial Conduct, thus politicizing the judicial discipline process
- Current process has a majority of judges on the Commission; judges know better what truly constitutes judicial misconduct
Proposition 13 - increases homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 NO
- Burden of local taxation would fall on renters and business owners
- Local taxation rates would rise
Proposition 14 - establishes Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas YES
- Similar to the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas
Proposition 15 - affirms that parents are the primary decision makers for their children NO
- Unnecessary; in law parents already have such rights
Proposition 16 - any voter must be a citizen of the United States NO
- Unnecessary; both state and federal law limits the right to vote to United States citizens
Proposition 17 - authorizes the lege to exempt border security structures from taxation NO
- Shifts the local tax burden to other taxpayers
- There are already too many limited exemptions from taxation; lege should provide broad based tax relief