Thursday, November 8, 2007

ALL AMENDMENT VOTES TALLIED: PROPOSITION 12 RINGS UP 63 PERCENT

Since many TGR members and friends are serious numbers mavens, we have compiled a list of the top 25 Texas counties in voter participation in yesterday's constitutional amendment election. All 16 proposals passed. Proposition12 wound up with 665, 308 for (62.6) and 397, 293 against (37.3). In the top 25 counties, the $5 billion highway passed in every instance, with outstanding showings in Dallas (77), Jefferson (74), Collin, Denton, Tarrant and Tom Green (all 71) and Nueces (70). The smallest percentage margin was in usually highway friendly Williamson County, which did defeat both the Proposition 4 bonds (parks,etc) and the cancer bonds. Of course with 254 counties, there were a few that did reject the bonds but a quick look has uncovered just a handful.

Download the Top 25 List

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

TEXANS STRONGLY ENDORSE FIVE BILLION IN HIGHWAY BONDS

Some 63 percent of Texans voted yes to Proposition 12 in yesterday's light turnout for the state constitutional amendment election. Prop. 12 authorizes the issuance of up to $5 billion in general obligation bonds for highway improvements. The next session of the Texas Legislature (convening in January 2009) will fill in the details on the amendment that was authored by Senator John Carona of Dallas, chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security. All other amendments passed, with the highest number of voters participating in the $3 billion for cancer research that garnered 61 percent.

During the last 90 days TGR has worked closely with TxDOT leaders, elected officials and community leaders to publicize Proposition 12. A special tip of the hat to all members of the Commission: Chairman Ric Williamson, Hope Andrade, Ted Houghton, Ned Holmes and Fred Underwood all of whom appeared at TGR events to shed more light on the Department's dire financial situation. TGR President Howard Cowan and scores of other TGR leaders were instrumental in this effort, which will be explored more fully in a future publication.