Early voting for the next #Texas general election begins in 2 days (Oct 23, 2023). For #Houston residents, the biggest ballot item will electing our next Mayor. Equally important, but perhaps lesser known are all 5 city council seats, which are up for re-election.
The ballot can be pretty overwhelming. There are 25 total races to vote on (for my ballot at least). In an effort to educate myself before showing up, I spent about 2 hours reviewing and researching every item on the ballot.
In this 🧵 I'll break down my choice for each vote and why.
A quick note — Not all of the races in my ballot will be in yours. Even if you live in #Houston!
Ballot races are by address. To find out what's on your ballot, go to vote411.org and enter your address. Fill out the voter guide and at the end it'll let you print out your answers to take with you on voting day.
Prop 1: Right to Farm
A solid argument for is making agriculture more accessible and thus reduce food costs. While I appreciate lowering my grocery bill, I believe we are already under regulated when it comes to the treatment of livestock and chemicals allowed in our food.
Prop 2: Lower Property Taxes for Child Care Centers
This bill subsidizes property owners, not child care center owners. When is the last time your landlord lowered your rent? If you want to subsidize child care, subsidize child care.
Prop 3: Prohibit Wealth Taxes
Texas does not have a wealth tax, an income tax, or an estate tax. This bill is created by rich people to help them stay rich.
Prop 4: Increased Homestead Exemption
There's a lot going on in this bill. I'm a homeowner. A homestead exemption from $40k to $100k is significant. This would naturally reduce money being sent to schools, but they've accounted for this by earmarking legislature spending. I also got fucked this year by an appraisal board of old farts, this would enforce election cycles for 3/9 members. I'm good with that....
Prop 4: Increased Homestead Exemption (continued)
... My big gripe here is that even more school budget will be owned by the state. This will probably be a slippery slope to set schools up with less funding in the future.
I vote YES/FOR. But that last gripe is eating at me. Maybe someone can change my mind.
Prop 5: Research Grant Funding to More Texas Universities
I like funding schools. I like it even more knowing it's going to research grants, not a football stadium.
Prop 7: Texas Energy Fund
Instead of more renewable energy projects, this bill is putting more money into the same gas-powered power plants that failed us in 2021's freeze.
Oh and didn't we deregulate energy in Texas? What happened to letting the markets take care of themselves?
Prop 8: Rural High Speed Internet
Same energy (hah) as Prop 7. More stipends for private companies to do public services projects. I don't hate this as much though. Without a fund like this, AT&T would never build infrastructure in less profitable counties. Access to high speed internet also has positive downstream impacts to education.
Prop 10: Remove Property Taxes on Medical Inventory
I don't know much about this at all. Ballotpedia seems to show bipartisan support. I doubt the inventory value is high enough to be a significant impact to local tax revenues.
Prop 11: Funding by Bonds for Parks in El Paso
I don't live in El Paso. Never been to El Paso. Not sure why the entire state of Texas is voting for a bill that only affects El Paso. I'm definitely for parks, but this isn't my decision. I can't find any evidence of what the people of El Paso thinks of this.
Prop 12: Abolish County Treasure Office in Galveston
Another one of these votes for counties I don't live in. There's a county treasurer on each side of the ballot, both Republican. No evidence again of what the people of Galveston county thinks.
Prop 13: Raise Retirement Age of State Judges
Raises retirement age from 75 to 79. Mitch McConnell is 81 and I'm not sure he knows where he physically is half the time.
Harris Health Bond Election, Proposition A: Funding to Improve County Hospitals
For many people living in Houston, Ben Taub and LBJ are their only recourse for healthcare.
City of Houston, Ballot Issue A: Allows City Council Members to Add Agenda Items
I get that there are a lot of agenda items to go through, but this feels like bikeshedding. Not going to think about this too much.
City of Houston, City Controller
Orlando Sanchez: Thinks bicycle lanes are a waste of money. Wants METRO to build a single parking garage to solve all of Texas Medical Center's parking issues. No thanks.
Dave Martin: Doesn't seem to have an opinion on issues on his website.
Shannan Nobles: Most concerned about balancing the budget.
...
City of Houston, City Controller (Continued)
Chris Hollins: Tackling a lot of broad issues. Many of which seem a little out of scope for a city controller, but he seems to be involved in a lot of city things.
Chris Hollins looks like a person who is here for a lot more than just an elected seat.
City of Houston, Council Member, At-Large Position 1
Too many candidates to break down individually. On issues alone, it's between Melanie Miles and Leah Wolfthal. Both of whom are concerned with tackling affordable housing and better public transportation infrastructure. Slight edge to Miles.
City of Houston, Council Member, At-Large Position 2
Too many candidates to break down individually. Obes is the only candidate to even mention public transit.
City of Houston, Council Member, At-Large Position 4
Letitia Plummer and John Branch Jr. were the only candidates to share real answers on the issues they care about. Edge to Plummer.
City of Houston, Council Member, At-Large Position 5
Rigo Hernandez is the only candidate to mention public transit. J. Brad Batteau's answers on the issues seem a little green.
City of Houston, Council Member, District C
This is my district. There are really only 2 candidates. Incumbent Abbie Kamin and Perata Bradley. The 3rd candidate hasn't answered any questions. Perata seems a little green and her answers on issues seem to show it.
...
City of Houston, Council Member, District C (Continued)
... Abbie seems to be a shoe-in. She knows what she's talking about and is speaking directly to the 1%ers in the District. Tough call. Neither of them are addressing issues I care about, but I'd like to give the greener Perata a shot.
That's a wrap. Here's a cheat sheet of my ballot selections that I'm taking with me on voting day. Obviously, make your own informed decisions, but if you like my choices feel free to steal.
If there is something I'm missing about any of my ballot decisions, I'd love to hear it. Please be civil.
Go vote ya'll!
Edit: I am voting John Whitmire for mayor due to recent evidence of Sheila Jackson Lee’s treatment of staff.
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