The Chronicle Editorial Board offers the following endorsements ahead of early voting (Oct. 20-31). On the ballot this fall: a tax rate increase for the city of Austin (Prop Q) and 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. In next week’s issue, we’ll print a streamlined, non-annotated version of our endorsements, which is also available now at austinchronicle.com/elections.
Prop Q: Yes ✔
Authorizes a tax increase of 5 cents per $100 of taxable property value “for the purpose of funding or expanding programs intended to increase housing affordability and reduce homelessness; improve parks and recreation facilities and services; enhance public health services and public safety; ensure financial stability; and provide for other general fund maintenance and operation expenditures.”
County taxes are going up. Utilities are going up. And the city wants us to agree to an additional $200-a-year tax increase for the average homeowner?
This one’s tough, and we’re not gonna pretend otherwise. Part of the problem is that you can’t trust the government these days, and that filters down even to our fair city. This summer, Austin leaders increased the City Council members’ budgets for lunches and travel, even as they were putting Prop Q on the ballot. Weeks later, we had the logo-gate brouhaha, with the city rolling out a new logo which pissed people off when they learned it cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to design.
But here’s the thing: The $200 a year will pay for things we desperately want. For more than a decade, Austinites have demanded that city leaders do something about homelessness. Since COVID, we’ve wanted 911 calls to be handled quicker. City leaders say – convincingly, we feel – that the Prop Q money will help solve these generational challenges. And it will also fund parks and schools and social services.
We at the Chronicle would like to think that we are neither the most trusting people in town, nor the most cynical. Either way, we’re voting for this. If we spend the money and don’t see results, maybe next time we won’t take a chance on city government. But if we don’t spend the money and homelessness gets worse and the 911 response stays slow – then what?
Constitutional Amendments
Historically, the Chronicle Editorial Board has by and large opposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. Too often, these amendments are about conservative posturing and giving the GOP something to crow about the next time they go soliciting donations. Further, we’re generally not in favor of setting in stone anything that might tie the state’s hands, fiscally, especially in these uncertain economic times. On the same ballot that Austin voters are being asked to pay more taxes to support city services, it makes little sense to us to advocate codifying tax exemptions for select groups, no matter how worthy they may be.
Prop 1: No ❌
Creates a permanent fund for the Texas State Technical College System.
We’re not convinced this 11-campus technical college should have a constitutionally protected, perpetual stream of funding over other public programs, rather than a temporary fund or grant. It’d also be hard for future legislatures to reconsider whether our public resources would be better spent on other educational needs across the state.
Prop 2: Hell No ❌ ❌
Prohibits taxes on realized and unrealized capital gains. Texas doesn’t currently tax either of these.
Capital gains taxes are on profits made from selling stocks, real estate, and other such things. Basically it’s a tax on the relatively rich. There’s no need to ban these taxes because they don’t exist in Texas, but we sure would like to see the tax burden shifted more toward the rich.
Prop 3: Hell No ❌ ❌
Judges would be allowed more latitude to deny bail to individuals accused of certain violent offenses.
This is one of those showboat amendments Republicans love to insert into elections to look tough on crime. It would give judges more options to deny bail to people accused of murder or similar offenses. But don’t judges already have that authority?, you may ask. Yeah, they do. So why don’t we just simplify things and keep the current rules in place?
Prop 4: Yes ✔
Ensures a special fund that assists in financing water projects.
This would approve $20 billion for water projects out of state tax revenue through 2047. When our state’s demand is projected to outpace how much water we actually have, Texas needs to invest in our future supply. Only, this fund should be watched toward climate responsibility – projects such as marine desalination create their own harmful waste.
Prop 5: No ❌
Would exempt animal feed from taxation when it is being stored for retail sale.
Other business owners’ inventory is taxed; we’re not convinced an exception should be made here.
Prop 6: Hell No ❌ ❌
Would prevent taxes on securities transactions. Texas doesn’t currently tax these transactions.
This is unnecessary at best. It seems safe to surmise this proposition is in response to the Texas Stock Exchange set to launch in 2026. The state wants to signal to investors in TXSE that it won’t have those pesky fees and regulations like its New York counterpart. Financial institutions, brokers, et al. don’t need our help making money.
Prop 7: Yes ✔
Would allow a property tax exemption to spouses of veterans who died from a service-related condition.
Spouses of deceased veterans killed in the line of duty already receive a property tax exemption; this expands eligibility to cover conditions like exposure to toxic substances.
Prop 8: Hell No ❌ ❌
Prohibits imposing a “death tax” on the transfer of estates, inheritances, etc. Texas doesn’t currently tax inheritances.
We see no problem in reasonably taxing folks who are inheriting multiple millions of dollars, but that’s not on the ballot – protecting multimillionaires’ beneficiaries from possible future taxation is. Beyond it being a moot point – repeat: There is no death tax in Texas – why preemptively and permanently cut off a possible future revenue stream?
Prop 9: No ❌
Increases a tax exemption for business equipment from $2,500 to $125,000.
We’re reluctant to vote against anything bringing relief to small businesses, but we fear this simply shifts the tax burden elsewhere.
Prop 10: Yes ✔
A temporary exemption from property taxes for homesteads completely destroyed by fire.
If a home is completely destroyed by a fire (or really, any natural disaster), it makes sense that they should pay less property tax for that year.
Prop 11: No ❌
Folks over 65 or disabled would be taxed less by school districts as a result of a larger homestead exemption.
While lower-income individuals would certainly benefit from this, so would higher-income individuals. And though the Lege plans to reimburse school districts for those lost funds, that presumes a healthy economy and a budget surplus.
Prop 12: Hell No ❌ ❌
Increases the number of appointees by the governor to a commission that investigates judicial misconduct.
This is meant to be an independent tribunal; the last thing we want is Abbott hand-picking seven of its 13 members and eliminating Texas Bar representation.
Prop 13: No ❌
This is the latest proposal by Texas politicians to reduce the taxes property owners pay for our local public schools.
According to its wording, Prop 13 would require the state to reimburse school districts for the revenue that will inevitably be lost if this amendment passes. But Texas Republicans have not proven to be trustworthy stewards of our public schools in recent years (see: vouchers; see: STAAR test). They’ve already cut school funding past the fat, past the muscle, deep into the bone. How about a little respect for our public schools?
Prop 14: Yes ✔
Sets aside money for research into and prevention of dementia-related illnesses.
$3 billion is a good chunk of change to devote to the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, but we believe this is money well spent – not just for the half a million Texans suffering from some form of dementia (a number certain to grow with the state’s expanding senior population) but for its potential to make Texas a leader in the field.
Prop 15: Hell No ❌ ❌
Affirms that “parents are the primary decision makers for their children.”
This language was wielded this legislative session to push learning and conversations around gender, race, and sexuality out of Texas public school classrooms and take books with diverse perspectives off of school library shelves. The Christian push for “parental rights” shouldn’t be given a constitutional foundation.
Prop 16: Hell No ❌ ❌
While you already have to be a U.S. citizen to register to vote, this spells out that non-citizens cannot vote in state or local elections.
U.S. citizenship is already required to register to vote in Texas; the very existence of this amendment is meant to legitimize conservatives’ bogus claim that there’s rampant voter fraud in Texas. This utterly unnecessary language only seeks to spell out that certain individuals are excluded from the elections that affect their own children, schools, and local community.
Prop 17: Hell No ❌ ❌
If the value of your house goes up because of the border wall, you might be able to avoid it.
If you live on the U.S/Mexico border and the wall is erected on your property you might not pay taxes on any increased value the wall adds to your home. We imagine a massive wall would have the opposite effect, but either way, we’re not about incentivizing the border wall.
Travis County Voting Info
Early Voting: Oct. 20 – Oct. 31
Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 4
Travis County voters may vote at any “vote center” (where you see a “Vote Here/Aquí” sign).
VOTER ID: Texas law requires registered voters to show one of seven forms of photo ID (current or expired by no more than four years) issued by the Texas Dept. of Public Safety or U.S. government. Voters without photo ID may vote after signing a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and providing supporting documentation. Visit votetravis.gov/voter-information/voter-id-requirements for a list of acceptable forms of ID and supporting documentation.
ADDITIONAL VOTER INFO:
EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS:
Click here to see Travis County’s interactive map with the wait times at all early voting locations.
Open Monday-Saturday, Oct. 20-25, 7am-7pm; Sunday, Oct. 26, noon-6pm; Monday-Wednesday, Oct. 27-29, 7am-7pm; Thursday-Friday, Oct. 30-31, 7am-10pm at select locations, otherwise, 7am-7pm.
There are also city elections in Bee Cave, Jarrell, Lago Vista, Leander, Pflugerville, Rollingwood, Sunset Valley, West Lake Hills, and Village of The Hills; plus school district elections in Lago Vista, Liberty Hill, Manor ISD, and Taylor.
This article appears in October 17 • 2025.
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