Environmental Democrats reject Prop A

Members of Austin Environmental Democrats have decided on endorsements for the Nov. 2 election. The group voted decisively against Proposition A, which its sponsors hope will lead to hiring considerably more police officers. The vote on Prop A showed nearly 90 percent of the group in opposition. On the other hand, nearly 90 percent of those voting cast ballots in favor of endorsing Proposition B. The lesser-known proposition would authorize the city to exchange nine acres of parkland on Lakeshore Boulevard for at least 48 acres of waterfront land contiguous to a city park, plus the cost of constructing a new maintenance facility on other city-owned land, among other things. The group also endorsed state of Texas propositions 7 and 8, but strongly opposed Prop 3. That constitutional amendment would “prohibit the state or a political subdivision of the state from prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations,” which undoubtedly relates to Covid-19 closures. Nearly 72 percent of those voting rejected that amendment. Proposition 7 would allow the surviving spouse of a disabled person “to receive a limitation on the school district ad valorem taxes on the spouse’s residential homestead if the spouse is 55 years of age or older ….” Prop 8 would authorize the Legislature to provide a tax exemption for the homestead of a surviving spouse of a member of the U.S. armed forces killed or fatally injured in the line of duty. The group took no position on the other proposed constitutional amendments.