Mayor wins shot at four more years

Bingo is a go in county

Future terms for Uvalde mayors will extend four years, the same length of time as Uvalde City Council representatives serve, and bingo is now legal across Uvalde County.

Those measures, as well as nine of the proposed 10 amendments to the Texas Constitution received support from Uvalde County voters, in Tuesday’s off-year election that saw a turnout rate of 11.2 percent percent. In Uvalde County, 1,891 of 16,878 registered voters cast ballots in the two-week early voting period, election day, or absentee balloting.

Voters also supported allowing incumbent city of Uvalde mayor Don McLaughlin to seek another term, this one under the new four-year plan. McLaughlin was first elected in May of 2014 and has been elected to three two-year terms. The city charter previously prohibited a person from serving more than three consecutive terms in a single office.

On Friday, 118 voted early by personal appearance; Thursday, Oct. 31, 58; Wednesday, Oct. 30, 46; Tuesday, Oct 29, 83; Monday, Oct. 28, 42; Friday, Oct. 25, 40; Thursday, Oct. 24, 46; Wednesday, Oct. 23, 44; Tuesday, Oct. 22, 36; and Monday Oct. 21, 25.

Amendments

Across the state, Proposition 1, the constitutional amendment permitting a person to hold more than one office as a municipal judge at the same time, failed to pass, earning the support of 681,139 people (34.56 percent) and being rejected by 1,289,626. In Uvalde County, 551 supported the proposition while 1,298 voted no.

All other propositions passed.

Proposition 2, providing for the issuance of additional general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board in an amount not to exceed $200 million to provide financial assistance for the development of certain projects in economically distressed areas, received 65.62 percent of voter support with 1,285,397 votes compared to 673,306 in opposition. In Uvalde County, 1,100 voters (60.41 percent) supported the measure and 721 voted in opposition.

Proposition 3, authorizing the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of a portion of the appraised value of certain property damaged by a disaster, passed with 1,667,110 votes (85.09 percent) in support and 292,031 against. In Uvalde County, 1,589 (86.45 percent) supported the measure and 249 voted in opposition.

Proposition 4, prohibiting the imposition of an individual income tax, including a tax on an individuals share of partnership and unincorporated association income, received 1,467,994 votes (74.41) in support and 504,848 in opposition. In Uvalde County, there were 1,555 voters in support and 305 in opposition.

Proposition 5, dedicating the revenue received from the existing state sales and use taxes that are imposed on sporting goods to the Texas Parks And Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission, passed with 1,732,331 voters (88 percent) in support and 236,251 in opposition. In Uvalde County, 1,625 voters (87.51 percent) were in favor of the measure, while 232 voted in opposition.

Proposition 6, authorizing the legislature to increase by $3 billion the maximum bond amount authorized for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, passed with approval from 1,250,089 voters (64 percent) and 703,157 in opposition. In Uvalde County, 1,265 (69.16 percent) voted in support while 564 were in opposition.

Proposition 7, allowing increased distributions to the available school fund, passed with support of 1,449,333 voters (74.12 percent) and opposition from 506,142. In Uvalde County, 1,320 voters (71.70 percent) supported the measure while 521 voted in opposition.

Proposition 8, providing for the creation of the flood infrastructure fund to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects, passed with 1,527,394 voters (77.83 percent) in support and 435,184 in opposition. In Uvalde County, 1,400 voters (76.21 percent) were in support and 437 voted in opposition.

Proposition 9, authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state, passed with 977,272 voters (51.6 percent) voters in support and 916,513 in opposition. In Uvalde County, 972 people (54.73 percent) were in support of the measure and 804 voted in opposition.

Proposition 10, to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to a qualified caretaker in certain circumstances, passed with support from 1,845,766 voters (93.75 percent) compared to 123,032 in opposition. In Uvalde County, 1,742 people (93.91 percent) were in support while 113 voted in opposition.

mGARCIA@ulnnow.com, 830-278-3335