Texans To Consider 10 Constitutional Amendments Tuesday, Including 1 To Prevent State Income Tax
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Texans will consider ten constitutional amendments when they go to the polls Tuesday.
One ballot measure that's generated statewide attention is Proposition 4.
Advocates, such as Republican State Senator Pat Fallon of Prosper who wrote the bill, said it would make it more difficult to pass a state income tax in Texas.
"Vote for Prop. 4 if you want to ensure in your lifetime there will be no state income tax," said State Sen. Fallon.
Opponents, such as Democratic State Senator Nathan Johnson, call it a distraction.
"I'm against Prop. 4 and I'm against an income tax. You can be against an income tax and against Prop. 4," said State Sen. Johnson.
If voters approve Prop. 4, it would require the Texas House and the Texas Senate to each have a two-thirds majority before they could ask voters statewide to decide whether to establish a state income tax.
Now, the Texas House and Senate only need a simple majority.
Sen. Fallon said, "Which is a significant difference and it gives the Texas taxpayer that added layer of protection."
He said Prop. 4 would keep giving Texas an advantage over other states.
Sen. Johnson said while no one wants an income tax, but that if it were to pass, Prop. 4 would hurt the state.
"Under current law, any income tax, if we were to pass it, would have to go to public education and reduce property taxes. If we were to pass Prop. 4, no such restriction on the money. It could go to anything."
Fallon though said a restriction could still be added if an income tax were to ever pass.
Both Senators Johnson and Fallon agree on at least two other ballot propositions:
They include Prop. 3, which would allow the state legislature to grant a temporary property tax exemption in a declared disaster area.
They also support Prop. 6, which would double the bonds for research by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas from $3 to $6 billion over the next ten years.
