{"id":1408,"date":"2025-10-16T12:10:21","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T17:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/?p=1408"},"modified":"2025-10-20T17:05:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T22:05:20","slug":"props-1-4-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/props-1-4-14\/","title":{"rendered":"Investing in Texas: Props 1,4, &#038; 14"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1408\" class=\"elementor elementor-1408\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-372fe7c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"372fe7c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a802ac elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5a802ac\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Investing in Texas - Props 1, 4, &amp; 14 <br><\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d094905 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6d094905\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e38b66e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4e38b66e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mclennan.gov\/1321\/November-4-2025-Joint-General-Election\">Early Voting for the November 4 election starts Monday (October 20,2025).<\/a> This will be <\/em><em>our <\/em><em>opportunity to vote on 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. That\u2019s a lot of<\/em> <em>propositions!<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0I am working through the list a few at a time and sharing how I plan to vote.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Here are links to the ones I have done so far:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/props-1-4-14\/\">Investing in Texas: Props 1, 4 &amp; 14<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/never-will-we-ever-props-2-6-8\/\">Never Will We Ever: Props 2, 6 &amp; 8\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/who-deserves-a-break-props-7-9-10-17\/\">Who Deserves a (TAX) Break Today? Props 7, 9, 10 &amp; 17<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/yes-i-guess-props-5-11-13\/\">Yes&#8230;I Guess: Props 5, 11, &amp; 13\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/bail-reform-prop-5\/\">Bail Reform: Prop 3<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/who-judges-the-judges-prop-12\/\">Who Judges the Judges? Prop 12<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/no-thanks-to-dumb-political-games-props-15-16\/\">No Thanks to Dumb Political Games: Props 15 &amp; 16<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><i><em>You are not allowed to take your phone with you into the polls, but you are allowed to take a piece of <\/em><em>paper with notes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><em>For what it\u2019s worth, here\u2019s a printable version of what I have figured out so far. I\u00a0<\/em><em>will update it every time I post till it is finished.: <a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/How-is-ABT-Voting-on-the-Proposed-TX-Constitutional-Amendments-Summary-final-corrected.pdf\">Propositions and How ABT is voting<\/a>.<\/em> <\/i><em>Thank you! \u2013 ABT)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<h4>How I Plan to vote and why:<\/h4>\n<p>There are three propositions on the ballot that have to do with making significant investments. None of them involve raising taxes to make these investments. <strong>I plan to vote YES on all three of these.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Prop 1: Permanent Endowment for TSTC <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll be voting YES on this because I believe TSTC\u2019s mission is crucial for Texas, and I think having a permanent source of funding helps them to manage capital expenses wisely. This will enable TSTC leadership to look ahead and plan, knowing that the money will be available, instead of hoping for the best each go round and then having to make last- minute adjustments if they don\u2019t get what they need.\u00a0 Being able to do better long-term planning seems smart to me, especially when it comes to capital investments.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Prop<\/strong> <strong>4:<\/strong> <strong>Texas Water Fund<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This bill would put $1 Billion a year for the next 40 years (until 2047) into the Texas Water Fund to finance long-term water supply and infrastructure projects. That\u2019s a lot of money, probably not all we will end up needing, but a good start. I don\u2019t think I have to make the case here that managing our water wisely is crucial for our future \u2013 it has become obvious to everyone. Our current system is too piecemeal and pits us against each other instead of encouraging us to work together. Also, our current system relies on the session-to-session whims of the legislature for funding water projects. Wise water planning requires looking decades into the future and planning accordingly. It is smart to secure at least some of the funding we need ahead of time so that we can do more of this long-term planning.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Proposition 14:<\/strong> <strong>Dementia Prevention and Research<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I was skeptical about this at first. I know dementia is a terrible, gut-wrenching problem. It seems like there are so many terrible problems though, we can\u2019t invest our state funds in research for all of them, can we?\u00a0But after reading a little more, I changed my mind. This proposition would direct $3 Billion toward establishing a Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and establishing a Dementia Prevention and Research Fund. The proposition stipulates that the fund would be used only to support research done by Texas-based entities.\u00a0 We have already had good success with a similar model. Texas established a similar Institute in 2007 focused on making us a leader in cancer research. That investment has generated thousands of jobs and brought in millions of additional research dollars and related business investment. This is the kind of work that would be good for Texas and Texans. So, I am setting my reservations aside and voting YES.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h4>Resources:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Ballot Language &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sos.state.tx.us\/elections\/forms\/november-2025-ballot-language-17.pdf\">Ballot Language for the November 4, 2025 Constitutional Amendment<\/a><br \/>Election<\/li>\n<li>Every Texan &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/everytexan.org\/2025\/09\/30\/whats-on-the-ballot-every-texans-take-on-the-2025-constitutional-amendments\/\">What\u2019s on the Ballot? Every Texan\u2019s Take on the 2025 Constitutional<\/a><br \/>Amendments<\/li>\n<li>Houston Chronicle &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.houstonchronicle.com\/politics\/texas\/article\/texas-constitutional-amendment-election-21041329.php\">Texas constitutional amendments: What you need to know<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/acrobat.adobe.com\/id\/urn:aaid:sc:US:30629c54-8610-4563-9bed-6702b70fabf3?x_api_client_id=edge_extension_viewer&amp;x_api_client_location=share\">League of Women Voters\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li>LoneStar Left &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lonestarleft.com\/p\/texas-2025-constitutional-amendments\">Texas 2025 Constitutional Amendments Ballot Guide And Vote<\/a><br \/>Recommendations<\/li>\n<li>Texas Policy Research &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texaspolicyresearch.com\/texas-2025-constitutional-amendments-explained-ballot-guide-vote-recommendations\/\">Texas 2025 Constitutional Amendments Explained: Ballot Guide &amp;<\/a><br \/>Vote Recommendations<\/li>\n<li>Texas Tribune &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/09\/22\/texas-statewide-propositions-november-ballot-election\/\">17 statewide propositions will appear on the November ballot. Here\u2019s what Texas voters need to know.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Investing in Texas &#8211; Props 1, 4, &amp; 14 (Early Voting for the November 4 election starts Monday (October 20,2025). This will be our opportunity to vote on 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. That\u2019s a lot of propositions! \u00a0I am working through the list a few at a time and sharing how I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":1473,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-what-im-voting-for"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1408"}],"version-history":[{"count":85,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1852,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1408\/revisions\/1852"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1473"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}