To the polls

Tuesday is election day and that gives Odessa and Ector County residents a chance to vote on 16 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.

The following are the Ector County polling locations for Tuesday’s Constitutional Amend­ment election. All polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For questions on the election or on polling sites, call 498-4030.

>> Precincts 101, 109: Murry Fly Elementary, 11688 W. Westview Drive.

>> Precincts 102, 103: Kellus Turner Community Building, 2261 W. Sycamore St.

>> Precincts 105, 106 and 107: Sherwood Community Building, 4520 N. Dixie Blvd. (north side of the park.)

>> Precincts 108 and 110: Barbara Jordan Elementary, 9400 Rainbow Drive.

>> Precincts 201 and 209: LBJ Elementary, 6401 Amber Drive.

>> Precincts 202 and 203: Nimitz Junior High, 4900 Maple Ave.

>> Precinct 204: Burnet Elementary, 3511 Maple Ave.

>> Precincts 205, 206 and 208: Life Challenge United Pentecostal Church, 4500 N. Grandview Ave.

>> Precinct 207: Gardendale Community Center, 4226 Larkspur St.

>> Precincts 301 and 311: Pease Elementary School, 1800 W. 22nd St.

>> Precincts 302 and 303: Bowie Junior High, 500 W. 21st St.

>> Precinct 304: Austin Montessori Elementary, 901 N. Lee Ave.

>> Precincts 306 and 307: Hood Junior High, 601 E. 38th St.

>> Precincts 309 and 312: Bonham Junior High, 2201 E. 21st St.

>> Precincts 401 and 412: Lamar Elementary, 501 Lettie Lee Ave.

>> Precincts 402 and 404: Blackshear Elementary, 501 S. Dixie Blvd.

>> Precincts 403 and 405: Salinas Community-Building, 600 W. Clements Street.

>> Precincts 406, 407: Cameron Elementary, 2401 W. Eighth St. >> Residents of Mission Dorado: Odessa Country Club, No. 1 Fairway Drive.

Here's a glance at the 16 issues:

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THe TEXAS CONSTITUTION

Here is a condensed analysis of the 16 proposed constitutional amendments as compiled by the Texas Legislative Council. Joint chairs of the council are Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick. Early voting begins Monday.

>> Amendment No. 1

The constitutional amendment providing for the continuation of the constitutional appropriation for facilities and other capital items at Angelo State University on a change in the governance of the university.

Summary: The constitution establishes funding for capital items at certain institutions. Angelo State is listed under the Texas State University System and was once part of that system. In 2007, Angelo State transferred to the Texas Tech University System. This amendment would list Angelo State with the Tech system. It won’t affect Angelo State’s transfer to the Tech system in any way.

>> Amendment No. 2

The constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of $500 million in general obligation bonds to finance educational loans to students and authorizing bond enhancement agreements with respect to general obligation bonds issued for that purpose.

Summary: Allows the legislature to authorize the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to issue general obligation bonds up to $500 million to provide educational loans and permits the legislature to authorize the coordinating board to enter into bond enhancement agreements.

>> Amendment No. 3

The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide that the maximum appraised value of a residence homestead for ad valorem taxation is limited to the lesser of the most recent market value of the residence homestead as determined by the appraisal entity or 110 percent, or a greater percentage, of the appraised value of the residence homestead for the preceding tax year.

Summary: Limits the maximum appraised value of a home for tax purposes to the lesser of the most recent market value of the home or 110 percent of the appraised value of the homestead for the preceding tax year.

>> Amendment No. 4 The constitutional amendment authorizing the issuance of up to $1 billion in bonds payable from the general revenues of the state for maintenance, improvement, repair, and construction projects and for the purchase of needed equipment.

Summary: Allows issuance of up to $1 billion in general obligation bonds to pay costs of maintenance, improvement, repair or construction projects authorized by the legislature and to purchase needed equipment. Proceeds of the bonds may be used only for: (1) maintenance, improvement, repair or construction projects that the legislature authorizes by general law or the General Appropriations Act; or (2) purchasing needed equipment, as authorized by law or the General Appropriations Act. Projects or purchases must be on behalf of these state agencies: Building and Procurement Commission; Parks and Wildlife; adjutant general’s department; State Health Services; Aging and Disability Services; School for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Youth Commission; Historical Commission; Criminal Justice; School for the Deaf; or Department of Public Safety.

If passed, $717,303,391 will be issued with $273.4 million going to prison construction or repair and $200 million to the DPS. Another $56,742,868 will go to debt service payments for the bonds.

>> Amendment No. 5 The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to permit the voters of a municipality having a population of less than 10,000 to authorize the governing body of the municipality to enter into an agreement with an owner of real property in or adjacent to an area in the municipality that has been approved for funding under certain programs administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture under which the parties agree that all ad valorem taxes imposed on the owner’s property may not be increased for the first five tax years after the tax year in which the agreement is entered into.

Summary: Allows voters in a city of less than 10,000 to authorize the city to make a deal with a landowner to not increase property taxes for five years on property in or adjacent to an area approved for funding under the Downtown Revitalization Program or the Main Street Improvements Program.

>> Amendment No. 6

The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation one motor vehicle owned by an individual and used in the course of the owner’s occupation or profession and also for personal activities of the owner.

>> Amendment No. 7

The constitutional amendment to allow governmental entities to sell property acquired through eminent domain back to the previous owners at the price the entities paid to acquire the property.

>> Amendment No. 8

The constitutional amendment to clarify certain provisions relating to the making of a home equity loan and use of home equity loan proceeds.

Summary: Provides the following: the application that begins the 12-day waiting period before the loan may close must be the loan application; the borrower must receive a copy of the loan application at least one business day before the loan may close; the one-year waiting period between home equity loans may be waived at the borrower’s request in the case of a declared emergency applicable to the area where the property securing the loans is located; a borrower may sign a loan document that has blanks left to be filled in if the blanks do not relate to substantive terms of the loan agreement; at the time the loan is made the borrower must receive a copy of the final loan application and all executed documents the owner signs at closing and those documents may be provided by a person other than the lender; and a borrower may not use an unsolicited preprinted check to obtain an advance on a home equity line of credit.

>> Amendment No. 9

The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt all or part of the residence homesteads of certain totally disabled veterans from ad valorem taxation and authorizing a change in the manner of determining the amount of the existing exemption from ad valorem taxation to which a disabled veteran is entitled.

Summary: Authorizes the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation all or part of the market value of the residence homesteads of certain disabled veterans.

>> Amendment No. 10

The constitutional amendment to abolish the constitutional authority for the office of inspector of hides and animals.

Summary: The proposed amendment removes obsolete references to the now defunct office of inspector of hides and animals in Sections 64 and 65(a), Article XVI, Texas Constitution.

>> Amendment No. 11

The constitutional amendment to require that a record vote be taken by a house of the legislature on final passage of any bill, other than certain local bills, of a resolution proposing or ratifying a constitutional amendment, or of any other nonceremonial resolution, and to provide for public access on the Internet to those record votes.

Summary: Requires that a vote taken on final passage of a bill, a resolution proposing or ratifying a constitutional amendment, or any other resolution other than a ceremonial or honorary resolution be a record vote with the vote of each member recorded in the journal of the applicable house. The proposed amendment allows either house to create exceptions for bills that apply only to one district or political subdivision. Requires that all record votes on final passage of a bill or resolution available to the public for at least two years on the Internet.

>> Amendment No. 12

The constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of general obligation bonds by the Texas Transportation Commission in an amount not to exceed $5 billion to provide funding for highway improvement projects.

Summary: Allows the legislature to authorize the Texas Transportation Commission to issue bonds in an amount not to exceed $5 billion to pay the cost of administering highway improvement projects and costs associated with the bonds.

>> Amendment No. 13 The constitutional amendment authorizing the denial of bail to a person who violates certain court orders or conditions of release in a felony or family violence case.

Summary: Authorizes denial of bail in certain family violence cases if defendant violates a condition of the release related to the safety of a victim or the community. Also would allow the legislature to provide for the denial of bail to a defendant who has violated certain court orders rendered in a family violence case or to have committed an offense involving a violation of one of those orders.

>> Amendment No. 14

The constitutional amendment permitting a justice or judge who reaches the mandatory retirement age while in office to serve the remainder of the justice’s or judge’s current term.

Summary: Allows a judge to fill out his elected term as long as he doesn’t pass the age of 79.

>> Amendment No. 15 The constitutional amendment requiring the creation of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and authorizing the issuance of up to $3 billion in bonds payable from the general revenues of the state for research in Texas to find the causes of and cures for cancer.

Summary: Requires the legislature to create the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to make grants to research causes and cures for cancer, provide facilities for use in research and develop cancer prevention and control programs.

>> Amendment No. 16

The constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of additional general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board in an amount not to exceed $250 million to provide assistance to economically distressed areas. For a more detailed analysis of the amendments, visit www.tlc.state.tx.us/pubsconamend/pubsconamend.html