Bexar County Democratic Party Calendar of Events

See the BCDP Calendar at www.bexardemocrats.org for details.

2007
Oct4	First day to file as candidate for Precinct Chair
Nov6	Constitutional Amendment, Joint General, Special and Tax Rollback Election
Nov6	November County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting
Dec4	December County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting (elect Senate District Chair)
2008
Jan2	6:00PM Deadline to file for 2008 Democratic Primary
Jan3	Deadline for write in declarations for County & Precinct Chair
Jan8	January County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting: Drawing for Ballot Order, Announcement of location(s) for Senate District/County Conventions
Feb5	February County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting
Mar4	Primary Election Day 7:15PM Precinct Conventions
Mar11	March County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting: Canvas of Votes, Drawing for Ballot Order for Runoff
Mar29	Senate District/County Conventions
Apr8	Primary Runoff Election Day
Apr15	April County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting: Canvas the Vote from Runoff
May6	May County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting
Jun3	June County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting
Jun5-Jun7	Texas Democratic Party State Convention in Austin
Jul8	July County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting
Aug5	August County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting
Aug25-Aug28	Democratic Party National Convention in Denver, Colorado
Sep2	September County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting
Oct7	October County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting
Nov4	Election Day
Nov11	November County Executive Committee (CEC) Meeting

Ballot Language For November 6, 2007 Constitutional Amendment Election

Proposition 1 - HJR 103

"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."

HJR 103 would update the constitutional reference to Angelo State University to conform with the statutory transfer of that institution from membership in the Texas State University System to membership in the Texas Tech University System.

Proposition 2 - SJR 57

"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."

SJR 57 would authorize the legislature to permit the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to issue up to $500 million in general obligation bonds to finance educational loans to college and university students, and to enter into bond enhancement agreements.

Proposition 3 - HJR 40

"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."

HJR 40 would authorize the legislature to limit the maximum appraised value of a residence homestead for property tax purposes in a tax year to the lesser of the most recent appraisal valuation, or 110 percent, or a greater percentage as determined by the legislature, of the appraised value in the preceding tax year.

Proposition 4 - SJR 65

"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."

SJR 65 would authorize the legislature to permit the Texas Public Finance Authority to issue up to $1 billion in general obligation bonds, the proceeds of which would be dedicated to maintenance, construction, repairs, and equipment purchases, as authorized by the legislature for the following state agencies: the Texas Building and Procurement Commission; the Parks and Wildlife Department; the Department of the Adjutant General; the Department of State Health Services; the Department of Aging and Disability Services; the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired; the Texas Youth Commission; the Texas Historical Commission; the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; the Texas School for the Deaf; and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Proposition 5 - SJR 44

"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."

SJR 44 would authorize the legislature to permit cities with a population of less than 10,000 to hold an election to allow the city to enter into an agreement with a property owner to temporarily freeze taxes on property either in or adjacent to an area approved for funding under the Downtown Revitalization Program or the Main Streets Improvements Program administered by the Department of Agriculture.

Proposition 6 - HJR 54

"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."

HJR 54 would authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem tax one motor vehicle owned by an individual that is used by the individual for both business and personal use.

Proposition 7 - HJR 30

"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."

HJR 30 would allow a governmental entity to sell property acquired through eminent domain to its immediately previous owner at the original purchase price, if the public use of the property has been canceled, if no progress is made toward that public use by a prescribed deadline, or if the property is unnecessary to accomplish that public use.

Proposition 8 - HJR 72

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

HJR 72 would clarify home equity loan procedures and protections and make conforming changes to the written disclosure provided to the borrower at the loan closing. The amendment would establish that the status of whether property is an agricultural homestead for the purpose of receiving homestead protection, would be determined by whether it was designated for agricultural use on the date of the loan closing. The amendment would provide that a declared state of emergency (e.g., following a natural disaster) would justify execution of a second home equity loan on the same property less than one year after the first home equity loan. It would provide that non-substantive omissions on a loan application would not affect the agreement. It would require a borrower to receive a copy of all executed loan documents, and a disclosure list of fees and costs at closing. It would prohibit the use of preprinted checks for the use of unsolicited loan advances to obtain a home equity line of credit.

Proposition 9 - SJR 29

"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."

SJR 29 would authorize the legislature to exempt all or part of the market value of the residence homesteads of veterans certified as having a service-connected 100 percent disability rating. SJR 29 would also clarify the progression of property tax exemptions available to veterans who are less than 100 percent disabled.

Proposition 10 - HJR 69

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

HJR 69 would remove constitutional references to the former office of inspector of hides and animals.

Proposition 11 - HJR 19

"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."

HJR 19 would require a vote taken in either house of the legislature to be recorded by record vote, if the vote was on final passage of a bill, other than local bills, a resolution proposing a constitutional amendment, or any other resolution that is not purely ceremonial. The record vote must be archived and available for public viewing on the Internet for at least two years.

Proposition 12 - SJR 64

"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."

SJR 64 would authorize the Texas Transportation Commission to issue up to $5 billion in general obligation bonds for highway improvement projects, the proceeds of which will be used to pay for projects, costs, and payments owed under related credit agreements.

Proposition 13 - HJR 6

"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."

HJR 6 would authorize the denial of bail to a person who violates conditions of release in a family violence case and permit the legislature to authorize the denial of bail to a person who violates certain court orders in a family violence case.

Proposition 14 - HJR 36

"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."

HJR 36 would limit a state justice or judge’s service to December 31st of the fourth year of the term if he/she is elected to all or part of a six year term, and reaches mandatory retirement age during the first four years of said term.

Proposition 15 - HJR 90

"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."

HJR 90 would require the legislature to establish the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, and would provide for its management, duties, and powers. It would authorize the issuance of up to $3 billion in general obligation bonds to be used for operations and grants for the purpose of scientific research of all forms of human cancer.

Proposition 16 - SJR 20

"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."

SJR 20 would authorize the issuance of up to $250 million in general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board to provide financial assistance to economically distressed areas of the state to help provide adequate sewer and water supply services for residential use.