Vote for 4, legislators say

If the school wants to become a tier 1 school and want people to vote, maybe they should show more enthusiasm. Fewer than a dozen showed to this rally. We need UTEP to lobby El Pasoan so they can vote!!!! Its a lot of money involved!!!!

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Texas voters will have the chance to strengthen property rights in our state and to make the property appraisal system more fair and accountable.

Voting on the 11 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution happens tomorrow, but we don’t want you to enter your polling place uninformed.

You can take this email with you – and here are our recommendations:

FOR: Props 2, 3, 5, 7, 11
AGAINST: Props 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10

Below, you’ll find a detailed description of all 11 proposed amendments along with AFP’s explanation and our recommendation on whether voters should approve or reject the propositions.

If you have any questions about our recommendations, please e-mail us at info@afptx.org.

To find your nearest polling location, click here.

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Texas Election Constitutional Amendments, November 3, 2009
Recommendations from Americans for Prosperity-Texas

Proposition 4 - AGAINST
Proposition 4 would amend the constitution to establish the national research university fund to provide a source of funding that will enable emerging research universities in this state to develop into major research universities. The amendment would require the legislature to dedicate state revenue to the fund and to transfer the balance of the existing higher education fund to the national research university fund. This amendment would further require the legislature to establish the criteria by which a state university may become eligible to receive and use distributions from the fund.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment establishing the national research university fund to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence as major research universities and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund."

"Against": While the goals of the proposal are commendable, Texas should focus more of its limited resources strictly on those institutions that are the closest to attaining nationally recognized status. By setting criteria such that at least seven different universities can draw from the NRUF, it will take longer for the leading research universities, such as the University of Houston, to reach national prominence.

what about prop 11 el paso times.
For: Private property rights protection issue. Proposition 11 would add key protections against abuses of the power of eminent domain by stating the legitimate purposes for eminent domain in the Constitution. Passage of this amendment would also have the symbolic value as a strong message from the Legislature and voters that eminent domain must be used for very limited purposes, only when it is really needed.
Prop11 will protect property rights by defining public use and prohibiting a governmental taking for economic development or enhancement of taxes.
This proposed amendment would require the government to keep any property it takes through eminent domain in its possession, to occupy the property, and to use the property for some productive purpose. It would prohibit the government from taking property without a clearly stated purpose. It would also prohibit property from being taken by government and then given to a private entity. The proposed amendment will make it more difficult for the Legislature to grant eminent domain power to additional entities.
NOTE: This amendment is a “fix” to the outrageous Kelo Supreme Court decision of 2005, and will prohibit local government from taking property and turning it over to a developer so the taxing entity can receive more in property taxes.(The Texas Municipal League supported the decision and used your tax dollars to file an amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court to allow such a taking.)

THIS KEEPS PDNG AND WOODY HUNT IN CHECK ALONG WITH BILL SANDERS AND THE CITY ON WHOSE LAND THEY CAN TAKE.

FOR FOR FOR!

vote against prop 4

vote for prop 11

Fox News and the Consevatives have it all riding on todays elections.

vote against wrote:

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Texas voters will have the chance to strengthen property rights in our state and to make the property appraisal system more fair and accountable.
Voting on the 11 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution happens tomorrow, but we don’t want you to enter your polling place uninformed.
You can take this email with you – and here are our recommendations:
FOR: Props 2, 3, 5, 7, 11
AGAINST: Props 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10
Below, you’ll find a detailed description of all 11 proposed amendments along with AFP’s explanation and our recommendation on whether voters should approve or reject the propositions.
If you have any questions about our recommendations, please e-mail us at info@afptx.org.
To find your nearest polling location, click here.
----------
Texas Election Constitutional Amendments, November 3, 2009
Recommendations from Americans for Prosperity-Texas
Proposition 4 - AGAINST
Proposition 4 would amend the constitution to establish the national research university fund to provide a source of funding that will enable emerging research universities in this state to develop into major research universities. The amendment would require the legislature to dedicate state revenue to the fund and to transfer the balance of the existing higher education fund to the national research university fund. This amendment would further require the legislature to establish the criteria by which a state university may become eligible to receive and use distributions from the fund.
The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment establishing the national research university fund to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence as major research universities and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund."
"Against": While the goals of the proposal are commendable, Texas should focus more of its limited resources strictly on those institutions that are the closest to attaining nationally recognized status. By setting criteria such that at least seven different universities can draw from the NRUF, it will take longer for the leading research universities, such as the University of Houston, to reach national prominence.

Your position on #4 is short sighted. You are advocating to focus only on those institutions who are already the closest to reaching tier 1 status (in your case U of H) rather than focusing on trying to get multiple universities to this status. Your position would in effect keep the status quo for TX which does not make sense at all. Let's strive for helping as many TX schools achieve tier 1 versus your minimalistic and defeating approach. Let's reach for the stars not the floor.

"In El Paso, fewer than a dozen students from UTEP gathered Monday to support the proposition."

The above quote illustrates the real interest of Utep students on this issue. President Natalicio simply cannot do this alone.

Vote for 4, legislators say

That's one of the reasons I won't vote for it.

How can anybody trust these people anymore?

Petro wrote:

Fox News and the Consevatives have it all riding on todays elections.

Not in Texas Petro.

Halek101 wrote:

If the school wants to become a tier 1 school and want people to vote, maybe they should show more enthusiasm. Fewer than a dozen showed to this rally. We need UTEP to lobby El Pasoan so they can vote!!!! Its a lot of money involved!!!!

Yeah, who's money?
Hmmmmmmm?????

When the right-wing El Paso Times and Developers are "For" it, it's best in your interest to vote "Against" it.
As for #4, UTEP's Mission should be "affordable higher education for the largest number of citizens", NOT an ivory tower institution to satisfy egos of staff and city. UTEP should look to reducing outrageous (tuition, books, etc.) student expenses, allowing more people to advance their education to improve their lives!

I agree with a lot of Straight Shooter's comment. I think it will create a whole new class of 6 figured salaried employees with HUGE egos. They will toil away for years with little or nothing to show for it. How about making the university more affordable for students to attend.

I don't believe the funds would come to fund the research. It will probably be more research on "Border Issues", anyway.

I did vote against Prop #4, this morning.

Straight Shooter wrote:

When the right-wing El Paso Times and Developers are "For" it, it's best in your interest to vote "Against" it.
As for #4, UTEP's Mission should be "affordable higher education for the largest number of citizens", NOT an ivory tower institution to satisfy egos of staff and city. UTEP should look to reducing outrageous (tuition, books, etc.) student expenses, allowing more people to advance their education to improve their lives!

Right wing El Paso Times?
That is hilarious.
You obviously don't know a thing about El Paso and it's history.

El Paso has NEVER even voted a Republican Mayor in office since El Paso became a city.

As for college price increases? You can blame your Democrat buddies for all of it.

#4 will pass and all of you that are against this item (and progress in general) will be passed by like the dinosaurs you are

Obama bin Biden wrote:

Vote for 4, legislators say
That's one of the reasons I won't vote for it.
How can anybody trust these people anymore?

Im with you. You can't trust any of these people. When THEY want "YOU, US" to vote FOR or AGAINST something, usually something in it for THEM. I don't do "Party recommendations, Newspaper recommendations or any other kind of "recommedation". I look at what effects ME and "We the People" and what "They" are doing to US. Im not a Republican or a Democrat. I simply vote for the person that I think is the very best person for the job, best person to run OUR country. The thing is, right now their are NO Democrats that should have JOBS, "Representing(???) We the People".

Chimichanga wrote:

I agree with a lot of Straight Shooter's comment. I think it will create a whole new class of 6 figured salaried employees with HUGE egos. They will toil away for years with little or nothing to show for it. How about making the university more affordable for students to attend.
I don't believe the funds would come to fund the research. It will probably be more research on "Border Issues", anyway.
I did vote against Prop #4, this morning.

Excellent thinking and for all the right reasons.

ditto, gunslinger.

Vote for 4 and UTEP stays poor. Do you all really think that UTEP will receive its fair share of the moneys allocated through this proposition?
I would say that the legislators will simply say that UTEP isn't ready yet and that the focus should be in east, north and south Texas, forget about west Texas for the time being, maybe next year or next election, would probably be the answer from Austin, or something similar.
Vote against Prop.#4!!!
At least get out and vote either way!