Hospital board, amendments on ballot
By Donnie A. Lucas
Shackelford County voters will have the chance to vote on two proposed amendments to the Texas constitution both dealing with property tax exemptions, along with deciding the fate of a slate of seven candidates for four seats on the Shackelford County Hospital Board.
All precincts will vote at the courthouse on Saturday, May 7 from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Voters are reminded to bring a government photo identification card in order to voter, along with their voter registration card.
About 90 voters took advantage of in-person early voting, which ended Tuesday.
According county/district clerk Cheri Hawkins, she mailed out 70 mail ballots and had received back 52 as of Tuesday.
“If anyone has a mail ballot, we ask they send it back as soon as possible and not wait until the last day,” Hawkins said. “We will go to the post office at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday to pick up any final ballots that were returned.”
Ballots by mail must be received back in the clerk’s office by election day. They can also be returned in person.
The two proposed amendments both deal with property tax exemptions.
Proposition one looks to reduce the amount of taxes that public schools can place on homeowners who are elderly or disabled.
If it passes, the changes would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023. It is estimated to cost more than $744 million between 2024 and 2026, which would be covered by the state’s rainy day fund.
Proposition two would increase the amount of the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $40,000. The Texas Tribune reports that this proposal would save homeowners an average of $176 on their property tax bills. If passed, it would be effective retroactively to Jan. 1, 2022.
In addition to the two amendments, the Shackelford County Hospital District trustee election is also on the county-wide ballot.
Seven candidates have signed up for four at-large seats on the board. The term of office is two years.
The list of candidates includes incumbent Myra Hise, along with Jason Price, Mary Beth Jones, Kayla Herron, Rochelle Stewart, Kraymer Harbold, and Elizabeth Roysdon.
Having both elections at the same polling place and on the same county-wide ballot will allow the two entities to split the cost of the election, according to Hawkins.
She added that voters in Precinct 404 will also have the opportunity to vote in a trustee election for the Lueders-Avoca School District.
