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Statewide Amendment 06 - AGAINST
Texas

Statewide Amendment 06 - AGAINST

proposition

Texas Creation of the Water Fund Amendment

(SJR 75): Creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state

House Analysis

Senate Analysis

Assertions

MCTP Position: Source

Submitted by john wertz on 2023-10-09 13:26:37

Major Issues

Texas Scorecard has consolidated the recommendations for voting on the upcoming state constitutional amendments.October 7, 2023

More Corporate Welfare in the Texas Constitution - Huffines Liberty Foundation - AGAINST

Mark Ramsey 2023 Amendments Analysis - AGAINST

Breaks the constitutional “spending caps”. Grows government and its cost. Empowers bureaucratic agencies.

JoAnn Fleming's "GRASSROOTS AMERICA We The People" '

"Voters, beware!  You are being used to grow government! Here’s how."

Current Revolt Position

Kind of weird that we suddenly need a constitutional amendment to fund water projects. Nevertheless, in light of droughts and the open border of unlimited new random people, this is actually a good idea. It does appear to take responsibility from the legislature and give more power to appointed bodies, effectively giving the governor more power.

VERDICT: OK, NOT BAD

MCRP Position

One has to ask why we need another Water Fund since there is already a Texas Water Development Fund that was established by the 1957 Legislature (Texas Water Development Fund, Proposition 2 (1957). The 1957 Water Development Fund is charged with:

• creating the Texas Water Development Fund and a governing board, 

• authorizing the board to issue up to $100 million in bonds for water resource development and conservation, and  

• allowing the legislature to approve up to $100 million in additional bonds for the same purpose.

Why do we need another Water Fund that will be administered by the same three-member administrative board appointed by the Governor?  This new “fund” will be anointed with $1 billion of taxpayer funds. 

According to Ballotpedia:

“Proposition 6 would establish in the Texas Constitution the Texas Water Fund administered by the Texas Water Development Board. The board would be authorized to transfer funds between the state Water Fund and the Water Assistance Fund No. 480, the New Water Supply for Texas Fund, the Rural Water Assistance Fund No. 301, or the Statewide Water Public Awareness Account.

“The Water Fund would consist of money allocated by the state legislature, gifts and grants, and investment earnings of the fund. The amendment would require no less than 25% of the initial allocation to the fund by the legislature to be transferred to the New Water Supply for Texas Fund. Money appropriated by the state legislature to the fund would be excluded from the state's appropriation limit.”

According to Texas Legislative Council:

“The creation of the Texas water fund would further the state’s investment in water infrastructure and would give the Texas Water Development Board flexibility in allocating financial assistance through existing and newly created funds to address issues with existing water infrastructure and support new water supply projects across the state for years to come.”

This amendment was SJR 75 from the regular legislative session.

Recommendation: The key here is that this fund is the legislature’s way to circumvent appropriation limits. Does Texas need a means to fund essential water projects? Most assuredly. But do we need to establish more and more “funds” in order to circumvent existing legislative limits? That is a question you, the voter, must answer.