ROCKWALL, TX – November 3, 2021 — The results are in from Election Day on Nov. 2 for the Rockwall County Uniform Election 2021.
A majority of voters cast ballots in favor of Rockwall County Proposition A, which issues $150 million in bonds for road projects throughout the county. This includes participation in joint state, city and regional government road projects.
The proposition includes 32 different road construction projects throughout the county. Among those are the widening from two lanes to four lanes of SH 205 from North John King Boulevard to Downtown Rockwall, SH 205 South from two to four lanes from John King Boulevard to Kaufman County, and widening SH 205 from two to six lanes in the portion starting at East Ralph Hall Parkway and ending at South John King Boulevard. For a complete list of the projects visit rockwallcountytrip21.com/.
Around 6,500 votes were cast in favor of the proposition, with a little more than 4,000 voting in opposition.
Both of the Rockwall ISD proposals on the ballot gained voter approval by a slight margin, with 4,931 votes in favor of Proposition A and 4,701 votes against, 4,948 votes in favor of Proposition B and 4,652 votes in opposition.
Proposition A will provide close to $458.9 million dollars for new schools and renovations and additions to current schools in response to our growth. Projects include 9th-grade campuses, a middle school, a replacement elementary school for Rochell, additional classroom space for 6th graders at existing middle schools which expands capacity and frees up space at our elementary schools, basic maintenance and modern security. New buses will also be purchased to maintain a safe and modern fleet.
Proposition B will provide $16.9 million to update technology, purchase new computers and Chromebooks, provide classroom interactive multimedia displays and enhance wi-fi connectivity for classrooms.
The passage of both bonds results in an increase of 3/4 of a penny to the Rockwall ISD tax rate, but remains the lowest among nearby school districts. Homeowners 65 years of age and older won’t see an increase in their property tax rate if they have filed for their senior citizen homestead exemption.
All eight State Propositions on the ballot passed with a majority approval by voters. Below is a summary of all propositions:
Proposition 1 – allows professional sports team charitable foundations of organizations to conduct charitable raffles at rodeo venues
Proposition 2 — authorizes counties to issue bonds to finance the development or redevelopment of transportation or infrastructure in underdeveloped areas
Proposition 3 — prohibits government entities and institutions from enacting rules that would prohibit or limit religious services of religious organizations. The proposition was put on the ballot by state policymakers in response to the shutting down of churches by local communities to avoid gatherings of crowds due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Proposition 4 — updates the eligibility requirement for Texas Supreme Court justices, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a justice of a court of appeals and a district judge. Candidates for those judicial seats would need to be Texas residents and U.S. citizens. Candidates for state supreme court, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals or an appeals court would need 10 years of experience as a practicing lawyer or judge of a state or county court and candidates for district court would need eight years of experience. Candidates whose license to practice law was revoked or suspended would be disqualified from office. These rules would apply to appointed or elected officials who assume their role after Jan. 1, 2025.
Proposition 5 — authorizes the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct to investigate complaints against candidates running for state judicial office, which it can do for current officials who hold a judicial office
Proposition 6 — establishes a right for people living in nursing homes or residents of assisted living facilities to designate an essential caregiver who cannot be barred from visiting in person
Proposition 7 — allows the state to extend a homestead limitation on school district ad valorem taxes for surviving spouses of disabled individuals if the spouse is 55
Proposition 8 — expands the constitutional language currently allowing for tax exemption for spouses of members of the armed forces who are killed in action to additionally allow homestead tax exemption for surviving spouses of military members who die or are fatally injured in military training or other military duties
Voter turnout for the election came in at nearly 15 percent, with a total of 10,763 ballots cast out of 73,000 registered voters in Rockwall County.
All statistics listed in this article are from rockwallvotes.com. Visit that website for the full results of the election.
Blue Ribbon News staff report.
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Voters approve Rockwall ISD bonds, county road bond in Rockwall County Uniform Election 2021 added by Austin on
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