ELECTION ROUNDUP
More Central Texas, state election results
Results from the Nov. 6 general elections.
COMPILED FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTSWednesday, November 07, 2007
STATEWIDE
Barrett leading in House District 97
Voters in the southwest Fort Worth-area legislative district were deciding a replacement for retiring Republican state Rep. Anna Mowery Tuesday.
Lone Democrat Dan Barrettled a field of seven and seemed headed toward a runoff with Republican Mark Shelton. The crowded, expensive race might be a sign of rough election battles coming next year that will determine the makeup of the Texas House and possibly Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick's fate.
A Fort Worth attorney, Barrett held a lead over the closest candidates, including Shelton, a pediatrician; former state Rep. Bob Leonard; and insurance executive Craig Goldman, who raised far more money than the other candidates.
Dallas County Trinity Parkway a go
A proposal to kill the Trinity toll road failed Tuesday 37,639 votes to 42,279, according to final but unofficial Dallas County results.
The $1.3 billion Trinity Parkway is envisioned by its designers as a reliever route to help ease congestion along Stemmons Freeway and others that meet along the southern edge of downtown. State highway planners have said that construction of a reliever route is necessary if work is to proceed on a project to untangle the area, known locally as the Canyon and Mixmaster.
Critics of the toll road said it's wrong to build it next to the downtown park that is planned inside the river levees. Supporters of the road said there are no good alternative routes.
Houston mayor keeps his seat
Houston Mayor Bill White easily won re-election to his final stint as leader of the nation's fourth-largest city with only minor opposition.
Running for his last possible two-year term under Houston's three-term limit, White faced two little-known candidates and no organized opposition. In the 2005 election, 93 percent of voters chose White.
This year, White had more than $2.2 million in his campaign coffers.
The mayor's fundraising totals by far outpaced those of his opponents: meat packing plant worker Amanda Ulman and engineer and wrestling promoter Outlaw Josey Wales IV.
HAYS COUNTY
Dripping Springs OKs school bonds
Dripping Springs school district voters narrowly approved $96.17 million in school bonds Tuesday.
The bonds will be used to remodel and expand the middle school and to build a high school with a capacity of 1,800 to 2,500 students.
The high school will include a competition gym and expanded library, fine arts and classroom space. It will have a 600-seat performing arts center, track and field facilities, a field house, practice field improvements and other items.
The bond package also calls for the renovation and upgrade of the high school for use as a middle school for up to 1,300 students. About $19.9 million in bonds will be used for land purchases, design and engineering fees, furniture and equipment and other costs.
Bryant wins Kyle City Council seat
Ray Bryant won the District 6 Kyle City Council seat vacated by the resignation of Council Member Todd Webster in September. Bryant will hold the seat until May 2009, when Webster's term ends.
Bryant, 51, area director of a adoption and foster care agency and president of the Amberwood homeowners association, has said his priorities include improving roads and traffic congestion, focusing on the implementation of the city's master plan, and attracting companies and stores to the rapidly growing city.
Bryant beat two other candidates: Johnell Huebner, a 28-year-old district manager for a skin care products company, and David Walsh, a 39-year-old real estate investor. Unofficial results show Bryant won with 247 votes; Walsh had 125 votes, and Huebner had 30.
San Marcos school tax increase fails
San Marcos school district residents rejected a property tax rate of $1.50 per $100 valuation of assessed property for the school year that ends in May. Unofficial results show the tax increase to the maximum operations rate allowed by law failed 2,363 votes to 1,474.
The total tax rate would have had 33 cents earmarked to pay down bond debt. District administrators said they called the vote so they could raise about $3.5 million to put toward employee salaries and other district programs.
About 12 percent of the district's registered voters cast ballots, and nearly 62 percent of voters cast ballots against the tax rate. State law says that districts that want to set a tax rate for operations higher than $1.04 per $100 of assessed property value must get approval from voters.
Wimberley approves school bonds
Wimberley voters approved two bond propositions totalling $34 million.
In the first proposition, the district asked to borrow $27.5 million to renovate existing schools, build an elementary school and buy land for the campus on 20 acres on RM 2325.
In a second bond proposition, Wimberley asked for $6.5 million to improve gyms and locker rooms at the junior high and high schools, build an industrial arts and vocational education facility, and buy school buses and other equipment.
Wimberley gives nod to alcohol sales
Wimberley voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum allowing the sale of beer and wine within city limits for off-site consumption. The proposition, which passed 565 votes to 206, allows convenience stores, liquor stores and grocery stores to sell alcohol to residents.
The proposition doesn't affect Wimberley restaurants, which require drinkers to legally belong to the restaurant's private club, usually accomplished through signing a membership card, before being served. Residents typically would drive outside city limits to a convenience and liquor stores on RM 12 to the south or Dripping Springs to the north.
The proposition brought a 37 percent voter turnout. Since 2004, both Woodcreek and Dripping Springs have voted to loosen restrictions on the sale of alcohol.
TRAVIS COUNTY
Jonestown will build police station
Jonestown voters narrowly approved a $1 million bond proposition Tuesday to build a police station.
Police headquarters are in an old building that is split between the police and Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services workers. Some police officers work out of a portable building next door.
"We've got the Police Department in facilities that just aren't adequate," City Secretary Linda Hambrick said.
The city will make a final choice on a location in a few weeks, including converting an office building owned by the city and constructing a new police station on property next to the new fire station. The proposition passed with 54 percent.
Pflugerville school bonds pass
Pflugerville voters approved 2,753 to 1,901 a $125 million bond package for two elementary schools and one middle school.
Other improvements include campus security system and technology updates and money for planning for the district's fourth high school and purchase property for future school sites.
The total tax rate, $1.47 per $100 of property value, would remain the same because of the retirement of other debt. For the owner of the average home, valued at $136,398 after exemptions, the tax bill would be $2,005.
Supporters said the money is needed for growth. With more than 20,000 students enrolled in the current school year, the district is expected to grow by more than 5,000 students in the next three years.
WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Thrall rejecting city, school bonds
In early returns, Thrall voters were rejecting city and school bond packages that, together, totaled almost $9 million.
Voters were turning down a $7.9 million school bond proposal that would have gone toward building a high school and renovating elementary and middle schools for the roughly 630 students in the district.
The proposal is the same one that voters turned down in May.
Voters were also marginally rejecting a $1 million city bond proposal. That money would have gone toward street repairs and drainage improvements to the roughly six miles of streets in the city.
Together, the bonds, if passed, would increase the annual tax bill for the owner of a $100,000 home by about $525.
