Election Guide - May 2008

Election Guide - May 2008

By Community Impact Newspaper Staff Thursday, 01 May 2008

City council positions, bond votes, annexations on May 10 ballot

Round Rock City Council Place 1

• Rufus Honeycutt, (Incumbent running for second term)
  • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it • 255-0007
  • Priority issues:
    • Quality of life
    • Redevelopment of downtown
    • Establishing stronger arts and cultural events presence
• John S. Moman
  • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it • 733-1150
  • Priority issues:
    • Alternative transportation options like commuter rail and bus systems
    • Supporting locally owned businesses and professionals

Round Rock City Council Place 2

• George White
  • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it • 431-0245
  • Priority issues:
    • Lessen dependence on sales tax from a single entity
    • Maintain and improve RRISD
    • Transportation infrastructure

Round Rock City Council Place 4

• Carlos Salinas (Incumbent running for second term)
• This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it • 218-5403
• Priority issues:
  • Economic development, stewardship, open space, green building
  • Downtown and older community revitalization

Round Rock Mayor

• Alan McGraw, (Served on council seven years, four as Mayor Pro Tem)
  • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it • 246-1986
  • Priority issues:
    • Economic development and diversification
    • Long-term planning
    • Redevelopment of older areas
    • Quality of life

Special Election: Austin Community College District

Conceptual rendering; the actual campus design has not been determined.

Source: Ballot language from Austin Community College

Proposition ACC District: Annexation of the following territory for junior college purposes: that portion of the Round Rock Independent School District not presently included in the boundaries of Austin Community College District.

Vote for or against annexation - The proposition is to vote for or against the portion of Round Rock ISD that is not currently in the ACC tax district to become part of it.

In-district versus out-of-district tuition - Residents in the ACC tax district pay $39 per college hour. The out-of-district rate is $118 per college hour. High school juniors and seniors living in the ACC tax district can take two courses per semester for free through the Early College Start program. Out-of-district cost is $40 per course for the program.

Tax impact on the property owner
Property Value	$80,000	$100,000	$140,000	$180,000*	$220,000
Regular Homestead	$77.36	$91.68	$130.32	$168.84	$207.48
Senior/Disabled	Exempt from ACC taxes	$19.32	$57.96	$96.48	$135.12
For more information on Austin Community College, visit www.austincc.edu or acction4education.com Source: ACCtion 4 Education political action committee.

Round Rock charter amendments

• Proposition 1 - Amendment to the home rule charter of the City of Round Rock, Texas, providing for assistant(s) to the mayor and council appointed by the city manager, which assistant(s) shall be directed and supervised by the city manager, mayor, and council.
  • The Round Rock City Charter requires the city council to direct the city manager, and the city manager to direct city staff. The current charter language prohibits the council from directing any city employee other than the city manager. Since the city charter was established in 1978, Round Rock has grown substantially and consequently, there are more demands on the mayor. This proposition would allow the mayor and city council to direct their assistant(s) for support with scheduling and other administrative duties without being in violation of the charter.
• Proposition 2 - Amendment to the home rule charter of the City of Round Rock, Texas, removing publication requirements and adding a provision that the council may by ordinance establish additional publication requirements.
  • The city charter mandates that the city select an official publication for certain notices and information to be published. The information affected by this proposition would include the following: ordinance captions for the budget, taxes, franchises or setting of rates; petitions to change an ordinance; budget public hearings; independent audits; and the charter review commissions report. The amendment to the charter would allow the city council more flexibility in making this information available to the public via various communications mediums instead, such as the city website (www.roundrocktexas.gov).
• Proposition 3 - Amendment to the home rule charter of the City of Round Rock, Texas, providing that the charter review commission shall present its findings and proposals to council in a written report conforming to certain requirements and being signed by at least a majority of its members.
  • The charter review commission would be required to provide findings and the thinking behind any and all recommendations in a written report to the city council, enabling them to better understand the rationale behind the recommendations. The report would need to be signed by a majority of charter review commission members.
• Source: City of Round Rock

Pflugerville City Council Place 2

• Mike Marsh
  • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it • 809-3990
  • Priority issue:
    • Lowering property tax rate

Pflugerville City Council Place 4

• Fred Velarde
  • Note: Fred Velarde said on March 26 that he was withdrawing his candidacy for city council, but on April 11 he re-entered the race.
  • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it • 826-1165
  • Priority issues:
    • Controlled, common sense growth
    • Sensible commercial and residential development
    • Lower property taxes
    • Improve standards of living
• Starlet Sattler
  • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it • 658-0764
  • Priority issues:
    • Represent a cross-sector of the community
    • Move city council toward policy making
    • Look at the bigger picture

City of Pflugerville bond election

Proposition 1: City Hall

The issuance of $11 million tax bonds for a new city hall

Proposition 2: Recreation Center

The issuance of $16 million tax bonds for a new recreation center

Proposition 3: Library Expansion

The issuance of $7 million tax bonds for improvements to the existing library

Tax impact on the property owner
Fiscal Year	Library	City Hall	Rec Center	Annual Total	Monthly Total
2009	$7.18	$18.75	$27.27	$53.20	$4.43
2010	$27.20	$42.75	$62.18	$132.13	$11.01
2011	$23.80	$37.40	$54.39	$115.59	$9.63
2012	$22.46	$35.30	$51.33	$109.09	$9.09
* Average residential property value of $184,904 ** Assumes projected assessed valuation growth and current market interest rates. Excludes future debt issuances for improvements in the city’s capital improvement plan.
Source: City of Pflugerville			For more information on the bond election, visit www.cityofpflugerville.com.

Early voting • April 28-May 6

7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays and Saturday

Noon-6 p.m. Sunday

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

• Williamson County Inner Loop Annex
  • 301 SE Inner Loop • Georgetown
• McConico Building
  • 301 W. Bagdad St. • Round Rock
• Round Rock Higher Education Center
  • 1555 University Blvd. • Round Rock •
  • 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday
  • 8 a.m.- 4:30 Friday • 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday
  • Closed Sunday
• Clay Madsen Recreation Center
  • 1600 Gattis School Road • Round Rock
• Brushy Creek Community Center
  • 16318 Great Oaks Drive • Round Rock
• Round Rock ISD Performing Arts Center
  • 5800 McNeil Drive • Austin • Closed Sunday

TRAVIS COUNTY

• County Tax Office Pflugerville
  • 15822 Foothill Farms Loop • Pflugerville
• Round Rock ISD Performing Arts Center
  • 5800 McNeil Drive • Austin
  • 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday - Saturday • Closed Sunday

Election day voting locations

7 a.m.-7 p.m.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

• Precinct 119, 122 & 190 • Round Rock High School
  • 300 N. Lake Creek Drive • Round Rock
• Precinct 135, 137 & 138 • Bluebonnet Elementary School
  • 1010 Chisholm Valley Drive • Round Rock
• Precinct 149 & 484 • Caldwell Heights Elementary School
  • 4010 Eagles Nest Street • Round Rock
• Precinct 424 & 463 • Forest Creek Elementary School
  • 43805 Forest Creek Drive • Round Rock
• Precinct 150, 172 & 455 • First Baptist Church
  • 306 Round Rock Ave. • Round Rock
• Precinct 348, 382 & 398 • Cactus Ranch Elementary School
  • 2901 Goldenoak Circle • Round Rock
• Precinct 423, 436 & 491 • Stony Point High School
  • 1801 Bowman Road • Round Rock
• Precinct 480 & 488 • Gattis Elementary School
  • 2920 Round Rock Ranch Blvd. • Round Rock

TRAVIS COUNTY

• Precinct 200 • St. Elizabeth Catholic Church
  • 1520 N. Railroad Ave. • Pflugerville
• Precinct 202 & 209 • Murchison Elementary School
  • 2215 Kelly Lane • Pflugerville
• Precinct 203 & 206 • TCESD#2, Education Bldg.
  • 201-B E. Pecan St. • Pflugerville
• Precinct 219 & 222 • Caldwell Elementary School
  • 1718 Picadilly Drive • Round Rock
• Precinct 223 • Pflugerville ISD Administration Building
  • 1401 W. Pecan St. • Pflugerville
• Precinct 224 • Timmerman Elementary School
  • 700 W. Pecan St. • Pflugerville