by N. Bradford
Friday is the last day to cast an early ballot for Nov. 7 election day, which includes a voter-approval tax rate election in Pearland ISD along with 14 state constitution amendments.
Early voting hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and locations include the Tom Reid Library, 3522 Liberty Drive; West Pearland Community Center, 2150 Countryplace Parkway; and West Pearland Library, 11801 Shadow Creek Parkway.
Election day is Tuesday, and locations in Pearland will include the Delores Fenwick Nature Center, Drainage District No. 4, New Harvest Christian Fellowship, city recreation center, Silverlake Recreation Center, West Pearland Community Center, and both public libraries. Hours are also 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Pearland ISD tax rate
Pearland’s voter approval tax ratification election, or VATRE, centers on the school board’s adoption of a PISD tax rate of just over $1.13 per $100 valuation.
State law requires school districts to get voter approval to raise the maintenance and operations tax rate above a specified amount. If voters approve, the measure will bring in just over $11 million for the school district, which currently has a budget shortfall.
Information on the election, including a tax rate calculator, is available at pearlandisd.org/VATRE.
Constitutional amendments
A voter’s guide for the 2023 Constitutional Amendment Election is available from the League of Women Voters online at lwvtexas.org and VOTE411.org.
The guide explains the 14 proposed amendments with arguments for and against each. Subjects of the propositions range from local to statewide issues such as parks, internet, teachers’ pensions, and property taxes.
“The League does not have a position on any of the propositions,” states Dorothy Marchand, vice president of Voter Education for the League of Women Voters of Texas. “We encourage voters to become informed and decide for themselves. And we urge our supporters and other organizations to share these resources with their communities across Texas.”
In addition, printed copies of the league’s Texas Voters Guide have been distributed across the state to public libraries and food banks.
For more about the League of Women Voters, visit LWVTexas.org.
