TX Votes' Civic Notes: October 16
Read more for information about Early Voting and Proposition 5!
Opportunities
Smart City Policy Group is interviewing for a PR/Communications paid position for their firm. They are a small firm that specializes in working with cities around the country on policies facing the new innovation economy. Contact them at info@smartcitypolicygroup.com for more information.
Seeker Strategies is an Austin-based communications and advocacy firm that guides clients through an ever-changing cultural, political, and regulatory landscape. They are seeking a fellow for the fall semester to support activities spanning research, memo writing, and pitching, among other tasks. Email bailey@seekerstrategies.com for more information.
Early Voting
On Campus: FAC, LBJ School (not on official website, but LBJ School is offering early voting)
Near Campus: Austin Recreation Center, Austin City Hall, Austin Energy Headquarters
Early Voting Dates:
Monday, October 23, 2023 – Friday, November 3, 2023: 7am – 7pm
Sunday: 12pm - 6pm
Election Day:
Tuesday, November 7, 2023: 7am – 7pm
How Proposition 5 Affects Texas Students
The ballot contains 14 proposed amendments to add to the Texas Constitution. One that affects students, specifically those at public universities, is Proposition 5 (also known as House Joint Resolution (HJR) 3).
The amendment concerns the Texas University Fund, which provides funding to certain institutions of higher education. If the amendment is passed, the National Research University Fund (NRUF) will be renamed the Texas University Fund.
By choosing to say “yes”, you would thus support renaming the fund. This would allow for the allocation of interest income, dividends, and investment earnings from the state’s rainy day fund (also called the Economic Stabilization Fund, which functions like a savings account for the state and is created to “prevent or reduce sudden massive cuts to schools, health care, and other state services”). As a result, research activities at state universities would be funded by the Texas University Fund. On the other hand, by choosing to say “no”, you would oppose renaming the fund.
An important element worth noting is that the University of Texas and Texas A&M systems are excluded from NRUF funding since they already receive funds from the Permanent University Fund (PUF). Today, the PUF is worth over $30 billion, which makes UT the richest public university system in the country. The aforementioned funding system receives money from oil and gas companies working in West Texas that generates revenue for PUF. Thus, the Texas University Fund will mainly benefit Texas Tech, the University of Houston, the University of North Texas, and Texas State University.
There are various organizations that support Proposition 5, such as the Greater Houston Partnership, Teaching Hospitals of Texas, and Texas Business Leadership Council. Harrison Keller, the Texas commissioner of higher education, said that by renaming the fund, “universities would become more competitive [...], especially in areas that will be important for regional and state economic development”.
To read more about this proposition, you could look at these articles from BallotPedia and The Texas Tribune.
Articles
Texas Senate committee passes expanded ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates
Texas Senate moves border bill that allows state police to arrest migrants at U.S.-Mexico border
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