A look at elections in Taylor County and beyond

Brian Bethel, Abilene Reporter-News
·5 min read

A special option liquor election that would legalize the sale of all alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption within Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 is before some Taylor County voters this fall.

Precinct 3 covers a wide swath of the southern part of the county.

The request stems from plans to build a Bowie's Travel Center northeast of Tuscola, near the split of U.S. Highways 83/84.

Construction is underway at the location.

The petition for the election required 779 valid signatures, said Freda Ragan, the county's elections administrator, in August.

It was returned June 28, and out of 1,086 signatures collected, 887 were deemed valid.

Two cities within the precinct already are “wet” − the city of Buffalo Gap, the result of a 2013 election, and the city of Tuscola, which held a local option election in May 2019. The results of this election will not supersede the existing status in those cities.

November’s ballot also contains an ordinance to declare the city of Abilene a “sanctuary city for the unborn,” a bond proposal to build a fire station and six amendments to the city’s charter.

Blackwell Consolidated Independent School District will have al bond election, as does Stephenville in Erath County.

The city of Hawley has two propositions for sales and use tax, including one to provide revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets.

And in Scurry County, the city of Snyder will have two propositions related to the Development Corporation of Snyder, authorizing sales and use tax for various purposes.

Early voting begins Monday.

Here's a look at what is before Big Country residents:

Taylor County:

Blackwell Independent School District:

  • Proposition A: The issuance of $9.08 million of bonds for the construction, improvement, renovation and equipment of school buildings in the district, including necessary sites, and the purchase of new school buses; and the levying of a tax sufficient, without limit as to rate or amount, to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and to pay the costs of any credit agreements executive or authorized in anticipation of, in relation to, or in connection with the bonds; this is a property tax increase.

  • Proposition B: The issuance of $2.72 million of bonds for the construction, improvement, renovation and equipment of athletic facilitates in the district; and the levying of a tax sufficient, without limit as to rate or amount, to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and to pay the cost of any credit agreements executed or authorized in anticipation of, in relation to, or in connection with the bonds; this is a property tax increase.

  • Proposition C: The issuance of $2.5 million of bonds for the construction, improvement, acquisition and equipment of housing for teachers in the district and the levying of a tax sufficient, without limit, as to rate or amount, to pay the principal and interest on the bonds and to pay the costs of any credit agreements executed or authorized in anticipation of, in relation to, or in connection with the bonds; this is a property tax increase.

  • Proposition D: The issuance of $600,000 of bonds for the acquisition or update of technology equipment in the district and the levying of a tax sufficient, without limit as to rate or amount, to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and to pay the costs of any credit agreements executed or authorized in anticipation of, in relation to, or in connection with the bonds; this is a property tax increase.

Eula Independent School District, Board of Trustees:

  • Cutter Flatt

  • Corey Jenkens

  • Bill Dean

  • Chad Collins

  • Angel Orozco

  • Kim Farmer

  • Chris Harris

Select other elections:

Brown County

Brownwood Independent School District, Council Member Place 7

  • Aristeo (A.R.) Cardenas

  • Justin Posey

  • Chelsey Flippin

  • Francie Clark

  • Neil Larremore

Callahan County:

Baird City Council

  • Scott Davis

  • Debbie Smedley Modrall

  • Laverne Mason

  • Efraim E. Rodriguez

Baird Independent School District, School Board Trustee

  • William Johnson

  • Jody Gengross

  • John Dyer

  • Krystal Windham Bounds

  • Proposition A: Authorizing the board of trustees of Baird Independent School District to purchase attendance credit from the state with local tax revenues.

Eula Independent School District, Board of Trustees:

  • Cutter Flatt

  • Corey Jenkens

  • Bill Dean

  • Chad Collins

  • Angel Orozco

  • Kim Farmer

  • Chris Harris

Comanche County

Sidney Independent School District:

  • Molly Odgers

  • Colt Caffey

  • Rachel Miller

  • Paul Lindeque

  • Brad Carriger

  • Sarah Tucker

Erath County

Bluff Dale Independent School District:

  • Hillary Raupe

  • Mark Hall

  • Julie Edwards

  • Vincent Parro

  • Julie Anderson

  • Curtis Hollingsworth

  • Ryan Reed

Huckabay Independent School District:

  • Cindy Shipman

  • Cody Pike

  • Mekka Steinruck

  • Lance Brooks

  • Lacie Harris

  • Mike Wilfong

Santo Independent School District:

  • Amy Bryan

  • Misty Mills

  • Donny Herring

  • Rusty McIntosh

  • Rachel Edwards Hopkins

  • Rhea Gilbert-Watts

  • Cori Lee Rice

Stephenville Independent School District:

The issuance of $39,987,837 of bonds by the Stephenville Independent School District for acquiring, constructing and equipping a new football/soccer stadium and levying the tax in payment thereof. This is a property tax increase.

Jones County:

Roby Consolidated Independent School District:

  • Stormy Rasberry

  • Jerry Carrion

  • Dakota Rasberry

  • Michele Terry

  • April Noell

  • Kevin Kelly

City of Hawley - Special election:

  • Proposition A: Adoption of a local sales and use tax at the rate of 1¼%

  • Proposition B: Adoption of a local sales and use tax in Hawley at the rate of ¼% to provide revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets.

Runnels County

City of Ballinger - Single member district, Place 3:

  • Rachelle Williams

  • Ryan T. Lange

City of Ballinger - Single member district, Place 4:

  • Wesley Warlock

  • Steve Gray

Scurry County

City of Snyder:

  • Proposition 1: Shall the Development Corporation of Snyder, Inc. ... be authorized to use its sales and use tax, including all amounts previously authorized and collected, for land, buildings, equipment, facilities and improvements found by the board to be required or suitable for use for professional and amataur sports, including children's sports, athletic, entertainment, tourist, convention and public park purposes and events and related maintenance and operating costs?

  • Proposition 2: Shall the Development Corporation of Snyder, Inc. ... be authorized to use its sales and use tax, including all amounts previously authorized and collected, for land, buildings, equipment, facilities, expenditures, targeted infrastructure and improvements found by the corporation's board of directors to promote new or expanded business development?

Hermleigh Independent School District, trustee:

  • David Digby

  • Christy Garcia

  • Leslie Beane

  • Kasey Nachlinger

  • Jeremy Hogan

  • Gerald P. Rodriguez

Ira Independent School District, trustee:

  • Cody Cox

  • Jerry Jamison

  • Austin Calley

  • Dirk Dunn

  • Justin Donelson

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This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: A look at elections in Taylor County and beyond