Travis County, Texas, Parks Bond Issue, Proposition B (November 2017)

• Text of measure
  • Ballot question
• Path to the ballot
• See also
  • External links
  • Footnotes
• More
  • Local ballot measures
  • State ballot measures
  • Local politics

Proposition B: Travis County Parks Bond Issue
The basics
Election date:
November 7, 2017
Status:
a Approved
Topic:
County bonds
Related articles
County bonds on the ballot November 7, 2017 ballot measures in Texas Travis County, Texas ballot measures Local environment on the ballot
See also
Travis County, Texas

A bond issue was on the ballot for Travis County voters in Travis County, Texas, on November 7, 2017. It was approved.

A yes vote was a vote in favor of issuing $91.5 million in bonds for parks and open spaces.

A no vote was a vote against issuing $91.5 million in bonds for parks and open spaces.

Travis County voters approved a second bond issue in 2017 related to transportation. The transportation bond and the park bond on the ballot amounted to $184.9 million. County officials estimated that the approval of both bond propositions would result in a property tax increase of $24 per year for the owner of a house valued at $305,173—the average assessed value of houses in Travis County.

Overview

The parks and open spaces bonds were designed to enhance existing parks, add new park facilities, and increase conservation acreage. Some of the targeted areas are the Bee Creek Sports Complex ($21.2 million), Onion Creek Greenway improvements ($9.5 million), Northeast Metro Park Soccer Fields improvements ($7.5 million), and conservation easements throughout the county ($15 million).

Election results

Proposition B
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		68,969	73.17%
No		25,285	26.83%

Election results from Travis County Elections Office

Text of measure

Ballot title

The following is the bond issue proposition title:

“

THE ISSUANCE OF $91,495,000 OF BONDS FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONSTRUCTING AND IMPROVING COUNTY PARKS AND THE ACQUISITION OF LAND AND INTERESTS IN LAND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, INCLUDING THE ACQUISITION OF OPEN SPACE PARK LAND, AND ACQUIRING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON LAND FOR ANY AUTHORIZED PURPOSES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, TO RETAIN OR PROTECT NATURAL, SCENIC, OR OPEN-SPACE VALUES OF REAL PROPERTY OR ASSURE ITS AVAILABILITY FOR AGRICULTURAL, RECREATIONAL, OR OPENSPACE USE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES, MAINTAIN OR ENHANCE AIR OR WATER QUALITY, OR CONSERVE WATER QUANTITY OR QUALITY, AND THE LEVYING OF THE TAX IN PAYMENT THEREOF.

”

Ballot question

The ballot question was as follows:

“ Shall the Commissioners Court of Travis County, Texas, be authorized to issue and sell, at any price or prices and in one or more series or issues, the bonds of the county in the amount of $91,495,000 maturing serially or otherwise within 40 years from their date or dates, and bearing interest at such rate or rates (fixed, variable or otherwise), not to exceed the maximum interest rate now or hereafter authorized by law, as shall be determined within the discretion of the commissioners court at the time of issuance, for the purposes of constructing and improving county parks and the acquisition of land and interests in land in connection therewith, including the acquisition of open space park land, and acquiring conservation easements on land for any authorized purposes, including, without limitation, to retain or protect natural, scenic, or open-space values of real property or assure its availability for agricultural, recreational, or open-space use, protect natural resources, maintain or enhance air or water quality, or conserve water quantity or quality, with respect to the following projects: Parks Gilleland Creek Greenway Parkland Acquisition – acquire parkland for a 19-mile Gilleland Creek greenway between Northeast Metro Park and the Colorado River Strategic Parkland Acquisitions – acquire land or interests in land in the Pedernales River watershed to improve the boundary configuration of an existing park Bee Creek Sports Complex – build a sports complex with synthetic turf fields, sports lighting, hiking, biking, and walking trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, and other site improvements Onion Creek Greenway Improvements – construct trailhead park at the US 183 and Onion Creek park site and build a hiking, biking, and walking trail to Barkley Meadows; construct restrooms, water and waste water services, and a loop trail around Barkley Meadows Gilleland Creek Greenway Improvements – plan, design and engineer the 19-mile Gilleland Creek greenway between Northeast Metro Park and the Colorado River Eastern Travis County Parkland Acquisitions – acquire parkland for greenways, Colorado River corridor parks, and parks in the Post Oak Savanna region Arkansas Bend Park Phase II – construct overnight facilities and associated site improvements Northeast Metro Park Soccer Field Improvements – convert four (4) soccer fields to synthetic turf, install sports lighting, and build associated site improvements Conservation Easements Execute conservation easement agreements to protect water resources, working farms and ranches, wildlife habitat, critical environmental features, and other natural and cultural resources, And in providing for the above projects, the commissioners court shall have the discretion to prioritize such projects and to apply bond authorization in accordance with such priority, and to levy taxes, within the limits prescribed by law, upon all taxable property within the county annually sufficient to pay the interest on the bonds as it accrues and to create a sinking fund to pay the principal of the bonds as it matures? ”

Support

Supporters

Officials

• County Judge Sarah Eckhardt
• Former County Judge Sam Biscoe
• Commissioner Margaret Gomez

Organizations

• Travis Forward

Media

• The Austin Chonicle said "The road projects, with a couple of exceptions, add needed capacity to existing highways; the drainage and stream-crossing projects should lower the number of dangerous or closed roadways at high water; the bicycle and sidewalk projects begin to integrate access that should no longer be an afterthought. The most interesting parks proposal is a 19-mile greenway along Gilleland Creek from Northeast Metro Park (also to get an upgrade) south to the Colorado. Other projects (Arkansas Bend Park, Bee Creek sports complex) address recreation needs in the Northwest and support ongoing conservation easements. If approved by the voters, the bond projects will cost the average homeowner ($305,000 homestead) a very reasonable $24 a year – call it one cheap date for countywide benefits. The county's internal polling shows strong support, and we urge readers to turn out and vote for both Travis County bond propositions."

Opposition

Opponents

If you know of any endorsements or arguments that should be listed here, please email editor@ballotpedia.org

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in Texas

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the Travis County Commissioners Court on August 15, 2017.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Travis County County bonds Parks Bond Issue. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Travis County, Texas, Parks Bond Issue, Proposition B (November 2017) - Google News

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2017
• County bonds on the ballot
• Local environment on the ballot
• Travis County measures

Texas

• November 7, 2017 measures in Texas
• Local ballot measures, Texas
• Travis County, Texas

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

Suggest a link

• Travis County Elections Office website