[Texas Tribune, staff reports]

Property tax cuts, a raise for retired teachers and billions in investments in infrastructure, research, tech and energy have been approved by voters Tuesday night.

Voters weighed 14 constitutional amendments on the ballot, but Proposition 13 which would have allowed judges to retire at a later age was rejected, with barely over one-third of Texans voting for it.

And a few others — including a property tax exemption for biomedical inventory and equipment from property taxes and one to eliminate Galveston County’s treasurer position, were passing by only slim margins.

The most definitive support went to Prop 4, the $18 billion property tax relief measure, which had 84% of the vote.

As of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, the unofficial results and race calls from the Texas Tribune include ballots cast in early voting and all election day polling locations. At least 99% of votes have been counted for all 14 amendment races, according to estimates from the Texas Tribune turnout model.

In Brown County, 4,281 ballots were cast which is 17.45% of the registered voters.

Proposition 1

Requiring state and local governments to provide evidence that regulation of generally accepted farming and ranching practices is needed to protect the public from danger.

State: Yes 80% 1,594,867 / No 20% 394,207

Brown County: Yes 91% percent 3,895 / No 8% 362

***

Proposition 2

Allowing cities and counties to exempt child care providers from property taxes on any facility used to run a child care business.

State: Yes 64% 1,253,809 / No 36% 696,441

Brown County: Yes 61% 2,547 / No 39% 1,596

***

Proposition 3

Forcing lawmakers to ask voters for authorization before they could impose any new state taxes on residents that would be based on net worth or wealth.

State: Yes 69% 1,359,376 / No 31% 596, 914

Brown County: Yes 85% 3,541 / No 15% 621

***

Proposition 4

Allowing the state to spend $18 billion on property tax cuts for homeowners and businesses, cut school districts’ tax rates and enact other tax changes.

State: Yes 84% 1,665,707 / No 16% 307, 994

Brown County: Yes 91% 3,819 / No 9% 380

***

Proposition 5

Authorizing the state to create the Texas University Fund, a $3.9 billion endowment to help “emerging” research universities across the state enhance their research capabilities.

State: Yes 64% 1,244,218 / No 36% 709, 553

Brown County: Yes 53% 2,205 / No 47% 1,920

***

Proposition 6

Creating a water fund administered by the Texas Water Development Board to support a wide range of projects including fixing Texas’ aging, deteriorating pipes, acquiring more water sources and mitigating water loss.

State: Yes 77% 1,522, 070 / No 23% 444,628

Brown County: Yes 74% 3,090 / No 26% 1,083

***

Proposition 7

Creating an energy fund allowing officials to distribute loans and grants to companies with the aim of building new natural gas-fueled power plants.

State: Yes 66% 1,286,112 / No 34% 677,259

Brown County: Yes 69% 2,871 / No 31% 1,278

***

Proposition 8

Creating an broadband infrastructure fund where $1.5 billion would be allocated to expand internet availability in Texas, where some 7 million people currently lack access.

State: Yes 69% 1,352,078 / No 31% 602,324

Brown County: Yes 62% 2,573 / No 38% 1,560

***

Proposition 9

Providing some retired Texas teachers with cost-of-living raises to their monthly pension checks.

State: Yes 84% 1,663,516 / No 16% 324,783

Brown County: Yes 82% 3,453 / No 18% 776

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Proposition 10

Exempting school districts, cities and counties from collecting property taxes on the value of equipment and inventory held by medical and biomedical product manufacturers.

State: Yes 56% 1,076,752 / No 44% 856,932

Brown County: Yes 57% 2,437 / No 43% 1,760

***

Proposition 11

Permitting conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds supported by property taxes to fund recreational development and improvement. Eleven other Texas counties are already authorized to do this.

State: Yes 63% 1,167,731 / No 37% 700,512

Brown County: Yes 54% 2,128 / No 46% 1,788

***

Proposition 12

Abolishing Galveston County’s office of the county treasurer, an office that exists in other Texas counties.

State: Yes 54% 955,287 / No 46% 824,719

Brown County: Yes 59% 2,207/ No 41% 1,507

Proposition 13

Increasing the mandatory retirement age for state judges from 75 to 79 and the minimum retirement age from 70 to 75.

State: No 62% 1,201,362 / Yes 38% 737,148

Brown County: No 62% 2,513 / Yes 38% 1,569

***

Proposition 14

Creating a centennial parks conservation fund to invest more than $1 billion to create and improve state parks.

State: Yes 76% 1,483,197 / No 24% 470, 967

Brown County: Yes 71% 2,944 / No 29% 1,190