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May 7 Election results "not surprising," says Political Science professor
Prop A passed in Austin, banning "no-knock" warrants, and decriminalizing low level marijuana offenses.
AUSTIN, Texas - This weekend, voters made their voices heard on Election Day, weighing in on a variety of local issues.
In Austin, Proposition A passed with 86% voting for it and 14% against it.
This bans "no knock" warrants and decriminalizes "low level" marijuana offenses.
The Austin Police Association said recently the marijuana part isn't bothersome to them, but they're concerned about banning no-knock warrants. They say it could give suspects more time.
"You'd knock on a door and wait for several minutes before you enter. This is a situation where you just knock and enter. It gives officers the element of surprise," Ken Casaday, president of the Austin Police Association, said previously.
State Propositions 1 and 2 also passed. This means elderly or disabled homeowners can have property taxes capped or frozen.
Plus, homeowners can have a higher deduction to their home's value.
"The constitutional amendments passed because everybody wanted property tax reform. The city of Austin, both of these passed because they weren't very controversial," Brian Smith, a political science professor at St. Edward's University, said.
In Cedar Park, three bond propositions passed. These are for transportation projects, parks, and public safety facilities.
In Leander, Proposition A was narrowly passed, which lets CapMetro services continue.
Proposition B, however, didn't pass. That means CapMetro will continue to be funded by a one percent sales tax in the city.
CapMetro released the following statement:
"CapMetro looks forward to its continued partnership with the City of Leander and appreciates Leander voters recognizing the vital role public transit has in the community.
In continued support of the partnership, recently CapMetro and the City of Leander entered into an agreement that will provide the city with additional funds to build transit-supportive infrastructure. Additionally, the CapMetro Board of Directors created a $10 million infrastructure fund that will not only benefit the City of Leander, but also the other small member cities in CapMetro’s service area.
The two-way partnership between CapMetro and the City of Leander is important for so many people, and the impact of this collaboration will only increase as the region continues to grow."