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ELECTIONS 2014
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Denton Record-Chronicle
Lake Dallas shifts tax to street work Alcohol initiatives among items passed in county By Christian McPhate Staff Writer dmcphate@dentonrc.com
Lake Dallas residents voted Tuesday to dissolve the Economic Development Corporation. More than 76 percent of voters approved Proposition 1, abolishing the sales and use tax of one-half of one percent for the EDC. Residents also voted to pass Proposition 2 by an overwhelming majority (82 percent), allowing the city to adopt the sales and use tax of the EDC to be used to reduce the property tax rate as well as provide revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets. Proposition 3 passed with more than 70 percent of the vote. This proposition allows the city to change the Home Rule Charter, providing three-year terms of office for council members instead of two-year terms.
Bartonville A majority of voters in the town of Bartonville agreed to allow the sale of mixed beverages in restaurants, passing the proposal with 80 percent of the vote. Clay Sams was voted to Town Council, filling the vacant seat of alderman Place No. 3. Sams got 59 percent of the vote to defeat Bill Reaves (39 percent) and Isaac Shepherd.
State Rep. Myra Crownover celebrates Republican victories with Ray Roberts on Tuesday night at Apogee Stadium.
Area cities vote, while Taddesse earned 9 percent. For council Place 6, Joel Marks and Chris Patterson will have a runoff after they finished as the top two votegetters. Marks earned 42 percent of the vote while Patterson got 28 percent. Also in the running were Juan Martinez, who earned 16 percent of the vote, Tonie L. Boaman (10 percent) and Lee W. Ewing (4 percent).
Cross Roads Residents in Cross Roads voted to pass Proposition 1, allowing the adoption of an additional sales and use tax at the rate of one-fourth of one percent to be allocated to street maintenance and repair. The measure passed with 86 percent of the vote.
Frisco Frisco voters agreed to pass an ordinance giving regulatory authority back to the City Council to decide whether to allow alcohol sales until 2 a.m. The current ordinance requires Frisco’s bars and restaurants to stop serving alcohol at midnight during the week and 1 a.m. on Saturday nights. The measure passed with 61 percent of the vote.
Trophy Club Tim Kutz won council Place 4 with 54 percent of the vote, defeating Jeanne Buck (27 percent) and Gregory Wilson (18 percent).
The Colony
Denton County
Brian R. Wade easily won the council Place 3 race with 64 percent of the vote, defeating challenger Bob Bourbon. Meanwhile, David Terre won the council Place 4 seat, receiving 71 percent of the vote, defeating Kevin Braby and Virginia S. Taddesse. Braby received 20 percent of the
Two special municipal districts seeking approval from Denton County voters did not pass, receiving a split vote of 50 percent for their passage and 50 percent against. CHRISTIAN McPHATE can be reached at 940-5666878 and on Twitter at @writerontheedge.
Photos by Al Key/DRC
GOP cleans up in county Crownover keeps state House seat By Bj Lewis Staff Writer blewis@dentonrc.com
It was six Denton County Democratic Party challengers up and six Denton County Democrats down as Republicans cruised to several victories at the polls Tuesday, highlighted by Denton state Rep. Myra Crownover maintaining a lock on her Texas House District 64 seat. She got off to a big lead in early voting with a little over 62 percent of the vote, a deficit Democrat Emy Lyons had no chance of overcoming with the addition of Election Day ballots. As she made her way to Apogee Stadium to support fellow Republicans at a watch party, Crownover was already looking ahead to Austin and the next legislative session. “It’s going to be a session of opportunity and I think Texas is stronger and better for what we have done in the last session, but this will be an opportunity session to do some great things in education and infrastructure,” she said. “Things we haven’t been able to do in the past 10 years. Our goal will be to leave Texas stronger and better for our grandchildren.” Among the top items on her to-do list is continued work with the seismic activity committee and getting monitors in place to learn what is going on underground in the state.
Denton County “It’s a collaborative process,” she said. “It’s a growing process where people work together and you hope the Barnes best ideas will bubble to the top.” In defeat, Lyons said she was happy that she ran. “I think with a very small budget and being a full-time employee and parent of a special-needs child, to run the campaign I did, I came in with really good numbers. That tells me there are people out there that really want a change,” Lyons said. “[But] Denton has spoken and Denton County has spoken. I’m happy for Myra — she’s going to do a good job. I am the type of person who will always support my leaders, and I will support her in these next two years.” Lyons said she did not know what was in her political future but does not believe she is done just yet. In the race for 367th District Court, Judge Margaret E. Barnes defeated The Colony’s David Heiman for another term on the bench. Barnes had a commanding lead, garnering nearly 70 percent of early ballots, going into election night, where she would emerge victorious. The other contested races on the Denton County ballot also were pretty well decided during
U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess talks with Denton County Commissioner Andy Eads and Eads’ son Addison after their victories Tuesday, at Apogee Stadium. early voting. U.S. Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Carrollton, defeated Lewisville Democrat Patrick McGehearty and Libertarian Mike Kolls. In Texas House District 63, Flower Mound Democrat Daniel Moran fell to incumbent Rep. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound. In District 65, Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, trounced Lewsiville Democratic challenger Alex Mendoza. Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Frisco, took over 70 percent of the vote in leaving Little Elm Democrat Lisa Osterholt and Libertarian Rodney Caston far behind. “I’m excited to be entrusted by the voters again to be their voice. It’s the greatest honor of my professional life to represent them,” Fallon said moments after landing in Houston for a Dan Patrick event. “I’m excited to to
get to Austin and work with Gov. [Greg] Abbott and Lt. Gov. Patrick.” Osterholt was optimistic in defeat. “For a first-time run for state rep, I am getting where you would expect in a more conservative county,” Osterholt said Tuesday night. Osterholt said there was still much work to be done in the district by Democrats in order to build a name and brand that constituents can get behind. “Would I have loved to have been in the 40s? Yes, but for the first attempt at building the movement toward a Democrat, I am actually encouraged, and I have great hopes for the future,” she said. “I am in it for the long term.” BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875 and via Twitter at @BjLewisDRC.
From Page 1A
Propositions the city wet with roughly 7,000 signatures. Supporters have argued that the city could gain roughly $700,000 in local sales tax revenue each year by allowing the legal sale of all alcohol. Marcus Watson, who helped spearhead the movement, said people have always bought hard alcohol and consumed it, so it makes sense for the city to benefit from those sales. “As fast as this city is growing, and as much infrastructure that we need, it seems silly to not have that sales tax revenue as one of our sources of income to make these things happen,” Watson said.
The bond election With all four bond projects passing with majorities, the city now will decide if there will be a property tax increase of 3 cents per $100 valuation to finance the city’s largest bond election. Earlier this year, a committee of local residents, who were appointed by the City Council, recommended $98.2 million in spending for bond projects. The committee reviewed proposals from city employees and residents before making final suggestions. For voting, the bond package was broken into four votes. Voters passed $61.7 million for street reconstruction and improvement, $8.5 million for drainage improvements and $16.6 million in bonds for public safety additions and upgrades. Additionally, a proposition for $11.4 million for park improvements passed. Within the parks proposition is $200,000 for the Denton Community Splashpark, which
DENTON PROPOSITIONS 37 of 39 precincts reporting Votes % Proposition 1: The issuance of $61.71 million of public securities for street improvements. ✔For 20,732 84.7% Against 3,745 15.3% Proposition 2: The issuance of $16.565 million of public securities for public safety facilities for police and fire departments. ✔For 19,494 80.3% Against 4,787 19.7% Proposition 3: The issuance of $8.545 million of public securities for stormwater drainage and flood control improvements. ✔For 19,942 82.4% Against 4,272 17.6% Proposition 4: The issuance of $11.355 million of public securities for park system improvements. ✔For 17,977 74.2% Against 6,258 25.8% Proposition regarding the prohibition of hydraulic fracturing: Shall an ordinance be enacted prohibiting, within the corporate limits of the City of Denton, Texas, hydraulic fracturing, a well stimulation process involving the use of water, sand and/or chemical additives pumped under high pressure to fracture subsurface non-porous rock formations such as shale to improve the flow of natural gas, oil, or other hydrocarbons into the well, with subsequent high rate, extended flowback to expel fracture fluids and solids? ✔For 14,881 58.6% Against 10,495 41.4% Local option election: The legal sale of all alcoholic beverages including mixed beverages. ✔For 18,575 73.9% Against 6,551 26.1% Proposition regarding the sale of certain real property owned, held or claimed as a park: Shall an ordinance be enacted authorizing the sale of real property consisting of 1.6598 acres and being a portion of North Lakes Park owned, held, or claimed as a park and being a tract of land in the Robert Beaumont Survey, Abstract No. 31, and being a portion of that certain tract conveyed to said City of Denton by deed recorded in Volume 647, Page 245, of the Denton County Deed Records? ✔For 12,378 53.5% Against 10,752 46.5%
would add an area for children with spray jets, water cannons and dumping buckets. Amber Briggle, who has led efforts to create a splash park and helped raise $12,000 for the project, said she was excited the project will finally come to fruition.
“It was only 15 months ago I brought this to the attention of the city, and to see it move forward so quickly, it’s been inspiring,” Briggle said. “I think the community was really on board with this.” The timing for the bond projects will depend on when the
Photos by David Minton/DRC
Members of the board of the Denton Drilling Awareness Group appear onstage at an election watch party at Dan’s Silverleaf. bonds are sold, but Briggle said Denton could have a splash park as early as the summer of 2016.
The parkland swap In the closest local vote, Denton residents approved a land swap between the city and a local developer. SSR Group, a local developer made up of members of the Rayzor family, will have an additional 1.7 acres along Bonnie Brae Street on the southwest corner of the North Lakes Park. In exchange, the group will give the city about one-third of an acre on Riney Road along the northeast edge of the park, and will give the city an additional payment. JENNA DUNCAN can be reached at 940-566-6889 and via Twitter at @JennaF Duncan.
A supporter of the Denton First group, which backed legalizing liquor sales in the city, checks the results on his phone Tuesday at Dan’s Silverleaf.