Texas Impact Supports Proposition 8

Texas Impact (of which Texas Interfaith Power & Light is a part) is among a broad, diverse group of statewide and local organizations that has pledged its support for Proposition 8 in this November’s state constitutional election. Proposition 8, known as the Water Stewardship Amendment, will create an incentive for landowners who manage their property in a way that conserves and protects water for future generations of Texans.

Proposition 8 was passed unanimously by the Texas Legislature with bipartisan support and will provide private landowners another tool as stewards of the state’s natural resources. Currently, Texas property owners who use their land to promote agriculture or protect wildlife are eligible to have that property assessed as agricultural land, which tends to reduce their property taxes.  Proposition 8 would extend a similar tax incentive if they choose to manage their land to conserve water and protect water quality.

And because the water incentives in Proposition 8 would only apply to property owners who already qualify for the agriculture or wildlife incentives, it would not reduce the State’s tax revenues or raise taxes.

Other major supporters of Proposition 8 include the Texas Wildlife Association, the Texas Association of Realtors, the Lonestar Chapter of the Sierra Club, the National Wildlife Federation, the Texas League of Conservation Voters, the Hill Country Conservancy, the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, Houston Wilderness, the Hill Country Alliance, the Texas Society for Ecological Restoration, the Texas Land Conservancy, the Texas Land Trust Council Plateau Land & Wildlife Management, the Greater Houston Partnership, the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Austin Chamber of Commerce.

Laura Huffman, Texas State Director of the Nature Conservancy, said the broad base of bipartisan support for Proposition 8 – which includes farmers, ranchers, landowners, industry and conservation groups – demonstrates that the measure is good for Texas.  “The Texas Legislature voted unanimously to put Proposition 8 on the November ballot because they recognize the need to provide practical solutions to our complex water supply issues.  Our State Water Plan says that more than a quarter of our future water supply must come from conservation. Given that more than 90 percent of Texas is privately owned, working with Texas landowners to protect our water supply is a no brainer.”

Proposition 8 will be on the November 8th statewide constitutional amendment ballot. Early voting is October 24-November 4, and Election Day is November 8. For more information, go to Clean Reliable Water for Texas.