AUSTIN, Texas – The two propositions up for vote for the city of Austin failed while the lone Travis County prop passed.
- 9 out of 10 of the constitutional amendments on the ballot passed
- Click here to see how everyone in the region voted
Austin Proposition A, which failed to pass, dealt with the sale of city-owned land. The prop made it on the ballot after supporters angry about the new Major League Soccer Stadium gathered signatures on a petition.
If it had passed it would have required that the sale, lease, or transfer of city-owned land for any sports or entertainment facility be approved by a supermajority vote from the Austin City Council plus voter approval. It also would require any sports or entertainment venues to pay property taxes.
Opponents argued it would have a negative impact on nonprofits.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | What You Need to Know about Austin’s Proposition A
Austin Proposition B, which also did not pass, dealt with the convention center's growth.
A “for” would have meant any expansion costing more than $20 million would have been put up to a public vote and would have put a 34 percent cap on how much of the hotel occupancy tax goes to the convention center.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | What Prop B Means for Future of Austin Convention Center
Voters in Travis County though passed the county Proposition A.
It will allow the county to collect a two percent Hotel Occupancy Tax in order to fund the Expo Center's development.
Statement from County Judge Sarah Eckhardt on the passage of the proposition:
“Today’s election results prove Travis County residents want to revitalize and energize the Travis County Exposition Center. With this new investment, the Travis County Exposition Center will continue to serve as an anchor institution preserving and celebrating our cultural heritage, generating educational opportunities for our young people and bringing thriving economic development to East Austin and Eastern Travis County. I look forward to working with the City of Austin to determine how soon it will relinquish two percent of the hotel occupancy tax so that Travis County can make the voter-authorized investment in the Exposition Center.”