The Greater Austin Chamber Board has recommended support for Propositions 1, 3, 5 and 9—amendments to the state Constitution. These proposed amendments will improve safety by allowing us to relocate freight rail operations out of dense urban areas, safeguard our cities' abilities to create jobs through economic development initiatives, level the playing field for banks and provide leadership continuity for our regional mobility authority.

Proposition 1 creates the Texas rail relocation and improvement fund. If approved and funded by the Legislature, this fund could be tapped for some funds to relocate Union Pacific rail operations off MoPac Boulevard (Loop One) freeing right of way for other uses.

"Passage of Proposition 1 is critical to our efforts to move congested rail lines and hazardous materials away from Texas cities," said Chamber Chair Kirk Watson, a partner with Hughes & Luce LLP. "Creating a quicker and more efficient rail corridor through the region will open the Union Pacific corridor for other, more compatible uses and provide increased opportunities to get truck freight off our roads and onto the rail lines."

Proposition 3 would clear the way for cities and counties to use economic incentives such as tax abatements. A District Judge's decision earlier this year put such programs in doubt by finding that they committed elected officials to long-term debt without voter approval. That ruling is currently under appeal.

Proposition 5 allows the Legislature to define rates of interest for commercial loans. Texas has a constitutional cap of 10 percent on certain loans, and a recent judicial decision makes it very difficult to create innovative financing packages, forcing businesses to look out of state for large commercial loans.

Proposition 9 clarifies that board members of regional mobility authorities could serve six year terms consistent with legislation passed in 2003. Current Constitutional language could limit terms to two years.

"The Chamber urges voters to cast a Yes vote for Propositions 1, 3, 5, and 9," said Roger Mitchell, Chamber Vice-Chair of Government Relations and President of Texas Gas Service. "Go to the polls and help us shape a great future for our region."

Other propositions on the ballot include same sex marriages, denial of bail to a criminal defendant, membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, line-of-credit advances under a reverse mortgage, and clearing of land titles. The Chamber did not take a position on these because these propositions do not have a direct effect on businesses.

Early voting runs until Friday, November 4. The election is Tuesday, November 8.

About the Chamber: The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce is the largest business organization in the five-county metro area—building a better community since 1877. It has more than 2,700 business, educational and non-profit organizations as members, of which 80 percent are small businesses. The Chamber is all about economic prosperity in Central Texas. Opportunity Austin—the Central Texas Business Initiative, is in its second year of the effort to create 72,000 new jobs and a regional economic impact of $14 billion. In the first year, 16,200 jobs were created.