CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Voters across the state head to the polls Tuesday for a constitutional amendment election.
Here in Corpus Christi, the big issue is Proposition A.
Proposition A is a complicated proposal. Simply put, the proposal wants to take an existing sales tax and re-purpose how it's used.
The current tax will expire in a few years.
City of Corpus Christi Sample Ballot 2023
If voters approve Proposition A, it would extend the life of the tax and expand applicable uses for those funds.
A lengthy wish list includes the convention center complex, including funds possibly supporting an anchor hotel, funds for regional parks, industrial roads, and funds to attract more passengers to the Corpus Christi International Airport.
"We've got a convention center that needs to be modernized. And that includes the arena, that includes the Selena Auditorium. Could we utilize those funds to incent a developer? Yes, we can, very much so we have incentivized hotels downtown and one on North Beach," said Corpus Christi City Councilman Roland Barrera, a supporter of Proposition A.
Here's how the financial pie would be cut.
At least 5% would have to be allocated annually to regional parks, industrial roads, and the convention center complex. No more than 5% would be allocated to attracting new flights.
Each year, the total allocated would be at the discretion of the City Council.
"Those are floors; those are minimum amounts that can be allocated per year. We can allocate over and above that 5%, that was just making sure to make voters comfortable with the fact that it wasn't just about the convention center. It wasn't just about the American Bank Center, that there are going to be other uses," said assistant city manager Heather Hurlbert.
Opponents take issue with these minimum allocations.
"They are only required to do 5%, in some cases up to 5%. That tells me there's a problem. That tells me your true quality of life assets, this is about something else," said Ajit David, a local hotel owner who opposes Proposition A.
Ballot language mentions roads, parks, and the convention center complex.
But opponents said that language leaves out a crucial use of funds, a potential convention center hotel.
"The headquarters hotel is a major, is major, in that convention center complex. That's not coming from me, it's coming from the city's own presentation," David said.
The hotel, while also utilizing other sources of taxpayer funds, is estimated to cost taxpayers $200 million. This does not include costs for the expansion of the convention center or a proposed parking garage.
"It's totally unacceptable to be putting something like that in a resolution to hide it from the voters," said David Loeb, an opponent of Proposition A. "That study itself says that even if all their economic projections come true, we will spend $1.4 billion in taxpayer taxes over the next 30 years to support this thing."
There has been pushback on this ballot item from the community.
At the city's public hearing on the ballot measure, City Councilman Michael Hunter asked if the hotel could be removed from the resolution. He was one of a few council members to question the proposition given opposition.
"I don't think city council realized up until the last few weeks what this whole proposition could do, the intent behind it," David said.
The hotel remains on the ballot, in fine print.
City staff say there is a chance that the hotel portion may not happen if they are unable to find a developer to build and manage the hotel, which opponents say two-thirds of which will be funded by taxpayer money.
"That number does not take into consideration any of the state taxes that we'd be able to leverage either for the convention center or for the hotel if we choose to move forward in either of those projects," Hurlbert said.
"From right now, it's just the entire convention center complex, of which there's a very strong need of at least $60 million," Barrera said.
In addition to taxpayer funds being potentially utilized for a hotel, opponents also said funds from the re-purposed tax don't focus enough on safety or quality of life improvements.
"It is diverting money from storm protection to pay for a hotel, and that is offensive to me and I think it's offensive to most people," Loeb said.
There are questions about the filing of the Political Action Committee, Voters for Good Government, which has spearheaded the opposition.
That PAC incorrectly filed its campaign finance reports with Nueces County, but has since filed with the City of Corpus Christi.
KRIS 6 News has asked the Texas Ethics Commission if they could face violations, but haven't heard back.
