Voters say no to four bond propositions, yes to one

‍

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

Voters said no to four city bond propositions, OK to another, yes to three Mansfield ISD school board members, maybe to two others and “heck yeah!” to a pair of state property tax cuts.

Mansfield’s Proposition D narrowly won approval with 51 percent of the vote for a $10.5 million to complete the Walnut Creek Linear Trail. The measure will complete the trail to the city’s eastern and western city limits and extend the Pond Branch Linear Trail in downtown to South Main Street.

The other four bond propositions were defeated. Proposition A ($7 million for a Veterans Memorial) and Proposition B ($78 million for a recreation center and library) each received 45 percent of votes.

Proposition C ($55 million for a community park and renovation of Skinner Sports Complex) received 43 percent of the vote, while Proposition E ($5 million for a Miracle League Field) got 44 percent of the vote.

In the Mansfield ISD races, incumbent Keziah Valdes Farrar won the Place 4 seat, defeating Amanda “Mandy” Jackson Sneed. Farrar received 56 percent of the votes.

Bianca Benavides Anderson won her first term at Place 5 with 51 percent of the vote, defeating Jo Anna Cruz Cardoza with 33 percent and Le Keishia E. Dawkins with 16 percent.

Courtney Lackey Wilson reclaimed her Place 7 seat with 58 percent of the vote, defeating Yolanda E. McPherson. Wilson won the seat in 2020, defeating McPherson in a run-off, then had to resign in July 2021 due to health concerns. The seat was filled by former school board member Darrell Sneed after Wilson’s resignation. Wilson will serve the final year of the three-year term.

For the Place 3 seat, Craig Tipping received 49 percent of the vote to Benita C. Reed’s 43 percent, leading to a June 18 run-off election. Shawn Thompson received 8 percent of the vote.

Voters embraced Texas Proposition 1, which will authorized the state legislature to reduce the property tax on school maintenance and operations taxes for elderly and disabled residents. The measure passed with 87 percent in favor.

Texas Proposition 2 was almost as popular, passing with 85 percent of the vote. The proposition increases property owners’ homestead exemption from $25,000 to $40,000, and goes into effect for this year.

‍