October 27, 2025      11:34 AM

Concerns grow that water infrastructure proposition may fail in the face of some conservative opposition

The $20 billion “generational investment” has seen some county GOPs come out against it as well as conservative slates in Houston; some private polling apparently suggests it enjoys big support in major urban areas but may be tanking in rural Texas

Back in January, Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, tried to make clear that this year would be the last time lawmakers would meet in a regular session with enough time to get ahead of significant challenges related to water infrastructure before it’s too late to reach a breaking point given our rapid population growth and lack of a reliable stream of funding for those critical projects.

That was after Perry made it a point to travel around Texas to gauge support for overhauling the way the state pays for its unquenched thirst while the population explodes and data centers chug water like it’s going out of style. Chair Perry then rolled out a $5 billion plan. That was just the beginning.

As the session rolled on, Republicans and Democrats eventually got on board with what’s become Proposition 4, a $20 billion plan authored by Texas House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Cody Harris, R-Palestine, and sponsored by Sen. Perry aimed at setting aside up to $1 billion annually collected from the state’s number one revenue stream: Sales taxes.

Now that it’s on the ballot in a low turnout election, some Republican leaders are privately concerned it may not pass as conservative opposition grows in some of the parts of the state that need some of this help the most.

By Scott Braddock

Copyright October 27, 2025, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved