|
May 5, 2000Southern
Blacklands |
|
|
Producers and owners of 63.55 percent of eligible acres in the 65-county Southern Blacklands Boll Weevil Eradication Zone, voted to establish an eradication program during the March 29 referendum. The vote, which had to carry by more than 50 percent of the acreage in order to set an official assessment, was approved by 70.79 percent of the eligible voters. According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, a total of 710 votes were received, 623 of which were valid. Eighty-seven ballots were declared invalid due to postmarks beyond the due date, lack of signatures, invalid signatures, or with no vote indicated. Of the 623 valid ballots, 441 votes favored the program with 182 against. The new zone consists of approximately 115,000 acres in the following counties: Anderson, Angelina, Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Brazos, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Camp, Chambers, Cherokee, Comal, Coryell, Falls, Fayette, Freestone, Galveston, Gillespie, Gonzales, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Kendall, Lampasas, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Llano, Madison, Marion, Milam, Mills, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Saba, Shelby, Smith, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Walker, Washington, Williamson, Wood and portions of Limestone, McLennan and Waller. |