(Editor's note: This is a continuation of our endorsements in the Nov. 3 election on amendments to the Texas Constitution.)

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Proposition 6: Allowing the Veterans' Land Board to issue bonds to provide mortgages for Texas veterans.

No one knows what the economy will be like even six months from now, much less 10 years down the line. We do not know if it will be easy or almost impossible to find mortgage money to buy a home.

What we do know is that if anyone deserves a chance to be a homeowner it is someone who has served this nation in the armed forces. This amendment would greatly increase the amount of money for this cause with very little risk to our state or the economy.

We urge a vote FOR Proposition 6.

Proposition 7: Allowing a member of the Texas State Guard or other military force to hold other state civil offices.

For us, this is an easy choice. The state constitution now forbids any sort of "double-dipping," that is, holding two government jobs at once. Mostly, this is a good thing, except in this very instance. Service in the military needs to be allowed. We urge a vote FOR Proposition 7.

Proposition 8: Authorizing the state to contribute to the establishment and operation of veterans' hospitals.

We come to the second proposed amendment that is not needed. This already has happened and should continue to happen. We don't want the state to stop helping with veterans' hospitals, we just don't think a constitutional amendment is needed for something that already occurs.

We suggest a NO vote on proposition 8.

Proposition 9: Establishing the public's unrestricted right to access all beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.

Open beaches are already guaranteed by a 1959 law passed by the Texas Legislature. What makes this amendment necessary is that several lawsuits are now in place seeking to overturn the law.

We believe the beaches should remain in the public's hands.

Everyone who has purchased land along the shore has known of this possibility for the last 50 years and any contract, deed or other legal instrument is required to state it.

We urge a vote FOR Proposition 9.

Proposition 10: Allowing members of boards of emergency services districts to serve terms of up to four years.

This increases the number of years that may be served in one term from two to four. In our view, this is another unnecessary amendment to the constitution. It does not address any real need and, to the extent it substantially changes anything, it changes it for the worse.

We urge a vote AGAINST Proposition 10.

Proposition 11: Limiting the power of the state or other government entities to take private land through the power of eminent domain.

Think the Trans-Texas corridor here, the multi-billion highway project that would have taken thousands of square miles from private landowners for highways and rail systems.

The project was highly unpopular, but we have also seen other projects in other states that seemed poor reasons for using eminent domain.

This constitutional amendment would stop such land grabs or the possibility that they might occur.

Despite the fact that this is the last in the list, this is the most important amendment of them all.

We urge a vote FOR Proposition 11.