Harris County Commissioners will meet Tuesday and consider putting a $1.2 billion bond measure on the November ballot.
The bond would cost the average homeowner an extra $32 per year in property taxes, the county estimates.
The additional tax dollars would support the following:
“We’ve got to keep the progress that we’ve been making alive and active, and so, this bond is going to allow us to continue that,” Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said. “If this bond were not to pass, so many projects would actually come to a halt because of the lack of funding for these particular program categories.”
The bond is the first for roads in Harris County since 2015. That’s when voters approved an $848 million total bond that dedicated $700 million to roads, according to a county presentation.
“People want their roadways well. Nobody enjoys hitting potholes. Extending the life of our roadways by effective maintenance and repair programs actually extends the life of our infrastructure,” Garcia said.
But at least one commissioner has already raised concerns about the timing and transparency surrounding the process.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey wrote in a July 19 letter to constituents, “I am concerned about a bond election in 2022 because we have not fulfilled the 3 T’s. We need to clarify where the money is going and how each precinct will benefit.”
The 3 T’s, according to Ramsey, are trust, transparency, and timing.
“Timing ⠀ in a bond election. At a time of peak inflation and excessive wasteful spending, I am concerned about if this is the best time to increase taxes on the citizens of Harris County,” he wrote.
That’s an issue former Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and current State Senator Paul Bettencourt echoed.
“These types of bond issues when they’re rushed are likely to be questioned and quite frankly, with inflation as high as it is, and people’s anxiety about the economic conditions, this is not a good environment for a bond issue in general,” he said in an interview with KPRC 2. “The public is not in the mood of granting automatic yes votes anymore – especially with this level of high inflation.”
The commissioners could decide as early as Tuesday to put the bond measure on the November ballot, although they have until Aug. 22 to make a final decision.
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The bond would cost the average homeowner an extra $32 per year in property taxes, the county estimates.
The additional tax dollars would support the following:
- $900 million for roads, drainage, and transportation
- $200 million for parks and trails
- $100 million for public safety facilities and technology
“We’ve got to keep the progress that we’ve been making alive and active, and so, this bond is going to allow us to continue that,” Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said. “If this bond were not to pass, so many projects would actually come to a halt because of the lack of funding for these particular program categories.”
The bond is the first for roads in Harris County since 2015. That’s when voters approved an $848 million total bond that dedicated $700 million to roads, according to a county presentation.
“People want their roadways well. Nobody enjoys hitting potholes. Extending the life of our roadways by effective maintenance and repair programs actually extends the life of our infrastructure,” Garcia said.
But at least one commissioner has already raised concerns about the timing and transparency surrounding the process.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey wrote in a July 19 letter to constituents, “I am concerned about a bond election in 2022 because we have not fulfilled the 3 T’s. We need to clarify where the money is going and how each precinct will benefit.”
The 3 T’s, according to Ramsey, are trust, transparency, and timing.
“Timing ⠀ in a bond election. At a time of peak inflation and excessive wasteful spending, I am concerned about if this is the best time to increase taxes on the citizens of Harris County,” he wrote.
That’s an issue former Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and current State Senator Paul Bettencourt echoed.
“These types of bond issues when they’re rushed are likely to be questioned and quite frankly, with inflation as high as it is, and people’s anxiety about the economic conditions, this is not a good environment for a bond issue in general,” he said in an interview with KPRC 2. “The public is not in the mood of granting automatic yes votes anymore – especially with this level of high inflation.”
The commissioners could decide as early as Tuesday to put the bond measure on the November ballot, although they have until Aug. 22 to make a final decision.
Continue reading...
