This is a message about The Woodlands
Township Board of Directors election. The
opinions here are those of The Woodlands Association.
Services provided currently:
The Woodlands is not an incorporated
city, but rather an unincorporated area in Montgomery and Harris Counties.
The services normally provided by a city are provided to Woodlands
residents by the Community Associations of The Woodlands, specifically, The
Woodlands Association for Sterling Ridge. These services
include garbage pickup, parks and recreation, street lights, mowing and
maintenance of street right-of-ways, The Woodlands Community Policing
Program, The Woodlands Fire Department, neighborhood services, covenant and
deed restriction administration. The services are funded
by your Association assessments.
Change coming in 2010:
As a result of a community-wide
election in November 2007, the Community Associations are scheduled to cease
providing those services at the end of 2009, and that responsibility will be
transferred to The Woodlands Township, which is a special purpose taxing
district that can collect sales and property taxes.
Assuming everything goes as scheduled, the last homeowners' assessment bills
will be for the 2009 year, submitted in late 2008.
Beginning in late 2009, you will instead receive a property tax bill from
The Woodlands Township (it will actually probably be added to the County's
property tax bill). The property tax amounts should be
lower than your current assessments because the Township will collect sales
taxes that will help to reduce the need for property taxes.
In fact, the Township has begun already by funding The Woodlands Fire
Department for about half of 2008 and most of 2009 through its sales tax
receipts.
Election of Board of new service
providers:
The Township is holding an election on
May 10 (early voting April 28 to May 6) for 5 positions on its board.
I urge all of you to learn about the candidates and vote.
While The Woodlands Township board has in the past focused entirely
on the business area in Town Center, its new responsibility will include all
of The Woodlands, including a vast residential area. I
feel that it is important to elect board members who will be responsive to
the residents. The Grogan's Mill Village Association has
published information provided by the candidates at
http://www.grogansmillvillage.com/ne_election_township.htm
Your vote counts!
In the first six days of early voting, only 2,131 people voted at The
Woodlands early voting location. Your vote will make a
difference!
There are two days of early voting
left, today and tomorrow, Monday, May 5 – Tuesday, May 6 from 7:00 AM to
7:00 PM at the South County Community Building, 2235 Lake Robbins Drive,
near Lake Robbins and Grogan's Mill Road. Election Day
is Saturday, May 10, and voting is 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM at your precinct
voting place, which can be found at
http://www.co.montgomery.tx.us/election/polls3.asp
on the Ridge
