|
||
|
|
|
|
Home | Contact Us | |
TWA Update - January |
|
Governance: Many of you have no doubt heard of the proposed agreement between The Woodlands and the City of Houston. The proposed agreement can be seen in its entirety by going to http://www.thewoodlandsgovernance.org and clicking on “Proposed Agreement” on the left. The following is my own summary of the proposed agreement and related developments. The proposal opens the door for residents of The Woodlands to determine their own form of government without the threat of annexation by Houston, while still participating in regional projects beneficial to both communities. The starting point is two pieces of legislation that State Senator Tommy Williams will introduce within the next few weeks. One would support the proposed agreement, identify the parties, and provide the ability for those parties to enter into and perform their obligations as setout in the proposed agreement. The second bill would expand the special purpose district that is now called Town Center Improvement District, so that it would include all of The Woodlands. That District would have authority to collect sales taxes and property taxes, which would be used to provide the municipal services now provided by The Woodlands Association and the Community Associations of The Woodlands. One of the main advantages of a District that could collect sales taxes is that those taxes are collected from non-Woodlands residents who shop in The Woodlands, thereby relieving residents of some of the burden of providing services. The proposed agreement recognizes that The Woodlands and Houston benefit from each other, and that regional projects undertaken by the City of Houston benefit residents of The Woodlands. Therefore, within one year after the agreement is finalized, The Woodlands would pay an initial $16 million to the City of Houston, to be used by Houston as follows: $3 million for improvements to the park formerly known as Lake Houston State Park; $3 million for improvements to major regional parks like MacGregor Park, Memorial Park, and Hermann Brown Park; $5 million for improvements allowing for better entry and exit from the Texas Medical Center; and $5 million for road and street improvements related to the extension of the Hardy Toll Road from IH-610 to Downtown Houston. Where would that $16 million come from? That is yet to be answered, but the proposed expanded District that would cover all of The Woodlands would have the authority to issue bonds to raise that money, which would be paid off with sales taxes. In addition to the initial payment, a continuing one-sixteenth of one cent of sales tax ($0.000625 of every dollar spent in The Woodlands) would be paid to Houston to continue funding regional projects. Over the next 30 years, those payments are estimated to total about $29 million, for a total of $45 million over the next 30 years when added to the initial $16 million. The proposed agreement says that the parties intend that the $45 million will be used as follows: $20 million for mobility projects, $10 million for infrastructure improvements for the Texas Medical Center, and $15 million for regional parks and recreation projects. I’m sure the dollar amounts sound like a bargain to some and like highway robbery to others. Keep in mind that in return for this, the City of Houston is agreeing to not impose unilateral annexation upon The Woodlands. Annexation would mean that the services and amenities that make The Woodlands such a desirable place to live would be provided not locally, but by a city administration some 30 miles south, a city administration that has its hands full with 640 square miles and 2 million people already within the limits of the City of Houston. Avoidance of annexation has been the overriding concern of residents as expressed to the Governance Steering Committee since its inception. Also, the funds that we pay to Houston will be used for projects that improve the entire region. Like it or not, The Woodlands would not be what it is if it was not located within driving distance of one of the major employment centers of the United States. Many residents of The Woodlands visit Houston regularly for employment, health care, entertainment, etc. The regional projects would directly benefit those residents who make those trips to Houston, and, by making the entire region more desirable, would benefit all residents of The Woodlands. As I mention above, the newly expanded District covering all of The Woodlands would have the ability to use sales tax dollars to fund the services now provided by The Community Associations through assessment dollars. The Woodlands Fire Department, the new community policing program, parks and recreation, street lighting, garbage collection, etc could be funded by the sales tax dollars, thereby allowing non-residents to pay for part of those services instead of the present system through which they are funded exclusively through homeowner assessments. The proposed agreement further indicates that at some time of its own choosing after May 29, 2014 (the first date on which Houston could annex The Woodlands), The Woodlands would be released from Houston’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and could simultaneously incorporate or form some other means of self-government. The following dates indicate the potential timeline: January 2007 – Legislation to be introduced by Senator Williams. May 28, 2007 – Last day of the regular session of the Legislature. June 17, 2007 – Last day the Governor can sign legislation into law. November 6, 2007 – Election in which voters choose whether to endorse creation of the proposed service district. May 12, 2008 – Election in which voters elect first representatives to the new service district. Senator Williams has said that much of the detail as to what and how this new service district functions, and the role of the Community Associations as related to it, would be left to the local service providers to determine. He has also stressed the need for The Woodlands to present unified support for the required legislation in order to help him get it passed. Law Enforcement: Many residents have expressed concern over the level of law enforcement visibility in the area. To address those concerns, the Community Association boards have recently committed to a contract with the Montgomery County Sheriff to provide an enhanced level of law enforcement to The Woodlands. The contract is to be considered at the January 22, 2007 meeting of the Montgomery County Commissioners Court. Under the proposal, The Community Associations of The Woodlands would fund 30 law enforcement officers (23 deputies, 4 corporals, 2 sergeants, and 1 detective) plus a civilian clerk. Those officers would patrol The Woodlands 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in 5 “beats” or patrol areas, and would be responsible for proactive patrol, traffic enforcement, and answering calls for service in their beats. They will also have bicycles so that they can sometimes patrol the pathways and parks, and during that time calls would be handled by other deputies. The objective of this arrangement is to give the deputies an opportunity to become very familiar with their areas of responsibility, and also give the residents a chance to get to know or at least recognize the deputies, thereby making the law enforcement efforts more effective. This new contract with the Sheriff’s Office will replace one contract presently in place with the Sheriff and another with the Precinct 3 Constable, under which we had a total of 14 officers but no established patrol areas or other elements of a community policing program. The addition of 16 officers should result in a significant increase in law enforcement visibility. Under the terms of the contract, the deputies funded by The Woodlands would leave The Woodlands only in response to a need under a priority 1 call, which is basically a life-threatening situation. Fire Department: The Town Center Improvement District has recently created an Economic Development Zone to fund the construction of Woodlands Fire Station No. 6 near Lowe’s on Hwy 242, and also a fire training facility on the east side of I-45. This means that sales tax collections in the Hwy 242 area will fund the $11.6 million projects. Community Elections: Community elections will be held in February 2007. Most people that live in The Woodlands enjoy the environment, lifestyle, and amenities that are offered here. Volunteers on many boards and committees help to ensure the preservation and continuous improvement of that lifestyle, so these elections are important. Voting times and locations are as follows: Convenience voting occurs at the Community Associations of The Woodlands, 2201 Lake Woodlands, Feb 5 through Feb 16. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM; Tuesday and Thursday, 9 AM – 8 PM; and Saturday Feb 10, 9AM – 5 PM. Election day, voting for Sterling Ridge residents occurs at Fire Station No. 5, at 10100 Branch Crossing Drive, from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. TWA Board Meeting:
STANDING INFORMATION AND NOTICES: Water Wells and Plant: The San Jacinto River Authority is planning to construct a water plant including two tanks and two water wells off of Branch Crossing Drive south of the new Super Wal-Mart and west of Branch Crossing. The Woodlands Development Company has prepared a notice for home builders to provide to purchasers so that they are aware of the future location of the facility. Construction is planned to being in mid to late 2006 and proceed for 12 to 18 months. Future Governance Information: Organization of The Woodlands: Association Service Requests: Contact Info: |
|
