CITY & COUNTY
News from Harris & Montgomery counties
Harris County Commissioners Court will meet at 10 a.m. Aug. 2 at 1001 Preston St., Ste. 934, Houston. 713-274-7000. www.harriscountytx.gov Houston City Council meets weekly at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and 9 a.m. on Wednesdays at 901 Bagby St., 2nd Floor, Houston. 713-837-0311. www.houstontx.gov Humble City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. July 28 and Aug. 11 at 114 W. Higgins St., Humble. 281-446-3061. www.cityoumbletx.gov Montgomery County Commissioners Court will meet at 9:30 a.m. July 26 and Aug. 9 at 601 N. Thompson St., Ste. 402, Conroe. 936-756-0571. www.mctx.org MEETINGS WE COVER Calandrian Simpson Kemp, founder of No Weapon #1Life Empowerment Foundation and member of Moms Demand Action; Humble ISD Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen; and Lisa Andrews Alpe, vice president of the Spring Branch ISD school board. Each of the four commissioners and the county judge nominated one person to the commission. The commission will address school safety for private schools as well as Harris County’s 25 independent school districts. Members will present their ndings to the court before the end of their term Aug. 1 to prepare for the beginning of the 2022-23 school year. NUMBER TO KNOW The Harris County Commissioners Court voted to increase the property tax exemption for individuals with disabilities and those over age 65 from $229,000 of the appraised property value to $250,000 during the June 14 court meeting. The change would reduce the total county property tax burden— imposed by the county, the ood control district and the Harris Health System—by up to $120 for covered populations based on the 2021 tax rate, according to the Oce of Management and Budget. $250K HIGHLIGHTS HARRIS COUNTY Commissioners approved the appointments of ve candidates to the Harris County Safe School Commission following an executive session at the June 28 meeting. The appointees include Saami Baig, a high school student at the John Cooper School in The Woodlands; Traci Latson, a teacher at the Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School;
Harris County Commissioners Court considering $1B bond for November
BY RACHEL CARLTON
Bond breakdown
HARRIS COUNTY Commissioners are considering a potential $1 billion bond issue for the Novem- ber election to fund roads, parks and public safety projects throughout Harris County. The plan, presented to commis- sioners June 28, proposes allocating $700 million for roads and transit, $200 million for parks and $100 million for public safety. The county last went to voters for a similar bond in 2015 that allocated $700 million for roads and $60 million for parks. County ocials said a billion-dollar
If approved by commissioners, the $1 billion bond issue would go to voters in November. $700M: roads and transit $200M: parks $100M: public safety
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY¦ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
bond would increase property taxes by $27 a year for residents with homes valued at $314,000. Commis- sioners would have to vote on a bond order by Aug. 22 for the item to be placed on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Harris County names new elections administrator
Montgomery County declines tax break for Splendora factory
BY RACHEL CARLTON
HARRIS COUNTY The Harris County Election Commission named Cliord Tatum, the former general counsel for the U.S. Election Assis- tance Commission, as the county’s new elections administrator. Tatum will be appointed at a later date once he meets eligibility requirements as a resident and registered voter of Texas. Tatum previously served as the executive director for the District of Columbia Board of Elections and the interim director of the Georgia State Elections Division. Former Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria’s resignation took eect July 1. Beth Stevens, chief director of voting for Harris County, is serving in the interim. “WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A GREAT ELECTION IN NOVEMBER FOR BOTH PARTIES AND MAKING SURE CONFIDENCE IS INSTILLED BACK TO THE VOTERS IN HARRIS COUNTY” ODUS EVBAGHARU, HARRIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR
BY JISHNU NAIR
MONTGOMERY COUNTY Com- missioners declined to vote on a proposed 10-year tax abatement for Husteel America’s planned factory near Splendora, leaving the item to die at a June 28 court session. Precinct 4 Commissioner James Metts moved to approve the item but did not receive a second to sup- port it. Metts said the move would be justied in the long term. “I’ve met with these folks and have had good experiences with them,” Metts said. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t be good neighbors.” However, County Judge Mark Keough said he believed it was “not great optics” to approve a tax abatement when residents are “struggling” with property taxes. “Montgomery County is pro-business, pro-all the things that make Texas great,” Keough said. “But I don’t think we can justify an abatement while people are taking it on the chin from property taxes.” The proposed abatement would have relieved 100% of taxes for 10 years. Any future abatements will require a 30-day notice before they can be discussed again.
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LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION • JULY 2022
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