Sugar Land - Missouri City Edition | December 2023

Election

BY EMILY LINCKE & DAVE MANNING

Voters OK local election propositions

Results breakdown

Winner

Sugar Land and Missouri City residents voted in favor of several items on the Nov. 7 ballot, which included a bond election and a voter-approval tax rate election. What you need to know Voters approved two Fort Bend County bond referendums totaling $865.6 million. The proposi- tions will fund the following items: • Proposition A ($712.6 million): construction, maintenance and operation of county roads • Proposition B ($153 million): improvements, renovations, land acquisition, and building construction for park and recreational purposes Roughly 34% of the 2023 mobility bond is earmarked to construct existing projects, accord- ing to county documents. The larger portion of the bond will be allocated to design, right-of-way acquisition and utilities for new projects, County Judge KP George said.

Voters also approved Fort Bend ISD’s voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, which was listed as Proposition A. The approval will increase the tax rate to pay for teacher raises and meet the unfunded House Bill 3 state mandate of hiring a uniformed officer at every campus, Deputy Superintendent Steven Bassett said. Cost to residents Fort Bend County’s bond won’t impact the coun- ty’s tax rate, George said. However, the VATRE raised FBISD’s tax rate $0.04 above the state-re- quired compressed tax rate for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The rate is the lowest the district has had. FBISD officials canvassed the votes Nov. 16, making the results official. The VATRE will provide funding for the district to comply with the state mandate to have armed security personnel on all FBISD campuses and qualifies it for additional state funding, which will allow for more competitive staff salaries.

Fort Bend County bond

Proposition A

64% For 36% Against

Proposition B

52% For 48% Against

Fort Bend ISD VATRE

Proposition A

57% For 43% Against

SOURCE: FORT BEND COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

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