VOL 10 No. 13
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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County & Missouri City
County judge slams legislators for revenue cap legislation By SESHADRI KUMAR Fort Bend County’s population is fast approaching 800,000. It is about 756,000 now. The county’s taxable value grew from $10 billion in 1994 to $60 billion in 2016 and the county tax rate plunged from 65.7 cents per $100 value to 47.4 cents in the same period. Even after giving the largest homestead exemption to homeowners in Fort Bend, the county adopted a $346 million budget, while trying to keep the property tax rate as low as possible, County Judge Bob Hebert said during his State of the County address at a luncheon organized by the Fort Bend chamber of Commerce and the Central Fort Bend Chamber at the Safari Texas Ranch on March 24. Since the county’s finances are in good shape and all capital and mobility projects are nearing completion or on schedule, within the budget, the county judge highlighted the only downside, namely the proposed revenue cap under consideration in the current Texas Legislature. Hebert came down heavily against the proposal to cap the revenue at 5 percent, as an illadvised policy. Texas Senate has passed the bill. The fate of the bill in the House is not known. (S.B. 2 has three main goals: (1) Lower the rollback rate from 8 percent to 4 percent; (2) Require an automatic tax ratification election if the rollback rate is exceeded; and (3) Create a Property Tax Advisory Board at the office of the Texas comptroller of public accounts of the state of texas. Under current law, the trigger point for a rollback election is set statewide at 8 percent. S.B. 2 lowers that to 4 percent and removes the petition requirement for an election, thus making an election automatic if a city, county, or special district exceeds the 4 percent rollback rate. —Texas Senate Bill Analysis ) Though counties like Fort
Bend and Harris may not be affected, all other counties, especially smaller ones, will be severely affected, he said. The proposed revenue cap would not achieve the stated goal of lowering the taxes, Hebert said. The state has imposed so many unfunded mandates on the counties that such mandates amounted to nearly 47 percent of the county budget. When the state approves a new district, it pays the judge’s salary, but the county has to pay $1.3 million a year for assistant district attorney, court coordinators, administrative staff and the bailiff. Similarly, when a county court at law judge is appointed, $1.6
million is needed to run the court and the county taxpayers pay the bill. Added to that, the legislature is planning to cut the 9-1-1 service by 9 percent, reducing funds for election equipment by 31 percent, slashing the indigent defense fund, children’s mental health fund and so on. The county has to either pick up the costs or give up, which means a deterioration in the quality of service, Hebert said. The real tax burden on people is due to the school taxes and the state is passing on the burden more and more on the local taxpayers, Hebert said. “We are the 10th largest economy in the world (Texas economy). Can’t we find a way to educate out children?” Hebert asked. The county judge touched on various bond projects in progress like the Justice Center expansion, additional parking at the Justice Center, Missouri City Library expansion, opening of the county annex in the building acquired from the Houston Community College in Sienna Plantation and the extension of the West Park Toll Road, to name a few. The county judge also indicated that a new bond election is likely in November.
By BARBARA FULENWIDER Missouri City’s unemployment rate that went from 8.3 percent in 2010 to 4.5 percent in 2015, was 5.2 percent last year, Jon Hockenyos, president of TXP, an Austinbased economic analysis and public policy consulting firm, told the city council recently. Hockenyos said unemployment in the city has risen as job growth has slowed “considerably in recent months” and is “consistent with the downturn in the regional economy. Most residents of Missouri City work in the health care and professional services in the medical center or downtown. Half of the
resident employment base is in management. Building permits show housing development has slowed while ecommerce is steadily rising as a share of overall retail activity.” It has climbed from 3.8 percent of retail sales in 2008 to 8.3 percent by the fourth quarter last year and undermines the local tax base because most online sales are not taxed. Single family building permits went from a high of 446 in 2014 to 254 in 2015 and totaled 296 in 2016. Sales tax growth to Missouri City was on a down slide of minus 1.8 percent since November last See GROWTH, Page 3
Hebert
Missouri City’s growth consistent with regional downturn
Houston Methodist Sugar Land presents ‘Community Challenge’
Tariq Zafar, left, Cindy Reaves, Amanda Miller, Shama Khandaria, David Medrano, Neal Mckennon, Tumi Layinka, Mireya Graniel, Victor Tarson, Araz Sarkissian, Teresa Gonzales, Carol Edwards and David Timmermeyer. “This event is one that those center that serves Fort Bend Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital will be the pre- who have participated in look County and the surrounding senting sponsor of the 2017 forward to year after year,” said areas, dedicated to providing Community Challenge Soft- Cindy Reaves, Chief Develop- integrated health care services ball and Kickball Tournament. ment Officer for AccessHealth. to improve the quality of life in Houston Methodist Sugar Land “Community Challenge spon- the communities it serves withemployees will also compete in sors help make quality health- out regard to income or circumcare affordable for families in stance. softball. AccessHealth is a United The Community Challenge our community who would othevent, hosted by Access Health, erwise likely go without the care Way Agency and is recognized as a Patient-Centered Medical will be a fun-filled family event that they need.” This presenting sponsorship Home by the National Commitheld on April 22 at Missouri City’s Community Park – 1700 is in addition to financial sup- tee for Quality Assurance. For information about how Glenn Lakes Lane, from 8 a.m. port Houston Methodist proto 8 p.m. The event’s attractions vides to AccessHealth’s Family to become a Community Chalwill also include food trucks, Practice Clinic in Missouri City. lenge sponsor or how to regisraffles and children’s activities. This partnership ensures that ter a softball or kickball team Other Community Challenge more uninsured and underin- to compete, contact Sharonda sponsors to date include Com- sured individuals gain access to DeBose at 281-633-3144, sdebose@myaccesshealth.org munity Health Choice, Health- quality, affordable healthcare. AccessHealth is a private, or visit AccessHealth’s website South and MD Anderson Cancer not-for-profit community health at www.myaccesshealth.org. Center.
Niyati Jain, 12, completes 2017 Tour de Houston
Niyati Jain, center, with her parents, Meeta and Dr. Ashok Jain,right. According to Niyati, when she Niyati was introduced to the Niyati Jain, a 6th grader in Fort Settlement Middle School in world of road biking by her elder bikes, she loses “track of time.” Fort Bend ISD, has just begun her brother Lakshay Jain, an avid cy- However, the biggest challenge athletic career but she is already clist himself. She took to biking that rose was juggling her rigorturning heads with her sporting with an aptitude rarely seen in a ous practice schedule of extensive abilities. She recently participat- 12 year old and within months outdoor training with her academed in one of Houston’s toughest graduated from biking basics to ic workload and extracurricular road bike challenges, the Tour de advanced biking skills which re- activities. Houston on March 19th and came quired her to purchase a profesSee JAIN, Page 3 sional road bike. through with flying colors.