VOL 11 No. 14
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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County & Missouri City
Sugar Land’s Lakeview Elementary celebrates centenary
No tax increase, but a tax cut is possible, says County Judge
By SESHADRI KUMAR Fort Bend County’s overall rank on health outcomes is #6 out of the 242 Texas counties that were ranked, Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert said during his State of the County address at Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond on March 29. This assessment applies to the county’s fiscal health as well because the county judge outlined the county’s goal as follows: “Adopt a balanced Fiscal Year 2019 budget serving Fort Bend citizens without a tax rate increase and, if possible, provide another tax rate decrease.” The next goal is “Prioritize and transition 2017 bond projects into right of way acquisition, design and construction schedules.” Future facilities bonds may include expansion and renovaCounty Commissioner James Patterson, left, Rita Drabek, Sugar Land City Council Member Mary tion of the Fort Bend Juvenile Joyce, Sugar Land City Council Member Carol McCutcheon, FBISD Board Trustee Grayle James, Detention Center, Emergency Lakeview Elementary Principal Alena McClanahan, Sugar Land City Council Member Steve PorOperations Center, and Multiter, FBISD Superintendent Dr. Charles Dupre and Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman. purpose facility at the fairgrounds. It was a moment 100 years in ees. “Our campus has served day. Other elected officials shared the making, as Fort Bend ISD’s students, families and the comLakeview Elementary in Sugar munity for 100 years, and that proclamations and recognitions Land celebrated 100 years of in- is truly something to celebrate,” with the school before and afspiring and equipping students McClanahan said. “We look for- ter the ceremony. Also in atfor futures beyond what they ward to inspiring and equipping tendance for the ceremony were students for many more years.” many current and former Lakevcan imagine. Five areas in Fort Bend Fort Bend ISD Superinten- iew students, staff members and The school hosted a centenCounty are among the 628 cennial celebration on Saturday, dent Dr. Charles Dupre and administrators, including Rita sus tracts that Gov. Greg Abbott March 24 for the entire commu- Board Trustee Grayle James Drabek, James Patterson and has recommended for designanity that included food trucks, also took to the stage to share Carolyn and Vernon Madden, tion in the Opportunity Zone carnival games, an antique car their thoughts on the momen- after whom FBISD schools Program, an initiative estabshow, a silent auction, a mu- tous occasion. The event was have bene named. Special thanks to Cub Scouts lished by Congress in the Tax seum showcasing the school’s particularly special for James, whose children attended Lakev- Pack 1116, Cub Scouts Pack 38 Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. history and more. The program provides tax A formal proclamation cer- iew Elementary. Sugar Land and Girl Scouts Troop 152007 incentives to encourage investemony was held in the audito- Mayor Joe Zimmerman ended for doing the Presentation of ment in low-income areas, with rium to officially kick off the the ceremony by presenting Colors, and to the 4th and 5th eligible census tracts having at celebration. Lakeview Principal Mrs. McClanahan with an offi- grade Lakeview Choir and least a 20 percent poverty rate Alena McClanahan opened the cial proclamation from the city, Kempner High School Drumand median family income of ceremony and welcomed attend- marking the school’s historic line for their performances. no more than 80 percent of the region’s median income, among other criteria. “Opportunity zones give us a new tool for our economic development toolbox, and, better still, we can use them to create By SESHADRI KUMAR jobs in economically disadvan“It is time for Sugar Land to taged communities,” said Fort have a mayor who will stand Bend County Judge Bob Hebert. with the residents of Sugar The largest identified tract Land, a mayor who will listen in Fort Bend County is along and respond to the concerns of Highway 36 west of Rosenberg the citizens, a mayor who will including portions of Beasley place the community interests extending north of Highway before personal interests,” says 90A to the Brazos River. Diana Miller who is seeking the “This area is critical to the office of Sugar Land Mayor. commercial, industrial, manuIncumbent Mayor Joe Zimmerman, in his bid for re-election, is looking forward to continuing to represent the residents of Sugar Land and serve his Miller Zimmerman community for another term of Spending. committee on Property Tax Retwo years. “While we may have a low form in 2017 while Mayor ZimAs mayor, Zimmerman has tax rate, the reality is Fort Bend merman opposed the legislation. seen the City of Sugar Land County homeowners pay the The legislation will return again experience growth in both busi- highest effective tax in the State, in the next legislative session ness and residential, including with Sugar Land having some where I will continue to offer the grand opening of the Smart of the highest assessed prop- my support. Financial Centre, the annexa- erty values in the county. Sugar •Strong Public Safety. tion of Greatwood and New Ter- Land property tax assessments “While the City of Houston ritory and through the historical increased almost 35% over the is considering requiring new rainfall of Hurricane Harvey. last five years. building permits to meet the 500 Miller says her priorities as “I submitted testimony be- Year Flood Plain, Sugar Land Mayor will be: fore the State Legislative Senate See MAYOR, Page 3 •Fiscally Conservative
Hebert Hebert further assured the audience that the county will continue to seek significant relief for homeowners affected by Hurricane Harvey, maintain pressure on the Federal Government to make homeowners behind Barker Reservoir whole and continue to work to strengthen our emergency management response for the next event. Hebert touched on the “rev-
enue cap,” a hot button issue. A large majority of Texans have demanded lower property taxes, he said, but “Revenue Caps do not lower property taxes. Lower property taxes can be achieved by restructuring the financing for public education,” Hebert added. Since 2015, the Texas Legislature increased school funding from local property taxes $14.35 Billion while state funding increased $2.17 Billion. The majority of property taxes fund schools. For example, of all property taxes collected, cities account for 16 percent, counties for 17 percent, special districts for 13 percent while school property taxes account for 54 percent. “Texans are finally understanding that school finance is the problem. The upcoming legislature must address school finance and restructure the funding formula to achieve equity See COUNTY, Page 3
Governor names 5 Fort Bend tracts as ‘Opportunity Zones’
Clash of ideas marks Sugar Land’s May 5 mayoral race
facturing and infrastructure development in Fort Bend County because of its proximity to Highway 36, the deep-water Port Freeport and class 1 railroads operating in the area,” said Jeffrey C. Wiley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council. “While we are very pleased with this designation and the much-needed boost it offers to this area of Fort Bend County, it is disappointing that the contiguous tract designated to the west was not named an opportunity zone, as well.” Other designated opportunity zones recommended by the governor include an area along Highway 90 in Richmond and one to the east along Highway 90 and Highway 99. Two tracts in Missouri City also were identified. The opportunity zones provide incentives for developers and businesses to invest longterm in low-income neighborhoods. The incentives include temporary tax deferral for capi-
tal gains reinvested into an Opportunity Fund benefitting the neighborhood, an increase of the value of capital gains reinvested in the fund and a permanent exclusion from taxable income of capital gains from the sale or exchange of an investment in an Opportunity Fund if the investment is held for at least 10 years. “Because there is a time factor to these incentives, it allows a significant, life-changing investment into these communities, which is especially impactful since these areas were hard hit by Hurricane Harvey,” Wiley said. There were 15 possible census tracts and seven contiguous areas in Fort Bend County that could be designated opportunity zones. Gov. Abbott could name only 25 percent of the eligible 2,674 qualifying areas in the state to be opportunity zones. Harris County received the most designations, with 105 census tracts nominated for consideration. Learn more about Fort Bend County at www.fortbendcounty.com.