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VOL 12 No. 24
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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County & Missouri City
County faces financial nightmare By SESHADRI KUMAR The Texas Legislature has imposed a 3.5 percent revenue cap on the counties. In the proposed county budget, various departments have placed their wish list, resulting in a potential increase of $15 million to $20 million over the current year’s budget of $373 million. The Fort Bend County Commissioners Court has flipped from a Republican majority to 3-2 Democratic Party majority. What is in store for Fort Bend County taxpayers next year is uncertain. But, if one goes by the discussions in the commissioners court, a financial nightmare is likely, especially with the existing and future liabilities. First, even to keep the tax rate at the current level, not to speak of any decrease, the commissioners court must have the discipline to prune down the budget and may have to deal with a tax increase, not exceeding the revenue cap. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the county commissioned a study and peoples’ expectations are high. The county is banking on peoples’ desire for flood control projects and will likely bring a huge flood control bond. How much it will cost the taxpayers will depend on the size and scope of the future bond issue. As if this is not enough, the county judge and the commissioners are talking about a $140 million facility bond. The discussion involves a $25 million Emergency Operations Center as desired by the county judge, a $28
million multipurpose facility at the Fair Grounds, proposed by Pct.1 Commissioner Vincent Morales, a list of yet to be identified projects by Pct. 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage, and $3.5 million for a museum for the Sugar Land 95, the burial ground unearthed in the Fort Bend ISD school property. Pct. 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers is not in favor of a facilities bond at this time and his priorities are mobility projects. These projects are in preliminary discussion stage and the commissioners will have a workshop on this topic shortly. Commissioner Meyers says the county has $400 million in healthcare liability for county employees and the county must find a solution to bring down this liability. Meanwhile, some of the newly-elected judges are asking for new associate judges and they even got the legislature to approve the creation of new magistrates. The county budget is already under strain and it is doubtful if commissioners court will be able to add the additional burden to the burgeoning budget. The budget, the facility bond or the flood control bond will be discussed in public and subject to public hearings. But the majority of the court may use its election as a mandate from the people for doing these projects, even if it means higher taxes. The bottom line: Elections have consequences.
was in total contrast to the scenario discussed above. It was a measure to save taxpayers substantially. Pct. 4 Commissioner Ken DeMerchant presented an inter-local agreement between Fort Bend County and Levee Improvement District 14, which was unanimously passed. The agreement enables Fort Bend County Tax Assessor/ Collector to collect the LID tax from residents living in LID 14 and it means a 98 percent savings over the exiting contract. “Saving taxpayers money through LID reform is very important to me. I will be working with other entities in my precinct to offer the same reform,” DeMerchant said. The cost-saving initiative was proposed by LID 14 president, Sujeet Draksharam. Earlier, the three-member LID board unanimously voted for tax collection contract to the county tax-assessor. Most of the LIDS and MUDs engage private tax collection firms. Some have a contract with the county. LID 14 was paying as much as $26,000 to the outside tax collecting agency and the county would do the same job for less than $400, Draksharam said. The county tax assessor is already collecting taxes from these residents on behalf of the county, school district and the city. All that the tax office has to do is plug in the LID tax rate in the system. Commissioner Andy Meyers explained that the private entities have costs to set up the account and maintain it. But, under state law, the county tax assessor can Last week the commissioners only charge the “incremental court took an action that costs” of adding the tax base and that amounted to $360 in this particular case. Recently, LID 14 also hired a new legal counsel, Robert A. Eckels, Partner, Husch Blackwell, LLP, to save costs. Previously, the LID was using Allen, Boone, Humphries & Robinson for legal services. For the 2018-19 financial year, LID 14 paid about $129,000 for legal services. Under the new contract, the legal services cost should drop by 35 percent, if the same amount of time is billed this year, Draksharam said.
Story in contrast
Naushad Kermally elected to Sugar Land City Council
By SESHADRI KUMAR Naushad Kermally won the Dist. 2 Sugar Land City Council race defeating Nabila Mansoor in the runoff election on Saturday. Kermally received 1,811 votes (57.26%) and Mansoor 1,352 votes (42.74%) Mansoor carried the Riverpark subdivision and Kermally won the rest, all of New Territory, Telfair and a sliver of First Colony. The turnout in the runoff was pretty good as more than threefourth of the voters who cast their votes in the May 4 election returned to the polls for the runoff. A total of 4,173 people voted in the May 4 election in Dist. 2 and 3,163 voted in the runoff. Mansoor got almost all her voters to return to the runoff, but Kermally, in addition to keeping his base voters, got the votes of David Gornet’s supporters. Gornet finished third in the May election and he endorsed Kermally in the runoff. Kermally was the front runner in the May election with 1,634 votes, followed by Mansoor with 1,428 votes. Kermally increased his tally by 177 votes in the runoff compared to the May election figures, while Mansoor lost 76 votes in the runoff. He is the first Muslim to be elected to Sugar Land City Council. He belongs to the Ismaili sect headed by His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan. Kermally said in a statement: “I love this city, it is the city which I call home and I love to Live, Work and Play in Sugar Land. I am excited that the voters of District 2 have spoken and I
Kermally, with his wife Narmin, addresses supporters at the victory celebration. am delighted to serve as your by current and past Sugar next City Council Member for Land City Council members, the City of Sugar Land. I could including outgloing Dist. 2 not have done this without the councilmember Bridget Yeung. Congressman Pete Olson support of my loving family and my volunteer base. I am attended Kermally’s victory truly blessed to be surrounded party. Fort Bend County by wonderful people who I can Republican Party Chair Linda Howell was among those who count on.” To his opponents in this congratulated Kermally at the election, Kermally said “Nabila election watch party. Mansoor was endorsed by Sri Mansoor, although you did not prevail this election cycle Kulkarni, who ran against Olson you ran a great campaign. last November as a Democrat. Remember, there is still more Mansoor had the support of the work to be done. I look forward local Democratic Party as well. In Stafford, Alice Chen won to seeing you moving forward without any hesitation or the city council race defeating reservations. Stay strong and Arturo Jackson. In Rosenberg, Jacob Balderas stay focused. David Gornet, thank you for your endorsement. won, defeating Alice Stratman I look forward to working with Jozwiak, in one race and Kevin Raines defeated Susan Kroll you in the future also.“ Kermally was endorsed Euton, in the other runoff race.
Sugar Land native Karan Patel drafted by Chicago White Sox
Judging the Judges, Page 4
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By SAMEER BHUCHAR Karan Patel, a 22-year-old right-hander with a 94mph fastball, made history Tuesday when he was drafted into Major League Baseball. The Sugar Land native became the first player of Indian origin and the second-highest draft pick in UTSA program history when the Chicago White Sox selected him with the third pick of the seventh round (200th overall). Patel was a prolific pitcher at Kempner High School, leading the school to two district championships. He went on to star at UTSA where he earned 2019 AllConference USA First Team honors after posting a 2.84 ERA and striking out 104 batters in 92.0 innings of work. He became the first UTSA
pitcher in the 28-year history of the program to record 100 strikeouts in a season. He earned an 11-16 record as a Roadrunner, with a career 4.36 ERA. Patel links his baseball skills to his unique background as a national-team level cricket player. His father, an elite cricket talent in his own right, introduced the younger Patel to the sport. “It comes from my dad (Kuldeep),” Patel told MLB. com after being drafted. “He grew up playing. He made the national team for the USA and just growing up, he always had me around. “Slowly I got into it, and then as high school came around, I took it more seriously and got my first opportunity in 2012 to represent the Under-19 USA
team. Got another chance in ‘15 and a third chance in ‘16.” Patel uses fundamentals he learned as a cricket bowler in his practice as a baseball pitcher. “(Cricket bowling) helps my arm slot and my ability to spin the ball,” Patel said. White Sox scouts began paying attention to him early on and followed him throughout his collegiate career. They were impressed with his throwing style and the speeds he generates on pitches. “He’s got a good arm,” said White Sox director of amateur scouting Nick Hostetler of Patel. “He’s 90-94 (mph). It’s loose. It’s easy. Patel will have an opportunity to work his way through the White Sox farm system before being called up to the big show.