Here were the top government stories for the Bay Area.

League City City Council nearly doubles water impact fees

Water and wastewater impact fees doubled starting Dec. 1 for those developing properties in League City. The increase was originally set to begin Sept. 1, but after council member Tommy Cones objected over concerns that things were changing too fast, council agreed to push the date.

Gov. Abbott vetoes bill creating Gulf Coast funding account

Despite receiving almost unanimous support from the Texas Legislature, Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a bill that would have created a funding account to help pay for Gulf Coast protection projects due to concerns over how it was worded.


House Bill 2416, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Paul, R-Houston, aimed to create a trust fund to allow extra federal funds to be deposited for future and current Gulf Coast protection projects, including the coastal spine in Galveston Bay.

New League City police chief appointed

Following the retirement of former police Chief Gary Ratliff in June, League City appointed Clifford “Cliff” Woitena to fill the role. Woitena has been part of the League City Police Department since 1999.

Woitena has received three medals of valor from the League City Police Department, an Officer of the Year Award for Heroism from the 100 Club of Houston, and an Officer of the Year Award from the League City Citizens Police Academy, according to a Sept. 12 news release.
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League City lowers property tax rate for 9th year in a row

League City residents will pay a lower tax rate than last year—a trend the city has kept over the past nine consecutive years.

On Sept. 12, League City City Council voted to approve the budget for fiscal year 2023-24 with a property tax rate of $0.395 per valuation. The tax rate is lower than the no-new-revenue rate of $0.396783 and lower than the FY 2022-23 tax rate of $0.415526.

Clear Creek plan aims to bolster waterway


League City officials now have a document to guide the development and enhancement of Clear Creek and surrounding areas.

On Sept. 11, League City City Council approved the Clear Creek Master Plan, which includes millions of dollars worth of possible improvements to 9 miles of the creek, including:
  • 3 parks on public land
  • 8 kayak launches
  • 17 miles of trails
  • 2 miles of boardwalks
The Clear Creek Master Plan splits projects over short-, medium- and long-term time frames. While some can be done in the next few years, others are earmarked for more than a decade from now, according to the plan.