Hotel occupancy taxes, property tax reform and tax abatement were named as the city of Conroe's top priorities for 86th Texas legislative session at the Conroe City Council meeting Feb. 14 in a unanimous vote.

"This will allow [for] if we get inquiries concerning bills, we can consult back and provide consistent responses based on policy direction the council has given us," Conroe city attorney Marc Winberry said at the Feb. 13 workshop. "This will also be of aid to our lobbyists so they understand these are our issues we're interested in, and these are our positions on those issues."

Winberry highlighted issues of prominent concern for Conroe, which included a proposal to seek approval of legislation that would allow Conroe to participate in the hotel project program and secure a portion of state hotel occupancy tax and state sales tax.

"[That will] aid in the financing of the hotel and convention center project that we're pursing, and that's probably our biggest single legislative priority in this particular session," Winberry said.

He also highlighted the property tax bills, which would change how municipalities are allowed to tax residents' properties.

"Essentially, the resolution advocates opposition to changes in the current mechanisms that relate to the rollback rates or imposition of revenue caps of things of that nature," Winberry said.

Conroe's third top priority is tax abatements.

"The statute that authorizes tax abatements is subject to sunset review this session and will expire if the legislature is not renewed, and so we support the renewal of that authorization by the adoption of this resolution," Winberry said.

Conroe's other priorities include a request from the Conroe Parks & Recreation Department relating to continued support from the state, the sporting goods sales tax and the dedication of those to recreational and park-related uses.

"This is something we really need to do because we need to keep abreast of exactly what's going on over there [at the Capitol]," Mayor Toby Powell said at the Feb. 13 workshop.