The big picture
The referendum will be the first bond sent to the voters by the county in 10 years. The last bond was held in 2015 for $280 million, and went before voters in both the May and November elections before being passed.
John Robuck, managing partner at BOK Financial, the county’s bond counsel, said the bond initiative should not result in a property tax increase if it is approved by voters. Robuck said this is because the county lowered its debt service over the last several years to allow for the issuance of $120 million a year in debt using the county’s current funding collections.
"We've got mobility needs; you don't even need me to tell you that. All you've got to do is when you leave here, drive home and you're going to experience them," Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray said during a State of the Precinct address on March 12. "I had several folks approach me before we got started, and ask me about certain roads. I can assure you, the roads that y'all asked me about, they're on [the bond list]."
Diving in deeper
As part of the Precinct 4 road bond project list, there are four major construction projects to widen the following roadways:
- Sorters Road
- Ford Road
- Old Houston Road
- David Memorial Drive final segment
The second largest batch of projects on the Precinct 4 road bond list is engineering to make a number of projects "shovel ready," or able to undergo immediate construction work. These projects include:
- Daw Collins Road
- Gene Campbell Road
- Willis Waukegan Road
- Fostoria Road
What's next?
If the bond initiative passes in May, bond funds will be issued annually through 2029. As of press time, commissioners have yet to discuss a course of action if the bond fails.
Early voting for the May 3 election runs April 22-29. For more information about voting in Montgomery County, click here.
