What you need to know
Hosted by the Greater East Montgomery County Chamber, the open house will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. at The Atrium Center, located at 21575 Hwy. 59 N., New Caney. The event will include a Q&A portion and presentations on the following propositions:
- Montgomery County's $480 million road bond
- Splendora ISD's $150 million bond
- East Montgomery County Fire Department's sales tax rate equalization
Diving in deeper
As previously reported by Community Impact, funds from Montgomery County's $480 million road bond will be divided among the four commissioner precincts, if approved. This means Precinct 4 would receive $120 million over the next five years to complete 18 projects across East Montgomery County.
John Robuck, managing director at BOK Financial Securities—the county's bond counsel—previously said the bond initiative should not result in a property tax increase if approved by voters.
Additionally, officials with Splendora ISD also said voter approval of the district's $150 million bond referendum would not result in a tax rate increase. If approved, the bond would fund an additional junior high school; the first phase of a districtwide support services facility; additions, renovations and expansions at Splendora High School; the first phase of a livestock facility and show arena; and land for future school sites.
Both propositions will be on Montgomery County's joint election ballot. For more information about voting in Montgomery County, click here.
Also of note
The Montgomery County Emergency Services District No. 7 board of directors has also called for an election to be held May 3 for a proposition that, if approved, would increase the sales tax rate for the unincorporated area of Splendora.
"Currently, across our entire district we have an 8.25% sales tax rate, except for in the unincorporated area of Splendora, they're currently at 7.75%. We'd like to bring that up across the board where everybody is paying the same amount," EMCFD Chief Howard Rinewalt said in an April 7 Facebook video.
Per the MCESD 7 website, the fire department is funded primarily through property tax revenue, but also receives a portion of local sales tax revenue, which helps support operations, training and equipment. Rinewalt noted approval of the proposition will help the department keep up with future growth.
"This is an election that we've had in the past and we've already won but, due to some verbiage issues, it was kicked back by the comptroller's office. So we're simply just asking for your support once again like you've done before," Rinewalt said in the video.
Voting for the MCESD 7 election will be held at EMCFD Station 151, which is located at 19870 FM 1485 W. in New Caney. For more information about the MCESD 7 election, click here.
