Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert gave a county update presentation at Friday's annual Fort Bend County Regional Infrastructure Conference. He focused on the necessity for property tax reform during the next state legislative session, which begins in January.[/caption]

The Central Fort Bend and Fort Bend chambers of commerce hosted the annual Fort Bend Regional Infrastructure Conference on Friday at Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond. Elected officials, business owners and other community leaders gathered to discuss the state of infrastructure in the county and top priorities heading into the next state legislative session beginning in January. Areas covered included development, transportation and the environment. Keynote speakers for the event were Robert Hebert, Fort Bend County Judge; John Thompson, board chairman for the Alliance for I-69 Texas; and Laura Ryan, Texas Transportation Commissioner.

Here are the key takeaways from the event.

Property Taxes

1. Property tax reform is a major concern for Fort Bend County

Hebert gave a county update calling for property tax reform and addressing it as a recurring issue in Texas. He said reform bills have been introduced in every legislative session since 2003, but none have been passed. According to Hebert, 65 cents of every dollar spent by Fort Bend County is mandated by the State Legislature, leaving just 35 cents for infrastructure.

Hebert’s biggest concern was the potential for the Legislature to cap the revenue of local governments. He said these caps would not fix the current problems with the property tax system; instead, they would transfer local control to the state. His suggested reforms included granting relief to senior citizens and disabled veterans, changing the appraisal review process to remove subjectivity and coming up with additional funding to support school spending without altering property taxes.

2. Fort Bend County is making an effort to reform property taxes on a local level

Hebert said Fort Bend County’s property tax rates have dropped from 65.7 cents in 1994 to 47.4 cents in 2016. This year represents the third consecutive year of a tax rate reduction in the county, he said. According to Hebert, the county—which has been growing rapidly and experiencing virtually exponential property value increases—would have levied an additional $890 million in property taxes during that time span if the 1994 rate had remained.

“Property taxes do need reform, [I] don’t argue that point,” Hebert said during his presentation. “Local governments are not the problem. And if the governor and both houses work together effectively, reform can be achieved. I think we’d like to be a part of it.”

Transportation

3.  Toll roads might be threatened during the next legislative session

Thompson addressed the Legislature’s notion of doing away with toll roads. Toll roads are a necessity in places like Fort Bend County where the added revenue is instrumental to completing mobility projects that allow the area to keep up with rapid growth, he said. According to Thompson, the existence of toll roads also makes it possible and easier for non-toll roads to get funded, approved and constructed.

4. Fort Bend County represents the epicenter of I-69

Thompson said that due to its location, extensive construction activity and integral role as part of the national freight corridor, Fort Bend County represents the heart of the ongoing I-69 project. Fort Bend County is one of nine counties through which I-69 currently runs, and there are more than $400 million of mobility projects underway or scheduled in the county, he said.

According to Thompson, I-69 presently has 207 miles of signed interstate in Texas and will span over 1,000 miles in the state at its completion. He said the Texas Department of Transportation has contributed roughly $1.5 billion in funding toward I-69 planning and projects since 2010. Proposition 1 and Proposition 7—which both passed last year—are significant factors in the expected doubling of the state’s highway project funding over the next decade, he said.

“The way we get the most benefit out of I-69 is not when the section in our city [or] our county gets built, it’s when the whole system’s there,” Thompson said during his presentation.

State support

5. The state plans to back Fort Bend County as its infrastructure grows

Ryan echoed Thompson, making note of Fort Bend County’s more than $400 million of current mobility projects. She also discussed future plans that will account for millions of dollars more, honing in on the benefits of Proposition 1 and Proposition 7.

Ryan recognized Fort Bend County as being the fastest-growing large county in America in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Ryan said the county is one of the largest players being considered by and posing challenges to the state. A collaborative effort among federal, state and local leaders has led to vast progress and will continue to lead to future success, she said.

“There’s no doubt that having a strong and growing transportation system is a key element to [Fort Bend County’s] impressive economic profile,” Ryan said in her speech. “In particular, TxDOT, the [Metropolitan Planning Organization], the county and local municipalities within the county have all worked collectively to afford Fort Bend [County] a major thoroughfare system that provides superior access into and around the Greater Houston area.”