Commissioners Court approves $848 million road, parks bond proposal for Nov. 3 ballot

Harris County The Commissioners Court voted to place an $848 million bond referendum on the ballot in the upcoming Nov. 3 election, which includes $700 million for road improvement projects and another $60 million for parks.

“When you realize the fast growth that’s going on in the county and the necessity to go out and actually do these things in anticipation of further growth, the bond just allows us to do that,” County Judge Ed Emmett said.

If approved by voters, the bond would provide $700 million for road improvements across all four precincts, including $60 million for road improvements in aging subdivisions, such as those along FM 1960 that are not located in the city limits of the city of Houston, Emmett said.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle said there are a number of road improvements within his precinct that could be funded through bond money such as the expansion of Gosling Road.

If approved the bond will not affect the county’s property tax rate.

“We can pay for it within our internal structure that we currently have in place,” Cagle said.

The recommended bond package included $24 million for parks, but commissioners voted to increase the amount to $60 million, which would be split evenly among all four precincts.

Cagle said the $15 million in park funding could help Precinct 4 address the growing need for recreational spaces within the precinct, which has added 200,000 residents in the last three years.