After four days of budget discussion, The Woodlands Township on Aug. 20 voted 6-1 on a maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.1594 per 100 valuation for fiscal year 2027. Along with the interest and sinking rate of $0.01, the total proposed tax rate of $0.1694 is lower than the township’s current rate of $0.1714 per $100 valuation—and higher than the no-new-revenue rate of $0.1654 per $100 valuation. The budget includes a 3% salary increase for all eligible employees, according to discussion at the meeting.
What happened
The board voted 7-0 to decrease the mounted patrol budget in its customer engagement department by about $1.5 million. Director Shelley Sekula-Gibbs suggested allowing the contract between the township and Alpha & Omega Mounted Patrol to expire, which would provide $1.5 million to the township’s base budget.
Township President and CEO Monique Sharp said details of the contract with Alpha & Omega would not be discussed during budget amendments, but the board could give the motion to decrease the mounted patrol line item in the customer engagement line item by more than $1.5 million. It also allocated about $1.3 million in funding for mounted patrol services within the Law Enforcement fund in the FY 2027 budget. In a statement posted online by the township, officials said this would give the ability to plan for that option if it decides to have mounted patrol services provided through Montgomery County Sheriff's Office instead of the private service.
For FY 2027, Alpha & Omega had requested an increase in hours from 387 per week to 425 hours. The company provides courtesy patrol to the township, but personnel are not commissioned law enforcement officers. The company cannot:
- Detain individuals
- Make arrests
- Take law enforcement action
Additional discussion and decisions on the mounted patrol service will be made by the board at a future meeting, according to information from the township.
Following the meeting, the township clarified it had not approved an agreement with Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office for mounted patrol services. Instead, it allocated funding for those services to go under the law enforcement department in the proposed FY 2027 budget, allowing it to plan for that option if it decides to pursue it. Township officials emphasized that it is still under contract with Alpha & Omega through Dec. 31.
“We have a responsibility to continually evaluate every service we fund and ask whether there is an opportunity to provide greater value and a higher level of public safety," board Chair Brad Bailey said in a statement. "If we have an opportunity to put commissioned law enforcement officers in our Town Center while maintaining the visible presence and community engagement our residents value, we have an obligation to seriously consider it."
What else?
Bailey suggested a lower maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.1594 per $100 valuation for FY 2027.
However Vice President Craig Eissler had concerns about the change. The board voted 6-1 with Sekula-Gibbs as the nay vote.
“I would love to lower tax [when] we can. My concern is we don't know what's going to happen in this legislative session with property tax," Eissler said. "They could eliminate property tax entirely, not likely, but it's possible. And I would hate to then have to look at raising potential rate at that time."
Bailey said he agrees, but he said the township shouldn’t be penalized for being "good stewards of taxpayer money," noting that other cities and municipalities use the township's model.
In addition to the proposed tax rate and mounted patrol budget, the board also discussed:
- A new sergeant position for Precinct 3 Constable’s office
- IT budget
- Reforestation budget
- A potential collaboration with CISD on multi-use sports plex
Also of note
A public hearing to adopt the FY 2027 budget and approve the tax rate will be held on Sept. 3. The Friday budget workshop meeting was cancelled according to the township’s website.
