The future of The Woodlands will be determined by the voters this November.
The Town Center Improvement District board voted today to call for a Nov. 6 election that will move the community closer to becoming a city in 2014.Two of the propositions are the result of two bills passed during this year's legislative session. The bills, SB 2022 and SB 4109, enable The Woodlands to enter into a regional partnership agreement with Houston, protecting the community from annexation, and gives the district the authority to expand its boundaries and carry out the agreement.
The first proposition seeks to expand the special taxing district's territory to include all The Woodlands and the second proposition would change the district's board, making it smaller with all elected members.
The third proposition would give the district authority to collect property taxes in addition to the sales taxes it already collects.
The district board voted today to add the third proposition to the ballot, saying property taxes combined with the additional sales tax revenue would provide greater savings to residents in terms of reducing their property assessment fees, which are not tax deductible.
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The first two propositions must be approved for either to be carried out, said Mike Page, the district's attorney. If approved, the district would be renamed The Woodlands Township and would eventually evolve into the single governing body of The Woodlands, replacing the three community associations.
The transfer of power would be another step toward future incorporation, said Joel Deretchin, a member of the community's transition committee, which is working on a plan for how the transition will work.
Community leaders are still waiting for the Houston City Council to approve the regional participation agreement brokered last December by Mayor Bill White and Woodlands Sen. Tommy Williams.