Turns out Harvey recovery will cost money. Who knew?
A majority of the Harris County Commissioners Court on Wednesday said they would support a large bond issue, perhaps upwards of $1 billion, and a tax increase to pay for it. The bond issue would bolster cash-strapped flood control initiatives, which could include a improvements to waterways and buyouts of properties that repeatedly flood.
After Hurricane Harvey’s widespread devastation and severe floods of the last few years, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and commissioners Steve Radack and Jack Cagle, all Republicans, said in interviews Wednesday afternoon that they would favor a bond issue.
A bond proposal and corresponding tax rate increase would have to be approved by voters countywide, after a majority of the five-member Commissioners Court vote in favor of calling the election and placing the proposal on the ballot.
As to how early such an election could be called, First Assistant County Attorney Robert Soard said his office was reviewing the potential timing of an election.
[…]
Emmett said the bond issue would likely need to be $1 billion at a minimum.
County Budget Officer Bill Jackson said it is not immediately clear how much of a tax rate hike, if any, would be needed to pay for the bonds. If the county issued $1 billion in bonds at once, today, it would need roughly a 2-cent hike in the property tax rate.
I presume it’s too late for this year. so it’s a matter of when this could be done in 2018. The county could easily do this next November, it’s more a question of whether they can get it on the ballot sooner than that if they want to. There will need to be details filled in on what this bond would entail, but it sure seems like a worthwhile thing to do. I mean, if you think repairing the damage and investing in better flood mitigation going forward are worthwhile, that is. Perhaps someone should ask the Harris County Republican Party, which reflexively opposed Mayor Turner’s proposal, saying the city should “follow Harris County’s lead”. One could argue the county is now following the city’s lead. I’d just argue that by taking action, both the city and county are leading. Isn’t that what we want?
Wonder why the Republicans are so focused on the City raising taxes for one year, but are silent on the county raising taxes for many years, at least 2 cents per year.
Don’t pay attention to the hollering coming from the right, they lost all sense of dignity.
Down here in Pearland, bonds for drainage projects have come up multiple times on past ballots. I’ve always voted YES! and fortunately so have an overwhelming majority of my fellow citizens. It’s very likely those projects contributed to the happy outcome of my house not flooding. Nice to see my tax $ benefitting people.
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