admin
08-30-2009, 10:59 AM
(submitted by a TOTW user)
Time for Regime Change in The Woodlands
Woodlands Township officials have not delivered the level of community service that people in The Woodlands have a right to expect. So, it is time for regime change in The Woodlands.
Since the new township governance structure was put into place, crime has skyrocketed, water rationing has been instituted, and new, higher tax rates have been proposed. The solution to this mess is twofold. First, we need to elect a slate of candidates to the Township board that is more accountable to residents than to development companies. Then, we need this board to negotiate with Houston an amendment to the Houston-Woodlands agreement that allows us to incorporate The Woodlands into a real city as soon as possible.
The current Township board has five members (Sutton, Blair, Kinnear, DeGroot, and Robb) who wanted to raise your tax rates to 33.8 cents per thousand, a few who preferred 32.8 cents per thousand, and only three (Hausman, Campbell and Hunter) who wanted to make it close to the 30 cent rate that was promised when the Township was set up.
As a first step, we must replace fiscally irresponsible board members who want to raise your taxes and then waste the money on water taxis, fountains, and tourist bureaus with new board members who will deliver the tax rates promised and focus the use of tax revenue on vital Township services.
Second, once we have a responsible township board, they should send representatives to Houston to negotiate an amendment to the current agreement with the city to allow The Woodlands to incorporate as a real city now. Since the City of Houston's primary concern is receiving the regional project funds promised in the agreement, they should have no problem with this amendment, because the agreement already provides that any future Woodlands government must continue to make the payments required by the deal.
Next, we need this board to call for an incorporation vote so that Woodlands citizens can ratify their desire to form a new city. Then, once this passes, the new City of The Woodlands can fashion solutions to Woodlands problems that are beyond the power of the current township. First, they can establish a first rate police department that can focus both crime prevention and crime solution in a way that the undermanned and overstretched sheriff's department cannot. Second, the new city can establish a planning and zoning department to slow the pace of development until infrastructure can catch up. For example, construction of new housing could be slowed until new surface water rights are acquired to alleviate our water shortage problem. Also, road improvements could be done to reduce congestion before new congestion is created by new development.
In short, the problems of higher taxes, higher crime and water shortages are solvable, but only if we first elect a new township board. Then, they can work to establish a real city of The Woodlands whose city council can tackle our challenges with all the tools a real city possesses.
Time for Regime Change in The Woodlands
Woodlands Township officials have not delivered the level of community service that people in The Woodlands have a right to expect. So, it is time for regime change in The Woodlands.
Since the new township governance structure was put into place, crime has skyrocketed, water rationing has been instituted, and new, higher tax rates have been proposed. The solution to this mess is twofold. First, we need to elect a slate of candidates to the Township board that is more accountable to residents than to development companies. Then, we need this board to negotiate with Houston an amendment to the Houston-Woodlands agreement that allows us to incorporate The Woodlands into a real city as soon as possible.
The current Township board has five members (Sutton, Blair, Kinnear, DeGroot, and Robb) who wanted to raise your tax rates to 33.8 cents per thousand, a few who preferred 32.8 cents per thousand, and only three (Hausman, Campbell and Hunter) who wanted to make it close to the 30 cent rate that was promised when the Township was set up.
As a first step, we must replace fiscally irresponsible board members who want to raise your taxes and then waste the money on water taxis, fountains, and tourist bureaus with new board members who will deliver the tax rates promised and focus the use of tax revenue on vital Township services.
Second, once we have a responsible township board, they should send representatives to Houston to negotiate an amendment to the current agreement with the city to allow The Woodlands to incorporate as a real city now. Since the City of Houston's primary concern is receiving the regional project funds promised in the agreement, they should have no problem with this amendment, because the agreement already provides that any future Woodlands government must continue to make the payments required by the deal.
Next, we need this board to call for an incorporation vote so that Woodlands citizens can ratify their desire to form a new city. Then, once this passes, the new City of The Woodlands can fashion solutions to Woodlands problems that are beyond the power of the current township. First, they can establish a first rate police department that can focus both crime prevention and crime solution in a way that the undermanned and overstretched sheriff's department cannot. Second, the new city can establish a planning and zoning department to slow the pace of development until infrastructure can catch up. For example, construction of new housing could be slowed until new surface water rights are acquired to alleviate our water shortage problem. Also, road improvements could be done to reduce congestion before new congestion is created by new development.
In short, the problems of higher taxes, higher crime and water shortages are solvable, but only if we first elect a new township board. Then, they can work to establish a real city of The Woodlands whose city council can tackle our challenges with all the tools a real city possesses.