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Montgomery County approves $350 million road bond package

By: Keep Montgomery County Moving
| Published 02/23/2015

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas - Montgomery County Commissioners Court on Monday voted to put $350 million in road bonds to voters in May. The Court voted 5 - 0 for the bond election amount after the Montgomery County 2015 Road Bond Committee presented its final reports and recommendations.

Committee prepares to promote bond.


Co-Chair Nelda Luce Blair told Commissioners the Committee considered a bond amount of $350 million divided between the four precincts as each needed for road improvements. However, Blair went on to report that as late as Friday, the Committee met over concerns in The Woodlands about one certain project, the planned extension of Woodlands Parkway to the west past FM 2978.

"After intense discussion," Blair reported, "the Committee decided to add $15 million to the bond issue package to be used specifically for widening existing Woodlands Parkway to mitigate the effect of extra traffic due to the extension. It was this one consideration that resulted in a recommendation for a $365 Million bond issuance with an additional $15 Million added to the Precinct 3 total."

Commissioners discussed the additional $15 million, but ultimately decided to restrict the bond package to the originally proposed $350 million. Here are the links to the various projects, by precinct: Pct. 1; Pct. 2; Pct. 3; Pct. 4

Based on the average growth in the tax base in recent years, according to experts advising commissioners, the bond package will not require a tax increase.

The Committee advised, and the Court voted, to set the bond election at the earliest available election date, Saturday, May 9, 2015.

The Committee also urged the Court to divide the funds according to each precinct's need instead of an even division as in past bond elections, and pointed to greater need in growing areas of the county. The division recommended by the Committee and accepted by the Court was Precinct 1 - $80 Million; Precinct 2 - $80 Million; Precinct 3 - $105 Million; Precinct 4 - $85 Million.

The Bond Committee also distributed a list of priority projects for each precinct, detailing road improvements to which bond funds will be applied. "The people want to know details of how their tax money will be spent," said Blair, "and we need to be able to tell them with specificity."

While the group originally had hoped to conclude work by early February, committee members continued to work through the details last week in order to make the recommendation today, said Blair.

"Growth such as we have experienced in Montgomery County creates great need for road improvements in all areas," Blair stated, "so we wanted to be sure we addressed the most pressing needs while keeping a close eye on the dollars spent. We know people are tired of traffic and congestion, but we also know they are understandably protective of their pocketbooks. We feel that, working alongside the four commissioner precincts, we have reached a viable bond issuance that voters can enthusiastically support."

The Road Bond Committee was organized not only to assist the Commissioners Court in preparing the project list and a road bond formula, but also to educate and inform the public about the process through tools such as the Keep Montgomery County Moving PAC.

The Committee's calendar of public presentations will be posted on the website. For more information, contact Nelda Luce Blair at 1-888-936-3997 or info@keepmontgomerycountymoving.com.

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