HEART RATES SOAR OVER MCHD TAX RATE VOTE

The MCHD board met last Tuesday to approve the rate but when Chairman Chris Grice opened the meeting and introduced the measure asking for a second to move the measure forward, instead he was met with uncomfortable silence.
Finally, the silence was broken by a second offered by Board Member Robert Hudson.

Grice introduced the 2026 Tax Rate measure –

“Okay, then I’m going to move that we adopt a property tax rate to be increased by the adopted tax rate of 0.0495 per 100, which effectively is a 4.65 percent increase (Grice misstated – actually 7.34%) in the tax rate.”

“Do I have a second?”
“Do I have a second?”
“Do I have a second?”

“Second!”

“Okay, any discussion? Okay, Bob? Dave?”

Then within a few seconds the item was voted down.

Grice: “Okay, motion fails, so do we have a proposed tax rate? “

Then Treasurer Charles Shirley advanced a new motion –

Shirley: I make a motion that we do, that we adopt the no new revenue rate.
Grice: “Do I have a second? “
Inman: “Second”

then Grice with heart rate ascending, clearly flummoxed at the course of events vented –

“I’ll just say this, that in our discussions, there was never brought up, you told me you weren’t going to do the no new tax rate in our discussions during budget. You not called, you not done anything (sic) to give us any forewarning that you were going to do the no new tax rate, and you surprised us in this meeting. So I think that’s not fair to the rest of the board. So, apparently everybody else knew, but Robert, no. I don’t know that everybody else knows. Well, anyway, I don’t think it’s right. I don’t think you should have done it, but you should have called. You should have called Brent. You should have called me, so we could have discussed it before the meeting. That would have been fine, but you didn’t, and I just don’t think that’s right. You wouldn’t like it if I did that to you either. That’s not fair. Look, I don’t need any comment on it. I know how you feel, so I’m just telling you how I feel about it. So you get to say how you feel, but we don’t get to say how we feel. Go ahead and say what you want to say, but I’m just saying it’s not right that you didn’t call and tell at least the chairman of the board what you’re thinking. That’s not protocol, but that’s just good common decency, but that’s my opinion.”

The vote would end passing the No New Tax Rate 4 to 3, but not before Grice
let his feeling be known.

You can here the full recording above.

According to Treasurer Charles Shirley, he had not previously indicated that he was in agreement with the proposed rate of 0.0495 and has held that near 10% maximum allowable rate increases year over year is unsustainable, referring to the fact that MCHD has stopped short of needing voter approval for the last five years by voting for 9.5% increases.

Shirley also responded that he is not required to call anyone prior to casting a vote and is wary to do so over concerns of violating the walking quorum prohibitions of Texas Open Meeting Act.

According Chairman Grice the walking quorum issue only comes into play when 3 or more members meet at the same time or in the same place and is not triggered by a single phone call.
As for Grice’s expression of annoyance at the surprise vote he insists he was not upset about the tax that was approve but rather “the way it was done” , meaning finding out at the time of the vote.

Rare Win.

The vote of the MCHD board for the No New Revenue Rate is a rare win for Montgomery County taxpayers these days, Since MCHD is not alone in ramping up taxes to the maximum allowable as is the custom of School Districts, County Commissioners and City Councils community wide.

One shocking fact about MCHD management and finances gleaned from discussion with members is the districts’ Reserve Funds account standing at $72,000,000.00 which given a annual budget in the $100 million dollar range
is outrageous – Instead of a Fiscal Health rating we should see this like a Fiscal BMI, MCHD needs to go on a diet and is among the features of MCHD operations we will be exploring for you soon.