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HAUSMAN OPPOSES BONDS

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My Position on the $350 Million Dollar Road Bond

FIRST and FOREMOST VOTE!!!!

Some voters will vote for just about anything because they blindly trust our elected officials or someone tells them to vote a certain way. Other residents won’t vote for anything that might cost them a dime. I have come to the conclusion that this bond is about more than money. It’s about ethical governance and fiscal responsibility. I have concluded I will cast my ballot as a NO for a number of reasons even beyond the issue of more traffic on Woodlands Parkway.

Before you vote, ask yourself what is Montgomery County’s long-term COUNTYWIDE transportation plan? With the growth in our county why don’t we receive more of our state tax dollars back from TxDOT and HGAC?

I recall only seeing one commissioner doing a full study on the real needs of his Precinct. Apparently, the other three Commissioners and our County Judge rationalized our needs by selecting a dozen handpicked residents (many with special interests) with no mobility background to assemble a WISH LIST. I am sure all were well intended, but where is their experience for such a huge and expensive task?  Click here to see a list of projects by precinct.

  1. I can’t support a bond with this much “Pork” in it. If you only gave the voters a clean mobility bond, it would pass without opposition. The obvious “Pork” includes The Woodlands Parkway extension, some $22 million worth. Simply put, if the developers want a road, let the developers put the road in. Once completed, the developers can attempt to deed it over to the county to maintain. Crafting a bond with a multimillion dollar gift to developers from the taxpayers of Montgomery County is reason enough to vote it down. Developers and planned developments include (click on links for more information):The Weems Group; Woodtrace Community; Woodtrace Community Master Plan; Friendswood Development Company; Richfield InvestmentsExtension
  2. Study after study has said traffic will increase. I could have told you that without a study. To what degree traffic will increase….is debatable. All I know is that it will INCREASE. Another thing to consider is, The Woodlands standards and covenants are only enforceable on Woodlands property. The proposed extension is NOT in our Hometown.

    Looking outside of our many Hometown mobility issues, there are other pressing issues in our county. Such as…….Rayford Rd, FM 1097, FM 1488 & FM 2978, Gosling and Research Forest. Why not FULLY FUND those projects and let new developments pay for their own infrastructure? Don’t give us a bond that does not complete these projects and will require coming back to taxpayers for still another bond in the future.

  3. Another thing to consider is why this bond has so many normal maintenance items in it, such as $11 million for cleaning ditches, asphalting roads etc….. One would think that cleaning ditches and repairing roads would be part of your normal maintenance budget; and if it is not, ask yourself WHY NOT?Rehab Projects
      Mail Route Road

      Old 105  

    Rabon Chapel 

     Spring Branch Road  

    Goodson Loop

      Rehab entire road 

      Rehab from FM 105 to bridge  

    Rehab from Pine Lake to Capitol Hill Road  

    Rehab from FM 149 to Church 

    Rehab form FM 249 to Terri Lane

  4. The next question that crossed my mind was, are we in a position to take on new obligations especially when so much of them do not actually relieve our traffic problems? We have Montgomery College Bonds, CISD bonds, County bonds, Township bonds, etc. Montgomery County is listed on the Texas Comptroller’s web site as being currently in debt to the tune of $446,595,000. Rumor has it that a new school bond, county jail bond and future road bonds are on the horizon. So add $350 million plus, plus, plus………

In my opinion there is a solution……………………………If we defeat this bond issue, the Commissioners would have another chance to clean it up and present taxpayers with a clean mobility bond. This new bond MUST meet the needs of the county, not just divide up the bond proceeds by precincts. Have one list of specific road projects for THE RESIDENTS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND NOT A WISH LIST OF COMMISSIONERS AND SPECIAL INTERESTS. Remove the “Pork” and we’ll all come back to vote on a better plan in November.  Take a look at each commissioners list…..They are not even in the same font. Ask yourself……………………………….Did they work together? Do the roads stop by precinct borders? NO……..

The other thing I’d like to see is less “Spin” in selling all future bond elections. The statement that, “We can issue this bond without any increase in our taxes” is CRAZY!!!! When the county continually raises our property tax values, our taxes are going up. I don’t know about you, but my property tax check gets bigger every year. I just received by new tax appraisal. 10% AGAIN…… So my TAX BILL WENT UP AGAIN……

The question I wrestled with most is why some other elected officials say they can accept the “Pork” to get a bond issue passed knowing it will not meet the needs of Montgomery County? I think we can do better.  I think it’s time to send our elected officials back to the starting line because I know we deserve better. As Voters we deserve and demand it.

So for all it is worth, this is my opinion and how I came to my conclusion on the Road Bond. Whether you agree or not, please vote and by all means….LETS STOP THE NAME CALLING AND SCARE TACTICS on both sides. Residents of Montgomery County deserve better. Do your homework and VOTE….

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