Because It’s Time.
The Woodlands is coming of age. The community, founded in 1974, is fast approaching its fifth decade. The founder of The Woodlands, George Mitchell, understood from the very beginning that ultimately his Master Planned Community would need a municipal governing structure to adequately provide the necessary array of urban services to residents and businesses of what would become a medium sized city. His vision was that the City of Houston would provide that governance. That vision came to a screeching halt on December 12, 1996, when the City of Houston annexed a very similar community in northeast Harris County, Kingwood.
The Woodlands residents reacted in horror to the botched takeover of “The Livable Forest”. Pressure was brought to bear on local officials to take legislative steps to remove the threat of Houston (and later Conroe) annexation. In 1996 the legislature authorized the expansion of the existing Town Center Improvement District to become The Woodlands Township.
The vote to dissolve the Village Associations and create The Woodlands Township to replace them was overwhelmingly approved in 2007 and the Township Board was formed in 2010. The enabling legislation prohibited the Township from directly employing police officers and was also prevented from considering incorporation before 2014.
In 2015 a bond issue, supported by several of the Township Board members and County officials, to extend Woodlands Parkway to FM249 was soundly defeated by a record turnout of Woodlands voters. In the subsequent elections in November 2016, Howard Hughes Corporation (HHC) and their allies spent over five-hundred thousand dollars to elect their slate of developer friendly candidates to the Township Board. All four of their supported candidates were defeated. For the first time since its formation, resident candidates controlled the Township Board.
Fast Forward to 2021. The Township has grown to more than 118,000 residents. It is governed by an amalgamation of four County Commissioners in two Counties, eleven Municipal Utility Districts, two Law Enforcement entities, and three Emergency Service Districts. The residential portion of our tax base is nearly sold out and there is limited acreage left for commercial or high-density residential development. Development in other areas surrounding The Woodlands is exploding and The Township board lacks authority to protect The Woodlands from increased risks of inadequately controlled drainage, traffic, and potential roadway expansion for cut through traffic to I-45. So, what do we do?
The answer is clear, incorporate. The first step is formation of a General Law City which is governed by the statutes of the State of Texas, but the ultimate goal is the formation of a Home Rule Municipality. Both entities give The Woodlands residents the best chance to elect officials whose sole focus is the well-being of The Woodlands.
Imagine an independent City of The Woodlands. Upon ratification it would become the 31st largest city in Texas and possess the 9th largest tax base. It has no unfunded pension obligations; it is governed by elected uncompensated volunteers and structured more like a corporation than a municipality with an advisory Board of Directors and a professional City Manager. A City that is protected by an outstanding fire department and and a locally controlled police department. Its City Charter, written by a seventeen-member citizen committee and voted on by residents, prohibits elected officials from accepting contributions from City or County vendors, it prohibits nepotism, it requires all ordinances to be confirmed by resident referendum, there are term limits and recall rights. It would be a City like none other in Texas.
On Nov 2nd, you will have the opportunity to decide. Vote to strengthen our hometown.
Vote FOR Proposition A and B.