Bill: HB 2353, 84(R) - 2015

Committee

House Special Purpose Districts

Vote Recommendation

Vote Recommendation Economic Freedom Property Rights Personal Responsibility Limited Government Individual Liberty
No Negative Neutral Neutral Negative Neutral

Author(s)

Gene Wu

Co-Author(s)

Sarah Davis

Bill Caption

Relating to the creation of Saint George Place Management District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments.

Fiscal Notes

There is no significant fiscal implication to the State.

Bill Analysis

HB 2353 seeks to create the Saint George Place Management District to promote, develop, encourage, and maintain employment, commerce, transportation, housing, tourism, recreation, the arts, entertainment, economic development, safety, and the public welfare in the district. 

The district may impose property taxes and sales and use taxes if voted favorably. The SGPMD would also be allowed to impose assessments to help fund its projects. The district may not exercise eminent domain authority.

Vote Recommendation Notes

The Saint George Place Management District (SGPMD) would be located in Harris County. According to the author’s statement of intent, the district will “provide and pay for certain improvement projects and services that confer a special benefit on property in the area.”

HB 2353 would give this new management district authority allowing it to promote, develop, encourage, and maintain employment, commerce, transportation, housing, tourism, recreation, the arts, entertainment, economic development, safety, and the public welfare in the district

The SGPMD would be a part of a broader class of special districts known as Municipal Management Districts (MMD). This bill would grant municipal-type authority to a non-municipal entity, essentially creating a city within a city that lacks true accountability, which does not bode well towards supporting our liberty principles.

For these reasons, we oppose HB 2353 because it is not the proper role of government to spur economic growth development. The idea that government can and should play such a role in the economy has always been an insidious backdoor towards more government which distorts the marketplace, picks economic winners and losers, and infringes on individual liberty. For these reasons we oppose HB 2353.

The second chamber sponsor is Senator Huffman.


Source URL (retrieved on 03/29/2024 02:03 AM): http://reports.texasaction.com/bill/84r/hb2353?print_view=true