Bill

HB 4154

84(R) - 2015
House Special Purpose Districts
House Special Purpose Districts
Special Districts

Vote Recommendation

No
  • Negative
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Negative
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Cecil Bell Jr.

Bill Caption

Relating to the creation of the Grand Lake Estates Management District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, or taxes.

Fiscal Notes

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Bill Analysis

The bill would add Chapter 3938 to the Special District Local Laws Code to establish the Grand Lakes Estates Management District (GLEMD).

HB 4154 seeks to create the GLEMD 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. 

All or part of the district is eligible to be included in a tax increment or abatement reinvestment zone, and enterprise zone, or an industrial district.

The five directors of the district may be compensated up to $50 for each board meeting. The total amount a director may be compensated for each year may not exceed $2,000.

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

Vote Recommendation Notes

The Grand Lakes Estates Management District (GLEMD) would be located in Montgomery County.

HB 4154 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 GLEMD 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.

We oppose HB 4154 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.

The second chamber sponsor is Senator Creighton.