Bill

HB 4158

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 East Waller County Management District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, or taxes.

Fiscal Notes

There is no significant fiscal implication to the State.

Because the bill would not have statewide impact on units of local government of the same type or class, no comment from this office is required by the rules of the House/Senate as to its probable fiscal implication on units of local government.

Bill Analysis

HB 4158 seeks to create the East Waller County 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. 

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 5 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 EWCMD would also be allowed to impose assessments to help fund its projects. The district may not exercise eminent domain authority.

Vote Recommendation Notes

The East Waller County Management District (EWCMD) would be located in East Waller County. According to the author’s statement of intent, the “district will be used to fund costs associated with roads, drainage, detention, community centers, trails, and the maintenance of these improvements.”

HB 4158 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 EWCMD 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 4158 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 4158.

The second chamber sponsor is Senator Kolkhorst.