| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
Relating to the powers and
duties of the Dowdell Public Utility District; providing authority to issue
bonds; providing authority to impose fees and taxes.
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
HB 4206 would make certain changes to the Dowdell Public
Utility District (DPUD). First, this legislation would specify that the DPUD is
a municipal utility district (MUD). Secondly, it would grant this district the
authority to construct and maintain roads. Moreover, it would now be allowed to
issue bonds and other obligations to fund road projects. Thirdly and lastly,
this bill would allow the DPUD to create defined areas regardless of its acreage.
This DPUD covers an area within the extraterritorial jurisdiction
of Houston in Harris County. According to the Author’s statement of intent, “land
previously undeveloped within the long-existing district is sought to be
developed without increasing the tax burden on homeowner residents and
taxpayers.” The author’s statement continues, “The district seeks to create a
defined area, allowing the defined area developments to self-finance without
increasing the overall tax burden for other district taxpayers.”
Currently, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
(TCEQ) says that any districts that wish to establish a defined area must have
at least 1,500 acres. HB 4206 would remove this requirement and allow the DPUD
to designate defined areas for the purposes mentioned above.
The changes made to the DPUD do not conflict with our
liberty principles. Therefore, we stand neutral on HB 4206.
The Senate chamber sponsor is Senator Bettencourt.