Bill: SB 839, 84(R) - 2015

Committee

Senate Intergovernmental Relations

Vote Recommendation

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

Author(s)

Sylvia Garcia

Bill Caption

Relating to the Generation Park Management District.

Fiscal Notes

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Bill Analysis

SB 839 would amend sections of Chapter 3916 (Generation Park Management District) of the Special District Local Laws Code. Specifically, this legislation would allow the Generation Park Management District (GPMD) to provide “transit facilities, parking facilities, conduit facilities, rail facilities and other enhanced infrastructure.” The bill would also allow it to provide public art.     

This bill would grant the GPMD with the same rights and powers as a municipality when annexing territory in a district that provides firefighting or emergency medical services. Additionally it may designate service areas by different firefighting and emergency medical services provided by different districts. However, the GPMD must reach an agreement with those other districts before deciding those service areas. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

The Generation Park Management District (GPMD) is located in Harris County. According to the author’s statement of intent, “the district is interested in creating and maintaining new transportation and beautification projects in the district to attract new businesses into the area and spur economic growth.”

SB 839 would expand the GPMDs authority by allowing it to build more infrastructure such as roads and rail lines, while also giving it more leeway in beautifying an area through the display of public art.

The GPMD is 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, which does not bode well towards supporting our liberty principles.

For these reasons, we oppose SB 839 because it is not the proper role of government to “spur economic growth”. 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 SB 839. 


Source URL (retrieved on 03/28/2024 08:03 PM): http://reports.texasaction.com/bill/84r/sb839?print_view=true