Bill Caption

Relating to the creation of Tarkington Management District No. 1 of Liberty County; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, or taxes.

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Bill Analysis

HB 4653 would create the Tarkington Management District No. 1 of Liberty County 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 via improvements and projects. The bill sets forth the composition of the governing body of the district and various other procedural frameworks. The district would be prohibited from imposing most taxes unless approved by voters in an election and would not have eminent domain power. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

HB 4653 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 district 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.

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 4653.