HOUSTON — Harris County voters could soon decide whether to spend up to $2.5 billion on flood control projects.
Tuesday morning, Harris County Commissioners unanimously agreed to ask Governor Greg Abbott for a special bond election on Aug. 25.
Judge Ed Emmett says one reason for the August date is it marks the one-year anniversary of Harvey’s landfall. But he also doesn’t want the issue to be overshadowed by November midterms and overlooked by straight-ticket voters.
Plus, county leaders say momentum is key to rebuild these Harvey-impacted areas and protect against future storms.
A year to the day after Harvey started its destructive trip through Southeast Texas, a chance, leaders hope, to limit damage from the next storm.
The commissioners’ unanimous vote to call the bond election in August came after discussion on whether a November date would work better. It followed citizen testimony urging environmental protection and transparency.
“It is critical that the court be intentional about providing communities the opportunity on how dollars should be spent, especially marginalized communities,” said Dr. Robert Bullard, TSU Environmental Policy Professor.
After the vote, Judge Emmett said the county hasn’t picked an exact dollar amount, and he’s not sure how much extra tax money the bonds could force the average homeowner to fork over.
“It depends on how fast our area grows because you don’t issue all two and a half billion at one time,” he said.
Emmett says they’ll prioritize projects like the four bayou projects already underway and building a third reservoir along the Cypress Creek watershed.
“We’re very pleased with what happened,” said Jim Blackburn, founder of the Bayou City Initiative. “We’ve got to make sure this money is spent equitably around the county. This really is about leveling the playing field with local money to match the federal money and making up for the deficiencies.”
The county is now sending a letter to Gov. Abbott for his approval, which Judge Emmett expects. Again, if approved, the election will be held Aug. 25, a Saturday, which Emmett also hopes will boost turnout.