FB Star Reports On Recount Process & Hunter Endorsement of Gary in District B Race-

Click the title link above for the full story! Watch the '08 races for MC at large seats unfold right here on MCC and the historic '07 MC run-off race of reform candidate Cynthia Lenton-Gary versus mayor & special interest backed long-time incumbent Don Smith.

Chronicle: Foreclosures In Missouri City Are The Highest In Fort Bend County!

. . . FBI Special Agent Kimberly Barkhausen gave tips on how to avoid mortgage fraud. An offer of a $5,000 incentive for investing in real estate is too good to be true, Barkhausen said.

Like the warning message displayed on video tapes and DVDs by the FBI cautioning against piracy, closing documents now contain the warning that mortgage fraud is investigated by the FBI and is punishable up to 30 years in federal prison or a $1,000,000 fine or both. It is illegal to make false claims in a loan or credit application.

Sandy MacNaughton, a Fort Bend real estate agent, speaking about local foreclosures, said Missouri City had the highest foreclosures in the first quarter of 2007 in Fort Bend County. In the Teal Run subdivision, for example, there were 150 foreclosures, representing 10 percent of the homes, MacNaughton said.

In Fort Bend County, there were 533 closures in the first quarter. Sugar Land and the First Colony area had the least number of foreclosures, she said.

In Sugar Land, the demand for homes is greater than the supply. The average number of days a house is in the market in Sugar Land is 57.

In Greatwood and New Territory areas, it is still very much a seller's market and a house is on the market for an average of 37 days.

In Missouri City area, a house is on the market for an average of 87 days, MacNaughton said.

As predatory mortgage lenders give loans to the least qualified buyers, the problem of foreclosure increases, she said. . . (click title link for the full story)

Cost Over-runs & Ditch Safety Complaints In The Sienna Plantation MUD 2 Minutes!

MCC apologizes for not being able to get this link posted sooner, but ECO-Resources runs the complimentary SPMUD2 website (an SPMUD2 vendor) and is several months behind on its update (we have no explanation for this as of this posting).

Please click the title link above for the minutes to the March meeting. Several issues of interest like complaints over the SPMUD2 ditch project safety, cost over-runs and more MUD funding going out-of-district.

Remember this is the only 1 of 12 current SP MUDs that is fully voted in by you the residents. SPMUD3 is going through transition with another election cycle approaching. Also an SPMMD (Municipal Management District -- another taxing district) was put in place by the city and developer in the SPMUD8 area (the PD-8 region where the apartments are coming in).


Stay informed and keep in touch!










c.calvin (c) 2007

Just In: Kevin Tunstall Endorses Cynthia Lenton-Gary In Her Bid for the District B Council Seat!

Kevin Tunstall Endorses Cynthia Lenton-Gary In Her Bid for the District B Council Seat!

This just in to the Lenton-Gary campaign headquarters:

Kevin Tunstall, who was narrowly defeated in the Missouri City council district C battles, has openly endorsed Professor Gary in her run-off for the district B seat. Tunstall, a reform candidate who ran a strong race in traditional Owen territory, announced today. He stated that Ms. Gary represents all Missouri City and the principles that we worked for and supported in our run against the special interest forces now controlling the city. "We seek open governance and fiscal responsibility, which Professor Gary strongly supports. We see our efforts as mutually aligned."

Mr. Tunstall wishes Cynthia the best in her final month of the campaign and will call and block-walk for her during this critical time in our city.

--We will update this thread as the information permits.

Chronicle Reports On Close MC Races & Reform Victories In Arcola (Arcola City Council Reform Group Takes Majority Over EDC Backed Candidates)!

Click the title link for more as the reform effort continues with the MC '08 council races!

Chronicle Covers Recount: Reform Candidate Narrowly Defeated In District A!

Click title link for the full story. . .

Just In: Griffin Loses Recount In District A!

Get an update of the Gary-Smith district B run-off election in Mo-City & the conclusion of the close district A recount (just 3 votes made the difference). Click the title link above for more.

Stay informed and keep in touch!

Who's Is Running Your HOA?

If you are concerned about who is running your HOA then visit a few regional websites and learn more about this industry that has a great deal of control over your property (click title link for AHRC story above). Follow the current TX legislative session to see how this industries lobbyist has recently increased its power. See these sites for more info on their companion lobby group and which law firms file HOA foreclosures most often (15,000 in Harris county alone and thousands more in Montgomery, Fort Bend and many other TX counties):

http://pages.prodigy.net/hoadata/

-Ask your HOA rep. who your "enforcer" is and then search Fort Bend County records to see how active they are here locally via this site:

http://courtcn.co.fort-bend.tx.us/pls/public/ck_public_qry_main.cp_main_idx

Visit this group working to reform the HOA industry in TX:

http://www.texashoareform.org/

Recommendations for the 80th Legislative Session from TXHOA-Reform:

http://www.texashoareform.org/Action_Recommendations.html

Visit this TX Senate link below to follow recent failed attempts by homeowners advocates to seek open governance legislation which apply to all municipal, county and state government, but not HOAs:

http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/commit/c520/c520.htm


Stay informed and keep in touch!

FBN Covers Hunter Endorsement of Gary in MC Council Race-

Click the title link for the full story. . .

MCC Report: Lou Hunter Makes It Official and Endorses Gary In District B Run-off!

From the Hunter campaign headquarters:



It's Official! Lou Hunter Endorses Gary In District B Run-off!!!


Lou Hunter, former district B reform challenger, after extensive meetings with both Cynthia Lenton-Gary and Don Smith, run-off candidates in the Missouri City council race, has decided to endorse Gary in her bid for the hotly contested city council seat against the longtime incumbent (Smith). Hunter was quoted as saying "he will now actively spend the next few weeks blockwalking and calling his supporters to get out the vote for Cynthia." He added, "after spending much time interviewing the two candidates, I'm convinced that Ms. Lenton-Gary has the best plan for addressing many of the issues neglected by Smith during his tenure in office."

Mr. Smith has been endorsed by Allen Owen, the Missouri City mayor, who some have noted is heavily backed by Houston area developers. What finally lead to Hunter's decision was the fact that "Ms. Gary lines up well with many of the larger issues impacting our community such as the expanding Blue Ridge Landfill, that the current council supported, loss of our only hospital at the end of 2006, disparity in growth along the hwy 6 and Texas Pkwy corridor, repealing ordinance 46-4, lower ISO fire ratings, lack of independence from the special interests of the current council, increasing crime in district B, and of course, the rising taxes facing all home and property owners", said Lou.

The Hunter for council campaign committee want to offer our best wishes and good luck to Cynthia and her supporters as she carries the flag forward on reforming our city council!

FBN Covers Griffin Recount & Gary-Smith Run-off!!!

Click title link for the FULL story on the reform effort to take city hall away from Mayor Owen+!

Very Enlightening Chronicle Piece (Just for fun--post election)--click title link for more--

Gibson, Tunstall focus on sidewalks in Missouri City District C contest

By ZEN T. C. ZHENG
Houston Chronicle

Kevin Tunstall

. . . Tunstall, who has openly criticized city government on a variety of issues, calls himself an "independent voice.
"It's time for a change. Some of the people have been sitting in the office for 10, 20 years and they become complacent, and complacency begets neglect."

Among the issues concerning Tunstall is proposed expansion by Allied Waste of the landfill in east Fort Bend off FM 521. The proposal has triggered strong protest by residents.

Missouri City has an agreement with the waste management company that endorses the plan. Tunstall said if he were elected, he would initiate a review of the agreement and reverse it.

Tunstall said the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone concept should be visited as a possible avenue for the revitalization of Texas Parkway and Cartwright corridors, an idea frowned at by some city officials, who said a TIRZ is not set up for revamping shopping centers.

Tunstall criticized the city for creating a TIRZ on a commercial development by NewQuest near the intersection of Fort Bend Parkway and Texas 6.

"That area is a prime commercial realty in my opinion and doesn't qualify for a TIRZ," he said. "A TIRZ is better suited for Texas Parkway. Had a TIRZ existed there, commercial activities would be there and Quail Valley Country Club would not have had its problem."

On April 16, Tunstall told City Council that he found out from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts that the city had never registered the two TIRZs it created with the state office nor provided any financial reports on the TIRZs to the office in violation of state law.

R.J. DeSilva, a spokesman for the Texas Comptroller, confirmed Tunstall's report.

On Monday, City Manager Frank Simpson told City Council that the city failed to file the appropriate reports with the state office and that steps are being taken to correct the mistake.

Tunstall said the incident is an illustration of how such mistakes can give the city a bad image.

He described as unnecessary Mayor Allen Owen's initiative to hire a company to study ways to boost the city's image, including a controversial idea of a possible name change.

"Why does the city have to pay a PR firm to revamp the image of the city? If there is a bad perception of the city, whose fault is that? Mr. Owen needs to take that responsibility," he said. "We must move away from the power plays and pandering to special interests that now control our civic agenda and get back to doing people's business."

In addition, Tunstall said he is concerned about the lack of a hospital in the city and wants to study possible financial incentives to attract a health-care provider.

& This Chronicle Piece On the Griffin & Reiter Race:

Griffin challenges veteran Reiter in Missouri City District A race

By ZEN T. C. ZHENG

Rodney Griffin is challenging 13-year District A incumbent Eunice Reiter, saying she has done little to save the Texas Parkway corridor and older neighborhoods from deterioration.

While acknowledging the need to revitalize the corridor, Reiter, 69, an accountant who has lived in the city for 43 years, called her opponent's assessment of her unfair.

"When I learned that Rodney decided to run for the council, I called him after he filed for the race. We agreed that we would conduct a gentlemanly campaign, and I plan to do that," she said.

Reiter said she doesn't see Griffin's bid to seek her seat as negative.

"There has not been a District A election in 10 years. When there is a contested race, more people will come out and vote, get involved in the political process and are exposed to the issues faced by the city. I think this is a good thing," she said.

Reiter cited the city's economic development and increased services that she attributed to a "collective leadership effort," of which she has been a part.

"The council has achieved much over the last 13 years," she said. "The council had a vision, and we implemented that vision."

She said the city has gone from a bedroom community more than a decade ago to one now supported by commercial and industrial developments, with nearly $5.7 million generated a year in sales-tax revenue.

"As a result, we've been able to keep our property taxes low over the last 10 years," she said.

Griffin, 60, who has lived in the city for 28 years and runs a financial service firm, sees a less rosy picture, especially on the Texas Parkway corridor.

"Missouri City has the promise of a great community, but at the same time I have seen the city going in the opposite direction," he said. "There is deterioration in the far east end of the city.

"Texas Parkway is a gateway to the city and the county," Griffin said. "When you come down and see nothing but chicken joints, barbershops and nail salons, what kind of message are we giving to prospective businesses and residents? Are we able to attract new businesses and new residents?"

Griffin claims the city leadership's "lack of political will" is responsible for the community's deterioration.

City officials have directed "a lion's share of tax dollars" to the city's more affluent areas, such as Texas 6 while overlooking the Texas Parkway corridor, he said.

Griffin vowed to push for incentives and involvement of government and business entities to bring the older area back to life.

Reiter dismissed the notion that City Council has neglected Texas Parkway, citing a market study the city plans to fund to investigate demographics and other data to determine how the corridor can be revitalized.

Reiter described herself as instrumental in establishing zoning and other measures to protect property rights, green space and a comprehensive plan to guide the city's development. Architectural criteria she promoted for Texas Parkway have become part of the standards for all of the city's major corridors, she said.

In addition, she said she has pushed to bring a Houston Community College campus to the city — college officials broke ground last month for a Sienna campus — and for an additional recycling center in the south part of the city.

"I hope my experiences count. I am running for the love of this job, and there is so much still to do," she said.

Griffin said he is concerned about the immediate needs of the community, such as aging infrastructure, lack of sidewalks, unkept shopping strips and crime. He said Reiter has not been responsive to the community concerns.

"It's the perception of the people that they don't see her out in the community," Griffin said.

Reiter dismissed the allegation, saying she had served as the president of the Fonmeadow subdivision homeowners association for seven years, and as a council member has been regularly attending meetings of all the homeowners associations in the district.

Griffin said he can do more.

If elected, he said he wants to improve communication and cooperation with the school district, county and other local government agencies and private organizations and act as a liaison between them. He also wants to enhance public and private partnerships to develop public safety programs.

In addition, he wants to let taxpayers and voters have a stronger voice in decisions city government makes. . .(follow the link below for more)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/4794195.html

Just In: Griffin Requests Recount After 3 Vote Loss In Mo-City District A Race!

From the Rodney Griffin Campaign Committee Blog: Griffin for Council Campaign Calls for a Recount!

Rodney Griffin, district A city council challenger, has discussed a possible recount vote in his race for Missouri City council. It was reported by the county elections commission that Griffin, who had actually lead in early voting, finished the night 3 votes behind the longtime incumbent Eunice Reiter. When asked why the committee deemed the challenge important? Rodney responded, "because in recent times we've seen too many examples of close races that discounted individual voters and went the wrong way. I don't want that to be the case in this race. I want every vote to count! That's why we will be challenging these results. I couldn't do less for all our supporters."


--------
Comment: Stay tuned as we'll update this news as it comes in. . .

From FBW: Majority of Missouri City Voters Supported Anti-Owen Challengers! --Click title link for more...

From FBW: 50.6% Vote Against Owen-backed Candidates in MC
Published on 05/14/07 at 09:45:11 CST by MCCNewsUpdates

With Mayor Owen endorsed candidates being challenged extensively across the board in the district A, B & C races, how long before the old order in Missouri City falls?

This and many other questions are being discussed on area blogs and news sites after a record making election leads to an apparent MC first in an election, a run-off between Owen backed candidate Don Smith and district B challenger Cynthia Lenton-Gary. It has been rumored that Lou Hunter, the 3rd candidate in the race, will soon announce his endorsement of Gary and actively campaign for her. Gary will be the first African-American female elected to the Missouri City council and reportedly the first run-off in the cities history.

Greyling Poats, former '06 mayoral candidate, was quoted as saying that "the 50.6% voting against Allen Owen endorsed candidates is a shift in city politics and should be watched more closely as the '08 mayor and at large races approach." He further stated, "I wouldn't be surprised if we see another full slate of challengers in '08."

Get more at these links below:

http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/2007/05/close-mc-council-races-by-reform.html

http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/2909/mobility-bond-wins-broxson-reitz-replace-rickert-bryant#c013530

Close MC Council Races By Reform Candidates & Wins In Arcola Council Races! -- Click title link for full county results

Click the title link above for complete school district and municipal races. Close MC council races in districts A, B & C denote demand for council reform in coming 2008 mayoral and at large races. . .

Get related FBN report at: http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/2909/mobility-bond-wins-broxson-reitz-replace-rickert-bryant?

Stay informed and keep in touch!

Bryant Last Minute Election Tactics Backfire! -- Click for more--

Ken Bryant denies attempting to mislead the public in his bid for re-election with a bogus endorsement list in the FBISD school board race. Click the title link for the full story at FBN.

Stay informed and keep in touch (GET out and VOTE today).

VOTE Saturday (Take BACK LOCAL Control from the special interest -- click title link for more info)

Visit http://mcelectioninformation.blogspot.com for more on the Missouri City Elections. VOTE Saturday and take back real local control!

From the Chron: Candidates Discuss Over-development Stress Hurting FBISD? --get the full story by clicking here--

POSITION 7
FBISD candidates target crowding
Discipline, accountability cited as issues

By CARISSA D. LAMKAHOUAN
Chronicle Correspondent

Candidates for the Position 7 trustee seat on the Fort Bend school district's board all back passage of a fall bond proposal to address campus crowding.

Incumbent Ken Bryant, an attorney, faces Ann Hopkins, assistant principal at Hodges Bend Middle School; Noel Pinnock, an educator in the Houston school district; and David Reitz, who works in management.

According to district policy, Hopkins would have to resign if she wins the election. . .

. . . Pinnock, 33, said he wants to make sure the board is fiscally responsible.

He agreed that by informing the public of bond specifics, the board can build support and trust.

"I want to make certain the community is aware of the details of the proposed bond and what the goals are intended to do," Pinnock said.

To do that, he said, the district needs to rely on more than one method of dispensing information. Although he sees the district Web site as a good information source, not everyone has access to the Internet, he said.

He suggested holding town-hall-style or committee meetings to inform people about the bond-building process. Trustees and the public need to have access to the opinions that result from those gatherings, he said.

"I want to see the output of these meetings," Pinnock said. "In addition to the meetings and committees that might form, we need feedback, and we need to present that feedback in such a way so that the least common denominator can relate to it and not just leave to the Web site to communicate." . . .

. . .Pinnock said he wants to bridge the gap between residents and students in the eastern and western parts of the district.

"There's a perception of disparity with the lower east end of Fort Bend County," he said. "A lot of communities felt they have not gotten their fair share of the pie."

--Click the title link above to get the full story.

Get More On The MC Elections Click This Title Link

Visit http://mcelectioninformation.blogspot.com for more on the Missouri City Elections. VOTE Saturday and take back real local control!

6603 Voters Participated In Early Voting (Ended Tues)-Click the title link

From the Chron:

More than 6,000 Fort Bend County residents voted early

By SESHADRI KUMAR
Chronicle Correspondent

In Fort Bend, 6,603 people voted by the end of early voting Tuesday, representing about 2.5 percent of the county's 265,000 registered voters.

Expected turnout Saturday is 6 percent, said Fort Bend County Election Administrator J.R. Perez.

On Tuesday, 1,841 people voted at 14 locations in Fort Bend, Perez said. Four more early voting locations were added this year.

Also, 803 people have voted early by mail, though 1,531 had requested a ballot by mail.

As in May 2006, Fort Bend voters have a bond proposition on the ballot this May. The county is asking voters Saturday to approve a $156 million bond issue for road and bridge projects.

The highest early voting turnout was at the Rosenberg Annex where 1,050 people voted, followed by 1,019 at City Hall in Missouri City and 942 in First Colony.

For the Fort Bend Independent School District election in which Position 3 and 7 incumbent trustees face challengers, 4,076 people had voted early. . .

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Comment: If you haven't voted get out Saturday and do so!

Chronicle Reports: City Fails To Act On The Repeal Of Ordinance 46-4 In Time For The Election (click title link for more)-

City delays action on sidewalks due to election

By SESHADRI KUMAR
Chronicle Correspondent

City Manager Frank Simpson told Missouri City City Council Monday night that he has allocated $150,000 in the preliminary 2007-08 municipal budget for sidewalk repairs in anticipation of the city taking over the responsibility of walkway maintenance.

City Council had an agenda item to receive the status report and authorize staff to amend ordinances relating to sidewalks as recommended by the sidewalk subcommittee.

But, the council could not act on the item as outgoing Councilman Bob Burton, in whose district the sidewalk repairs and the infrastructure ordinance have become an election issue, wanted to table the item.

"Both the candidates have some ideas on the issue. As my term ends, my participation won't continue. Let my successor have an opportunity to fully participate in the debate," Burton said.

Burton urged council not to discuss the matter any further, and said, "It is appropriate for people in District C to have their elected representative participate. If discussed now, it won't allow full participation."

Mayor Allen Owen said the agenda was only to authorize staff to prepare an ordinance and ample time would exist for debate in the future.

But, Assistant City Attorney Caroline Kelley told council the ordinance is not yet ready.

While agreeing to table authorization of the ordinance, Owen said council could discuss the status report and Kelley agreed. Burton was not pleased with the discussion.

Councilman Jerry Wyatt asked one of the candidates, Barbara Gibson, if she had any objection to council discussing the sidewalk issue. Gibson said she had no objection.

The other candidate, Kevin Tunstall, was not present. Tunstall had initially raised the issue and urged the city to delete the ordinance that placed liability for sidewalk repairs on residents. . . (click title link above for more).


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Comment: Perceptions can be deceiving. Why would the city suddenly attempt to rush this issue to a vote before the Saturday election? This reminds me of the patterns involving the Hospital information, apartments, disparity in development along Texas Pkwy, etc...I want to wish the reform challengers the best this Saturday. You are truly good people/neighbors!

Last Day of Early MC & School District Voting (Today--Click title link for more info)

PLEASE remember that today is the last day of early voting with the election happening on May 12th for the school district and MC council races. Click the title link above to get more information on some of the candidates (non special interest challengers).


Stay informed and keep in touch!

District C Race Heats Up (Click on title link to get the full story from the Chronicle)

Sidewalk repair stirs up District C race in Missouri City

By SESHADRI KUMAR
Chronicle Correspondent

The maintenance of sidewalks in Missouri City has become an election issue, at least in the District C open council seat, where Kevin Tunstall and Barbara Gibson are locked in a fight to succeed Councilman Bob Burton.

Sidewalk repair grabbed headlines in February.

About 60 people filled the City Council chamber on Feb. 7 to oppose a 1974 city law that requires homeowners to pay for the repairs of sidewalks in front of their properties. Residents say the city should pay. The subcommittee of City Councilmen Don Smith, Jerry Wyatt and Brett Kolaja said it would seek opinions of residents throughout the city.

At a mid-March subcommittee meeting, Wyatt, committee chair, said city staff recommendations were accepted to have the city repair sidewalks and to earmark funds in next year's budget, beginning July 1.

Now, Tunstall and Mayor Allen Owen, who is not up for election this year, each accuse the other of "misleading" people.

Owen said the city has announced its intent to take over the responsibility of maintaining the sidewalks, and residents will not be liable for any damage.

Tunstall, 42, a health-care administrator, said council has not taken formal action on the issue, and until the onerous ordinance placing liability on residents to maintain public infrastructure is removed, the issue will remain. . . (Click title link).

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Comment: On the last campaign finance reports for the Owen backed challenger (Gibson) numerous developer executives/managers were found. These same special interest developers have been found on Owens finance reports too. It has been reported that the mayor is running the Gibson campaign effort.

Missouri City & District Election Information (Follow the title link for more)-

Please follow the title link above for more school district and city council information as early voting continues through Tuesday with election day May 12 (Saturday).


Stay informed and keep in touch and check the campaign finance reports of the candidates you are supporting before you vote!

FB Sun Covers Landfill & T.V. Station Problem (Near Missouri City)-

Television stations claim landfill will block Doppler
By: John Pape

The proposed expansion of the Blue Ridge Landfill in eastern Fort Bend County is facing a new obstacle after two Houston television stations claimed the increased height would interfere with their weather radar signals.

Both ABC station KTRK (Channel 13) and CBS affiliate KHOU (Channel 11) said that if the landfill was allowed to increase its height from 50-feet to 170-feet as proposed in Blue Ridge's pending expansion permit, the two stations' Doppler weather radar signal toward Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico could be compromised.

The landfill currently has a permit pending before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to increase the height of the landfill to add more capacity. That application has drawn vocal opposition from area residents and environmental activists.

Rick Lowerre, an Austin-based attorney representing the television stations, said that the reduced effectiveness of the weather radar could present a significant threat to the public during severe storms.

"The stations would no longer be able to give the same type of advanced warning of some hurricanes, tornadoes and other adverse weather conditions," Lowerre said.
Allied Waste, operator of the Blue Ridge facility, did not return calls for comment. . .


Click the title link above for the full story--

FB Sun Looks At Developers Sign Battles With Mo-City

Missouri City council opposes size of signage for NewQuest retail center
By: Diane Tezeno,


Final approval of a rezoning request that would bring a Kroger grocery store and several smaller retail businesses to a site near Highway 6 and the Fort Bend Tollway was halted at the April 15 Missouri City City council meeting after several city council members raised objections to proposed signage for the project. . .

. . . The mayor also suggested that city staff talk with Johnson Development and other commercial developers that will be building similar shopping centers in the area.

"We want to find a way to make this work. We want Kroger there and we want New Quest there," said Owen.
New Quest is expected to explore various alternatives for the commercial retail project before returning to council for approval.


*****
Comment: What really happened to cause this reversal? Was it the resident pressure that was ignored during the P&Z review and later first vote or was it a developer battle? Check the mayors campaign finance reports to see who is backing who and what may have really happened.

FBN: Early Voting Started Monday (Get out and vote)-

Early Voting Starts Today For City Councils, School Boards, Bond Issue
by Bob Dunn, Apr 30, 2007, 06 53 am

Early voting for the May 12 elections starts today in Fort Bend County, where a constitutional amendment, $156 million mobility bond and several city council and school board seats are at stake.

Anyone eligible to vote in the election is eligible to vote early. Locations around the county open Monday morning. Check at the Fort Bend County Elections web site for schedules and locations. Voters may check here to find their voting precinct and a sample ballot.

Citizens have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment, Proposition 1, that would give senior citizens and disabled people the same property tax reductions that other Texas property owners received a year ago. Wording in the proposition is somewhat confusing, but voting “yes” for the measure means voting in favor of reducing the property tax rate for seniors and the disabled.

The only other county-wide issue on the ballot is a mobility bond election over the issuance of $156 million in general obligation bonds for roads and bridges throughout the county. A complete listing of the infrastructure project that would be funded through the bond issue, if passed, is available here.

Voters living within the Fort Bend Independent School District can vote on a board of trustees race that pits incumbent Lisa Rickert against Bob Broxson for Position 3, and incumbent Ken Bryant against Ann Hopkins, Noel Pinnock and David Reitz for Position 7. Daniel Mendendez’s name also appears on on the ballot, however, he withdrew from the race and is no longer a candidate. . .

. . .In Arcola, three council seats are up for grabs in a five-way race between Rosie Rojas, Lizzie Pitts, Tom Hilton, James DeVoge and Greg Abarr.

. . .Missouri City: District A City Council incumbent Eunice Reiter faces Rodney Griffin; District B incumbent Don Smith faces Louis Hunter and Cynthia Lenton-Gary; and Barbara Gibson and Kevin Tunstall are challenging for District C.


Comments--These are the races impacting our area given the airport expansion project and other development issues (including school over-crowding).