$160 million road bond package is approved by Montgomery County voters with only two percent turnout
Bond package approved
9/11/2005
Howard Roden
The Courier
Copyright 2005
Montgomery County overwhelmingly approved the $160 million road bond package even though less than two percent of the eligible voters turned out for Saturday's election.
Slightly more than 70 percent of the votes were cast in favor of the funding plan that county officials say will ultimately result in $360 million in new construction and the renovation of existing roadways within the county. Of the approved bond amount, $100 million is earmarked to finance five "major" projects totaling $219 million. The remaining $60 million in bonds will be used to finance road improvements in each of the four county commissioner's precincts.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Craig Doyal said he is feeling a "nervous excitement" about the bond's passage. County Judge Alan Sadler said residents will see a "substantial change in mobility" countywide within the next three years, thanks to approval of the bonds.
"I've always been optimistic about the bond issue," he said. "I'm very appreciative and very excited about how the election turned out."
However, the election turnout proved to be far less than the 5,000 Sadler has anticipated. Only 2,371 voters showed up Saturday at the 20 polling locations throughout the county. Combined with the early voting, a total of 3,448 votes were cast, with 2,418 in favor of the bond package.
The turnout represented just 1.63 percent of the registered voters in Montgomery County.
Finding a reason for the low turnout was difficult to pinpoint, said Doyal.
"Quite frankly, everyone is the county is concerned about mobility and you would expect a sizeable turnout over an issue like this," said Doyal. "Maybe everyone was anticipating it (the bond) would pass."
Attorney Nelda Luce Blair, chairwoman of MobilityNOW, the political action committee that campaigned in favor of the bond's approval, was "absolutely thrilled" with the election results.
"Members of MobilityNOW worked hard to get the votes out," she said. "We wanted a decisive victory and our people turned out to make it happen."
Strongest support for the bond election was at the Panorama Village City Hall where 220 "for" votes represented 79 percent of that precinct's turnout. The largest numerical support occurred at the Purvis Library in Magnolia where 300 votes were cast in favor of the bonds. That represented 77 percent of that location's overall tally.
Seventy-seven percent of the people voting at the East County Courthouse Annex in New Caney voted for the bond. The Cut and Shoot Fire Station was the only polling location to defeat the bond proposal, with people voting 39-29 against the proposition.
The road bond package is part of the unique Pass-Through Toll Agreement signed by Montgomery County and the Texas Department of Transportation. The bonds will help accelerate construction on the five major projects: expansion of FM 1488, FM 1314, FM 1485, the creation of a "hard toll" flyover interchange at Texas 242 and Interstate 45, and the redirection and expansion of FM 1484.
In exchange for the county's financing the projects, TxDOT has contractually agreed to reimburse Montgomery County a total of $207 million. According to county officials, $98 million will be used to finance additional revenue bonds, another $76 million will be placed in an account to fund future projects, while $33 million will be used on the cost of the five projects.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador admitted he and the other County Commissioners are facing added responsibility in managing projects that are normally supervised by TxDOT.
"It's taking us to another level and it does put pressure on us to perform," he said. "This is something new and different for Montgomery County. There's no question we to make this work and we will. I'm excited about it."
Montgomery County Elections Administrator Carol Chedsey Gaultney said the election's votes would be canvassed on Sept. 21.
Magnolia residents also went to the polls Saturday to decide the fate of the city's natural gas distribution system. They voted by a 52-7 margin to authorize its City Council to sell the city's natural gas distribution system.
Howard Roden can be reached at hroden@mail.hcnonline.net.
©Houston Community Newspapers Online 2005 : www.zwire.com
9/11/2005
Howard Roden
The Courier
Copyright 2005
Montgomery County overwhelmingly approved the $160 million road bond package even though less than two percent of the eligible voters turned out for Saturday's election.
Slightly more than 70 percent of the votes were cast in favor of the funding plan that county officials say will ultimately result in $360 million in new construction and the renovation of existing roadways within the county. Of the approved bond amount, $100 million is earmarked to finance five "major" projects totaling $219 million. The remaining $60 million in bonds will be used to finance road improvements in each of the four county commissioner's precincts.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Craig Doyal said he is feeling a "nervous excitement" about the bond's passage. County Judge Alan Sadler said residents will see a "substantial change in mobility" countywide within the next three years, thanks to approval of the bonds.
"I've always been optimistic about the bond issue," he said. "I'm very appreciative and very excited about how the election turned out."
However, the election turnout proved to be far less than the 5,000 Sadler has anticipated. Only 2,371 voters showed up Saturday at the 20 polling locations throughout the county. Combined with the early voting, a total of 3,448 votes were cast, with 2,418 in favor of the bond package.
The turnout represented just 1.63 percent of the registered voters in Montgomery County.
Finding a reason for the low turnout was difficult to pinpoint, said Doyal.
"Quite frankly, everyone is the county is concerned about mobility and you would expect a sizeable turnout over an issue like this," said Doyal. "Maybe everyone was anticipating it (the bond) would pass."
Attorney Nelda Luce Blair, chairwoman of MobilityNOW, the political action committee that campaigned in favor of the bond's approval, was "absolutely thrilled" with the election results.
"Members of MobilityNOW worked hard to get the votes out," she said. "We wanted a decisive victory and our people turned out to make it happen."
Strongest support for the bond election was at the Panorama Village City Hall where 220 "for" votes represented 79 percent of that precinct's turnout. The largest numerical support occurred at the Purvis Library in Magnolia where 300 votes were cast in favor of the bonds. That represented 77 percent of that location's overall tally.
Seventy-seven percent of the people voting at the East County Courthouse Annex in New Caney voted for the bond. The Cut and Shoot Fire Station was the only polling location to defeat the bond proposal, with people voting 39-29 against the proposition.
The road bond package is part of the unique Pass-Through Toll Agreement signed by Montgomery County and the Texas Department of Transportation. The bonds will help accelerate construction on the five major projects: expansion of FM 1488, FM 1314, FM 1485, the creation of a "hard toll" flyover interchange at Texas 242 and Interstate 45, and the redirection and expansion of FM 1484.
In exchange for the county's financing the projects, TxDOT has contractually agreed to reimburse Montgomery County a total of $207 million. According to county officials, $98 million will be used to finance additional revenue bonds, another $76 million will be placed in an account to fund future projects, while $33 million will be used on the cost of the five projects.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador admitted he and the other County Commissioners are facing added responsibility in managing projects that are normally supervised by TxDOT.
"It's taking us to another level and it does put pressure on us to perform," he said. "This is something new and different for Montgomery County. There's no question we to make this work and we will. I'm excited about it."
Montgomery County Elections Administrator Carol Chedsey Gaultney said the election's votes would be canvassed on Sept. 21.
Magnolia residents also went to the polls Saturday to decide the fate of the city's natural gas distribution system. They voted by a 52-7 margin to authorize its City Council to sell the city's natural gas distribution system.
Howard Roden can be reached at hroden@mail.hcnonline.net.
©Houston Community Newspapers Online 2005 :
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Sunday, September 11, 2005
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