According to the Courier of Montgomery County, a first-time bond referendum for the May election ballot is being looked at by the City of Conroe. However, the bond’s passage might coincide with previously experienced low voter turnout.
Discussion by councilmembers on a bond referendum follows their approval of over $5 million for operations that were not budgeted before the May 25th opening of the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Convention Center at a cost of $107 million.
Councilmember Wood characterized this budget year as “a tough budget cycle.”
In order to arrive at a more viable spending effort, city officials are looking at a $314.7 million budget for the next fiscal year.
The current budget is $306.2 million. The new budget comes in at 2.8 percent more. It has been proposed that the present tax rate of 42.72 cents per $100 property valuation stays in place.
February 16th is the last day the city can call for a bond election. May 4th would be election day.
In Conroe in 2020, 49,155 people were registered to vote. Information from Montgomery County Election Central shows that in May of 2022 only 3,000 voted.
The city’s financial advisor John Robuck with BOK Financial passed along to a July meeting of councilmembers that the most successful month for city bond elections is May.
If Conroe voters passed a bond election for capital improvement projects, Assistant City Administrator and Director of Finance, Collin Boothe, says it does allow the city to raise the tax rate.
The council has not shown that they are for or against a bond election. However, they have talked about various projects that could be funded, including a performing arts center, three new fire stations, a police driving training track and a senior center.
