Late last month, on the first anniversary of Hurricane Harvey’s landfall, voters in Harris County took an important step forward in the effort to protect Houston from future catastrophic weather events. On August 26, roughly 85 percent of voters approved a referendum which calls for the issuance of $2.5 billion in bonds to fund flood-control projects in and around Houston. The referendum received bipartisan support from local officials and was endorsed by a number of high-profile businesses and community organizations.
Harris County taxpayers are expected to see an average increase of $5 per year in their property taxes as a result of the referendum—a small price to pay for the safety and security of their homes.
These bonds are expected to help pay for a series of projects that will be selected from a list of more than 230 proposals. They will also supplement additional federal funding that was earmarked for flood-control efforts following Hurricane Harvey.
“Harris County residents have put their trust in the Flood Control District,” said District Executive Director Russ Pope in response to the referendum’s approval. “We plan to work extremely hard and efficiently to turn the financial resources made available as a result of this election into the reality of reduced flooding risks.”
Over the course of the past year, it’s been truly inspiring to see Houstonians from all walks of life band together and contribute to the city’s hurricane recovery efforts. Thanks to these people’s hard work, Houston will soon be more resilient and flood resistant than ever before.
Flood control is something that the people of Texas need to be concerned with. This money will definitely be put towards a good cause!