Township Elections Driving Voters to the Polls

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- A war of words related the issue of incorporation has spurred voters to the polls and caused a contentious campaign for candidates for The Woodlands Township seats.

The first shots in this battle were fired by The Woodlands Concerned Taxpayers, a nonprofit group started by former chairman of the township board Bruce Tough, which launched a campaign that included mailers, billboards and robocalls warning residents about a 70 percent property tax increase should the township incorporate now.

The mailer also endorses several candidates on the township council ballot, including Mike Bass (Position 2), Amy Lampman (Position 1), Stuart Schroeder (Position 3) and Chris Grice (Position 4).

On the other side of the battle Residents Advocates, a group that surfaced in 2015 to oppose the controversial Woodlands Parkway extension, endorsed an opposing slate of township candidates including: incumbent Gordy Bunch (Position 1), John Anthony Brown (Position 3), Bruce Rieser (Position 4) and Brian Boniface (Position 2).

Residents Advocates has also been associated with Tea party group, Texas Patriots PAC, which countered The Woodlands Concerned Taxpayers with their own mailouts.

Last month, the Woodlands Township discussed whether or not the board should post any information on their website about incorporation as a city, as a way of answering questions and quelling any fears the public may have.

"There is no tax increase. There is no incorporation on the ballot. There is no timeline established," Board member Gordy Bunch said at that meeting. "We owe our residents a clear statement that this is not occurring. You're not going to be taxed out of your house."

In 2007, The Woodlands entered into an agreement with the City of Conroe and the City of Houston that prohibited both cities from annexing The Woodlands until 2057, and ios also a state statute.

However, the fliers from Tough’s group claim that since this was done by state statute, that it can be repealed by the state legislature; a claim that State Rep Mark Keough dismisses.

"The idea that we as a community should be afraid of this happening is unfounded," Keough told the Houston Chronicle. "I think the narrative that's going around is causing fear in the community.”

Meanwhile, the fear generated on both sides has driven many in The Woodlands to vote early, and saw more than 92,000 voters cast ballots in the first week of early voting, which represents representing 29.3 percent of the registered voters in Montgomery County. Early voting runs through Friday, Nov. 4.

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