This whole fight for inserting the will of the Residents into planning the future of our Community started in the Spring of 2015. At that time it was learned that what would be called The Woodlands Parkway Extension (WPX) was a project for Precinct 2 on the proposed Road Bond. Residents realizing that this would bring an influx of unwanted traffic to an already overloaded system voiced an objection. Those objections grew to a resistance movement identified through a “Change.org” petition. This resistance resulted in an overwhelming defeat of that Bond led by Woodlands voters who voted against it 5 to 1. After that vote, the Commissioner of Precinct 2, Charlie Riley, advised that it didn’t matter because he would place on all future bonds the funding of the WPX. That prospect made Residents realize that it would be wise to explore Incorporation. People realized that if you don’t control your geography, you don’t control your future.
Leading the fight in 2015 FOR the WPX Extension were Bruce Tough and Mike Bass. So much so that it cost Mr. Tough his re-election in the Fall and had Mike Bass announced he was not running again. Both said subsequently that they were actually against the WPX but were for the Road Bond because it was needed. I’ve heard that song before from Democrat politicians that are Catholic who are “personally against abortion” but do not want to impose religious beliefs on others. That’s all political consultant focus group nonsense, just as Tough and Bass on the WPX. By the way, the Road Bond passed overwhelmingly six months later without the WPX in the same election sending Mr. Tough into retirement. Our voters were pretty discerning.
After that experience, the prospect of Incorporation became an item to be brought forward to discuss. The 2057 date became meaningless. A reserve of $2.5 Million was set up to study the question. Mind you, not to implement, but to study and to wisely plan for our future. This set off panic alarms amongst those against Incorporation. Those against would be Developers and the Commissioner’s Court that treats us as merely sheep to be fleeced for our Tax Dollars. Since we are unincorporated, they have all the power. It’s not an accident that they control our appraisals as they control the appraisal board. It is appraisals driving up our taxes not our tax rate which has gone down or stayed the same. That Board is made up of Commissioner Reilly, Commissioner Meador, Tom Cox, Tammy McCrae ex officio (a non-voting member) and of course the Chairman, Bruce Tough.
These interests against learning about Incorporation are powerful and they don’t want you to know who they are. Bruce Tough is using a device to hide their identities. It’s called a 501(c)4 which permits donors to remain anonymous. I say Bruce Tough because the address for the 501(c)4 is Bruce’s Office. I say powerful because the amount of money being spent is extraordinary for a township race. That includes running a TV Commercial during last week’s Presidential Debate. I will say one more thing, these interests are mostly not of The Woodlands. We’re smarter than this. If the numbers were a 70%, 85% or 120% increase in taxes, these opponents would encourage the study and not try to stop it. That’s what I would do. Instead they are spending big money to stop the Residents from finding out the truth of Incorporation.
There are only four people guaranteed to find that out for us. Gordy Bunch, Bruce Rieser, John Brown and Brian Boniface. The Residents have to vote on it anyway before we can Incorporate so what do they know that they don’t want us to know? They are not asking you to vote for anyone just trying to dissuade you from voting for those that seriously want to investigate Incorporation and would put it to a vote if it made sense after the study. They don’t want The Residents of The Woodlands to control their lives within their Home Town. They want you to remain being sheep to be shorn by the Conroe Cartel. Let’s find out what they know. Vote for Gordy Bunch, Bruce Rieser, John Brown and Brian Boniface.
Bill O’Sullivan
Texas Patriots PAC