Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sponsor says SJR 15 would allow cities and counties to create economic‑development districts and offer targeted incentives
Summary
Senate Joint Resolution 15 would authorize cities and counties to form economic‑development districts empowered to use targeted tax incentives or incremental revenues to finance infrastructure and attract investment, the sponsor said.
Senator Dismaine (identified in the hearing transcript as presenting the item) explained SJR 15, a proposed constitutional amendment to authorize economic‑development districts that would let counties and cities create targeted incentive tools for recruitment or rehabilitation projects.
Dismaine said prior drafts had included eminent‑domain and utility provisions; those provisions were stricken and the current draft focuses on giving local taxing authorities the power to create a district, nominate board members, and deploy tools such as targeted tax abatement or incremental tax capture to finance infrastructure or incentives within a defined area. He said the intent is to give localities tools similar to redevelopment or TIF‑style programs used in other states, and that municipalities currently lack many such options.
The sponsor said the district would be formed by the local taxing authority (city, county or both), with proposed board nominees confirmed by the legislative body (quorum court or city council). He said the district could issue bonds or use funds generated within the district for infrastructure and incentives while preserving existing school‑district receipts at baseline levels.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about how similar programs operate in other states, whether neighboring states provide competitive advantages, and the open drafting process. No proponents or opponents were signed up to testify at the hearing and the committee did not vote.
