Rosenberg council sets May 2 election, places charter amendments and a crime-control tax on the ballot

The Rosenberg City Council voted to order a May 2, 2026 general municipal election and to place several measures on the ballot, including five proposed charter amendments and a proposed Rosenberg Crime Control & Prevention District (CCPD) sales-tax proposition.

City staff told council that exhibits and polling-location details from Fort Bend County were provided at the dais; the county will administer the election under a shared-cost contract estimated at about $20,078 (staff said the final bill may be lower). The council approved Ordinance 2026-04 to order the municipal election; Councilor Jessica moved and Councilor Steve seconded the motion, which the mayor recorded as passing (the mayor said the vote was 6-0 with one member briefly stepped out).

For charter changes, staff presented five proposed amendments that would cover council compensation, the comprehensive plan, council health benefits, petition thresholds, and borrowing authority. Council discussion covered the substance of each proposed amendment. The council approved the ordinance placing the charter amendments on the special-election ballot; staff recorded the measure as passing with six in favor and one abstention.

On the proposed CCPD ballot question, staff described an ordinance (2026-06) to create the crime-control district and reduce the Rosenberg Development Corporation's (RDC) levy from one-half percent to one-fourth percent should the CCPD proposition pass (the change is intended to avoid raising the city's overall sales tax). Assistant staff said the quarter-percent allocation to CCPD would equal about $3,400,000 annually under current projections. Resident Susan Hooton urged caution and asked how development projects funded by RDC — such as water and sewer extensions for commercial development — would be funded if RDC revenues were reduced. Staff and councilors said such projects would be funded through other sources if needed, and that budget trade-offs would be addressed in future budget discussions.

Mayor Benton moved to set the CCPD rate at one-quarter of one percent (which would reallocate half of the RDC's current half-percent); the council voted in favor with one member opposed and the remainder in support. Staff then presented Resolution R-4025, a joint-election agreement with Fort Bend County to administer the May 2 elections; Councilor Jessica moved to approve the contract and the motion passed.

Ending: The council's approvals commit the items to the May 2 ballot and authorized a county contract; those measures will go before voters and any related ordinance language or budgets will be addressed in subsequent council and budget meetings.