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Mathew FBISD board extends Smith’s contract, increases salary reiterates ‘zero property tax’ pledge at Stafford town hall Staff Reports
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
In last week’s annual Stafford Town Hall, one theme seemed evident: battle lines over the city’s discussions over how to best deal with its budgetary budgetary issues are being drawn. Last year, the the Stafford City Council grappled for the first time in many years with the possibility of reinstating a property tax for the first time since 1995. Former Mayor Leonard Scarcella had spearheaded the elimination of a property tax during a time when it was relatively easy for the city to rely almost entirely on sales taxes to meet its revenue needs. More recently, as the city has seen increased demand for services while the retail industry has declined, putting the city in the position of dipping into its fund balance to meet its annual operating needs. But with a “zero property tax” - the only municipality in the state with such a mandate - as one of its major calling cards, city leaders have been reluctant to address the issue. Early in 2024, Councilwoman Virginia Rosas kicked off a discussion about reinstating a property tax in the city. That discussion eventually led to a proposal for a “public safety tax” - a property tax that would be targeted to raise revenues for the city’s police, fire and EMS services - to be put out as a voter referendum. But after months of acrimonious debate among Council members, the effort failed to achieve a super-majority vote last fall. While the months since may have ameliorated somewhat the bruised feelings over the debate among Council members, it was clear at the town hall on January 29 that the discussion has not yet gone away. For the first time, the event was held at Stafford Municipal School District’s Leonard Scarcella Administration Building (named after the longtime mayor who died in 2020) instead of the Stafford Civic Center, which has recently seen flooding and other issues. The event was sparsely attended by the public, although it was simultaneously broadcast online. Mayor Ken Mathew, first elected in June 2023, led off the program the annual “State of the City” address
SEE STAFFORD PAGE 5
Stafford Mayor Ken Mathew gives his “state of the city” address at the annual Town Meeting last week. Photo by Ken Fountain
The Fort Bend ISD board of trustees last week voted to extend Superintendent Marc Smith’s 5-year contract by one year and to increase his base salary of $410,000 by $28,700, an increase of 7 percent. In an earlier evaluation, the board had given Smith high marks for his first year of service to the district, which began last January. “I continue to be grateful for the Board’s support, trust, and confidence,” Smith said in a news release. “Their commitment to providing stable and consistent leadership for our district will allow us to achieve unprecedented levels of excellence and I look forward to continuing to serve our students, staff and the FBISD community. I also appreciate our partnerships with local leaders and businesses committed to working
alongside me to propel the district forward. Together, our potential is limitless, and I am excited about the future success of Fort Bend ISD.” Among the district’s achievement under Smith cited by the news release were: leading all neighboring districts in the number of schools named to this year’s Texas AP School Honor Roll list; removing Willowridge High School from federally required school improvement status; significant gains in assessing the district’s students receiving special education services; and successfully managing school construction projects “so they are on track to welcome students to new 21st century learning spaces in the fall of 2025”. That last item refers to significant budget shortfalls after the passage of a $1.26 package in 2023, during Whitbeck’s tenure, which came to public
light after her departure. “Dr. Smith’s many successes in just his first year with the district confirms he is the right leader to take the district to the next level,” Fort Bend ISD Board President Kristin Tassin said in the release. “We have complete confidence in his leadership and fully support his emphasis on professionalism, accountability, and communication. Dr. Smith is a proven exemplary leader, and the Board looks forward to him having a long tenure at FBISD.” Smith took the reigns of the 80,000-plus-student district, the sixth-largest in Texas, in January 2024 after the forced retirement of previous superintendent Christie Whitbeck the previous December. Whitbeck has since filed a breach of contract lawsuit stemming from her departure.
The Fort Bend ISD board of trustees last week extended the contract of Superintendent Marc Smith by one year and increased his salary by 7 percent. Courtesy Fort Bend ISD
Lunar New Year at Sugar Land Town Square A
young girl shows her excitement at the lion dance performance during the Lunar New Year celebration at Sugar Land Town Square on January 29. Hundreds of residents filled the plaza of the event. Lunar New Year is celebrated by cultures all across Asia. Photo by Ken Fountain. See more photos on page 7.
GHP looks at regional economy in 2024 Staff Reports Editor’s Note: In its “Economy at a Glance” report for February, the Greater Houston Partnership - the regional chamber of commerce - takes a look at the regional economy in 2024. The main body of the report, with an emphasis on the employment picture, is presented here with permission. Economic data for the final months of 2024 continue to trickle in. With each report, a clearer picture of the past year emerges. • Job growth fell slightly below the historical average. Unemployment ticked up but remained low.
• Sales tax collections, a proxy for overall economic activity, were down in 2024. • Inflation continued its downward trend, with prices rising slower in Houston than in the rest of the nation. • Oil traded in a narrow range. The domestic rig count ratcheted down. U.S. production hit a new high. • Though office and industrial construction slowed, other sectors picked up the pace. • Homebuyers saw no relief with mortgage rates. The inventory of available homes rose dramatically. Home prices rose modestly.
• Developers delivered more Class A apartment units to the market, keeping downward pressure on rents. • The Port of Houston set a record for container traffic and was on track to set a record for overall tonnage. • Though air cargo volumes were down, air passenger traffic set a record. • And as the year closed, the Houston Purchasing Managers Index suggested that Houston’s economy would continue to expand well into this year.Details on how each sector fared in 2024 follow.
Details on how each sector fared in 2024 follow.
Employment Houston created 57,800 jobs in 2024, finishing the year with payroll employment at 3.5 million, a record for the region. The December job count was 308,000 above where it stood in February ’20 prior to the pandemic. Historically, Houston adds 65,000 to 70,000 jobs per year, significantly more in boom years, substantially less during busts. The somewhat
SEE ECONOMY PAGE 2