Chuck Brawner Mayor of the City of Katy 20
Chuck Brawner was elected as the new Mayor of the City of Katy. Brawner won the election by taking 60% of the votes defeating running mate Hill Adams.
We asked Brawner to give us a statement about winning the election and to answer a few questions that we had about happenings in Katy. Below are his answers and statement. If our readers have other questions they would like answers to please submit them to katydebatequestions@gmail.com. We want to try to have periodic meetings with the mayor to help the public get answers to their questions.
“The victory on election night was for the families of Katy. Thank you for electing me to serve as your next Mayor. I will work hard for you and get results for you. I stood on the shoulders of many in this election tonight and I am humbled and truly grateful for the prayers and support. It is an honor for the opportunity to serve our great city in this capacity. Thank you and God Bless Katy, Texas!” said Brawner.
How does it feel to be called the new Mayor of Katy?
Serving Katy as Mayor, a city we all love, that has roots that run deep and new ones being cultivated for the next generation, is a humbling honor. A Mayor serves the citizens and I am very pleased to go to work every day for Katy families and residents.
What your plans as the new Mayor for Katy?
My plans for the city of Katy were clearly outlined in the issues on which I ran in my campaign. The Council Members, city staff and I will immediately go to work to find every preventative measure to fight future flooding for our Katy homeowners. Council and I will be exploring every possible avenue to enhance our mobility within the city and how we can work regionally to keep traffic flow running more efficiently around us to keep traffic flowing smoothly within the city.
Tax rate reductions for Katy residents and increasing homestead exemptions for our senior citizens have been successful in the past and it is a key objective to continue them. Growth is happening all around our city and within our city limits. Managing that growth through smart policy that keeps the priorities of our residents – new and old – at the center of all decision making will be my perspective as projects are evaluated.
What issues do you foresee in the future for the City of Katy with respect to infrastructure?
Katy infrastructure priorities will center around improving our drainage systems to prevent mass flooding like we experienced in 2016 and on mobility improvements. Those are top priorities for Katy residents and they will be top priorities during this term as Mayor.
What are some of the projects that might be in the future for the City of Katy?
As we get to work at the city, I want to have more communication with the residents about the projects going on in Katy. Many are in plain view and then there is the pipeline of upcoming projects. There are several projects pertaining to our infrastructure and construction around the city. I want those expedited. There are other projects that deal with businesses coming into Katy. Controlling our growth while maximizing the benefits of sales tax that benefits the citizens of Katy through enhanced public safety and mobility will be closely reviewed and managed.
Can the city Houston annex Katy for our tax base?
Houston cannot annex any area that is within the City Limits of Katy. But, people that live outside of the City and have Katy mailing address can be annexed by Houston since these areas are within the, ETJ, Extraterritorial Jurisdiction of the City of Houston.
a. How can we prevent this?
The only way to prevent this is for the City of Houston to release their ETJ, which in most cases they will not do.
b. If the City of Katy Annexes property, what are the costs if any. What is the process and why?
Under Texas law a City may annex areas at the request of the property owner or owners, or forced annexation if a City believes it is in the best interest of the City. Most of the annexations that Katy has made over the years has been at the owners request. The main reasons that property owners request an annexation is so the areas will receive city services. The City will make sure that there is enough revenue coming in from property values or sales tax to support city services.
c. What are the benefits if this happens?
The benefits for annexation into the City of Katy is the increase of tax revenue. As an example, The Amazon project will bring in sales tax revenues that will more than pay for the few City Services required by the Amazon development. The Amazon development will provide income to the City that can be passed along the our citizens through enhanced public safety or lower tax bills for property owners.
A lot has been said about the drainage issues. What’s the next step to a solution?
Very soon, we will have the complete analysis through an engineering study of the 2016 flood of how to take our infrastructure improvements to the next level in maximum flood prevention. The City Council, the city staff and I will be laser focused on implementation of the constructive elements of that study so our homeowners are as protected as they can be from devastating flooding.
So many older homes and businesses in Historic Katy need renovation. What can the city do to help? Some residents around can’t afford to keep up.
The City can make recommendations but as long as the homes are owned by individuals the City cannot spend tax dollars on private property.
We know about the Boardwalk coming in, is there anything else you can tell us about?
The Boardwalk is shaping up to be the quality-of-life enhancement to the city that it has promised to be. There are many amenities to the Boardwalk our families and residents will be able to enjoy such as water features, a wildlife preserve and a variety of restaurants. Our city will experience a new revenue source from the influx of activity that will enhance our public safety, mobility and infrastructure.
We want to thank Chuck Brawner for answering our questions and look forward to seeing what the new administration has in-store.