Posted on August 27, 2018
Harris County voters appear to have accepted the $2.5 billion flood control bond, based on unofficial election results from Saturday.
About 85 percent of vote tallied Saturday night showed the bond passing. Only 8 percent of the precincts were reporting, but the numbers were overwhelming.
Out of 98,6729 votes, 84,282 (85 percent) voted in favor of the measure.
There were a lot of smiling faces inside of the Jackson Street BBQ restaurant on Saturday evening as results trickled in.
Auggie Campbell, treasurer of the Fight Flooding Pact said, “Today the world knows that Harris County is ready to solve its problems.”
As soon as the polls closed Harvey bond supporters knew Prop A was well on its way to a big victory.
Early and absentee ballots showed more than 85 percent of people voted in favor of the multi-billion dollar bond.
Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said it was a collective effort.
“Tonight sends a signal and it sends a signal that local government really can work together and come together and solve problems.”
About $900 million dollars would go to improving the county’s watershed system.
The areas that channel water into rivers, creeks or bayous will be improved to handle more flood water.
Also, it would create more detention basins that would fill with water during a flood.
Judge Emmett said, “This is the beginning. Now the work truly begins. Now we start truly making Harris county, this entire region, more resilient.”
Sarah Davis, Texas representative for District 137, said the overwhelming support for the proposition sends a message that the community wants to make Harris County a better place.
“This was probably the most important election of our lives in Harris County,” Davis said. “We did not vote for a person. We didn’t vote for a party. We voted for our community. We voted for each other.”
Judge Emmett said the money will speed up current projects already in the works designated to improve future flooding.
On Twitter, some people against the bond voiced their opinions stating the bond would not fix the issues that the county is dealing with.
The flood control district’s final report on the storm showed all 4.7 million people in Harris County were impacted, either directly or indirectly, by Harvey.
More than 60,000 people were rescued by government resources across the county with most of them being rescued from their homes, according to the report. More than 30,000 people stayed in 65 temporary shelters.
Source: KHOU11
