Proposition A- A General Revenue Sales and Use Tax in Weston Lakes
January 28th, 2025 the City Council voted to approve Ordinance 03-2025.
This ordinance calls for a special election to take place on the May 3, 2025 Uniform Election Date for the qualified voters of the City of Weston Lakes to consider “Proposition A”. The City is currently seeking to conduct a Joint Election with the County to provide election services, this will allow the Weston Lakes voters to vote on this proposition at any Fort Bend County polling location.
CITY OF WESTON LAKES SALES AND USE TAX ELECTION
PROPOSITION A
The adoption of an additional sales and use tax within the city at the rate of two percent (2%).
FOR _____ AGAINST _____
The above language is the statutorily required language to be used.
Frequently Asked Questions
What has actually been done at this point?
At this point, the City Council has just called for an election. This means the qualified voters of the City of Weston Lakes will get the opportunity to vote “For” or “Against” Proposition “A” during the May 3, 2025 uniform election date election cycle.
So a new Sales and Use Tax is in place?
No, A tax has not been put into effect and the majority of qualified City of Weston Lakes voters in the May 2025 special election would have to vote “For” the proposition before the City could take further action to implement the tax.
Why is the City Council doing this?
The City Council has called this election to “put the issue of taxation to the voters” and, if passed, to block any other entity from collecting the sales and use tax.
During the past November 2024 election season it came to the City’s attention that if a special purpose district (MUD, ESD, Hospital, etc) orders an election for a sales tax and the boundaries of the district encompass more voters than just the City of Weston Lakes then people that wouldn’t be effected by the tax would get to vote on if Weston Lakes Residents had to pay a sales and use tax.
Other people who could vote on the tax but would not be included would be most cities around us. Simonton and Fulshear already collect a 2% sales tax and therefore their residents would be unaffected by a new sales and use tax.
Using the ESD #4 election as an example. Fulshear and Simonton’s residents are already capped at a 2% local sales and use tax, and Weston Lakes Residents are at 0%. During the election registered voters from Fulshear and Simonton got to vote on allowing ESD #4 to collect a 2% sales tax anywhere it wasn’t already being collected, the City of Weston Lakes being one of the largest areas it would apply to.
What will the money be used for?
The City currently doesn’t have a plan for the funds, this is because we are unsure of how much revenue would be collected. The City doesn’t want to overpromise and underdeliver.
There is also the issue of currently proposed bills in the state legislature that would severely reduce the amount of Sales and Use Tax collected by entities that do not have delivery warehouses within their jurisdictional boundaries.
House Bill 924 authored by TX State Rep. Mike Schofield – District 132 is of particular concern for the City. In effect, residents of the City of Weston Lakes would pay sales tax to whatever jurisdiction the delivery warehouses are located in (for many big e-commerce stores in our area this would be Katy).
A general revenue sales and use tax can be used for almost any lawful purpose of the city. Generally a general revenue sales and use tax may not be pledged to pay off bonds.
Why not another type of tax?
The City was founded on the principles of providing minimal services (as most are already provided by other entities) and not taxing its citizens.
The City is only considering a sales and use tax to prevent another entity from collecting the tax and using it outside of the City where it may not benefit the Citizens of Weston Lakes.
By keeping the funds “local” it gives residents easier access to the officials that would control the funds. Your Mayor and City Council members are elected by the qualified voters of the City, not others outside the City, nor are they appointed by another entity. Weston Lakes City Officials are elected by the City of Weston Lakes voters and therefore are directly responsible to the residents.
So what is the City’s stance on the proposition?
The laws of the State of Texas and more specifically the Texas Election Code (Title 15, Chapter 255) places restrictions on the ability of a city to have a stance on elections, therefore the City has no stance on whether voters should vote “For” or “Against” the City’s Proposition “A”.
Any views expressed by City officials are not the official views of the City.
Additional Information:
A sales and use tax would not apply to the following:
- Residential use of Gas and Electricity
- Telecommunication Services
- Items/Sales that a Sales and Use Tax Exemption form would be applicable for
