September 23, 2014 5:57 PM

So-called "improvement districts" come under scrutiny at the Texas Capitol

GOP Chairman hits Comptroller’s Office for ignoring these districts while trying to push more transparency with other entities like school districts

A little-understood but apparently flourishing cottage industry that’s been created under what are known as “improvement districts” has gotten the attention of a powerful Texas House chairman. Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, doesn’t have a problem with all special purpose districts right now, just these improvement districts.

Tuesday morning’s House interim hearing was on special purpose districts broadly, but Bonnen made it clear early on he had no bone to pick with municipal utility districts or even larger management districts, both categories of localized ‘self-taxing’ quasi-jurisdictions created to provide revitalization and infrastructure. No, it’s these ever-more-nebulous creations called improvement districts, which are not to be confused with broader management districts.

During the hearing of the Committee on Special Purpose Districts, Bonnen first chided the Comptroller’s staff for failing to add actual transparency to the plethora of special purpose districts, which some consider to be operating under the radar of most taxpayers. Unless a taxpayer lives under a rock, Bonnen said, people know when a school district bond election is going out, Bonnen told the head of the Comptroller’s digital transparency efforts.

“What I’m finding is that there isn’t a lack of awareness about the school bond or a maybe a city or somebody is doing other things,” Bonnen said. “Where the transparency is greatly lacking, and where the information is lacking, is with the special purpose district and improvement district. I think it’s great what you’re doing on this, but frankly you’re already telling people what they know about it.”

By Kimberly Reeves