The Woodlands is a step closer to independence

Looks like The Woodlands is a step closer to being a real city: On Tuesday, the state Senate approved a piece of legislation that will give The Woodlands the ability to extend a sales and property tax district throughout the community. If it's approved by Gov. Rick Perry, the bill could lessen the property tax burden of Woodlanders Woodlandites Woodlandonians Woodlands residents.

The bill, along with one Perry signed last week enabling The Woodlands to enter into a partnership with Houston and giving it the opportunity to incorporate seven years from now, will pave the way for The Woodlands to be an independent city that can't be annexed by Houston or Conroe. If Tuesday's bill is approved, the new taxation district — called The Woodlands District — would serve as an interim government until 2014, when Houston will release The Woodlands from its future boundaries. In exchange, The Woodlands would pay about $45 million over 30 years to help fund regional park and transportation projects. State Sen. Tommy Williams and Houston Mayor Bill White drafted the agreement in December in hopes of avoiding the disagreements between Houston and Kingwood over the years. "There would have been enormous and understandable controversy for Houston to try and absorb a community the size of Tyler into the city limits and provide services so far out. This presents a fair resolution and balancing of interest," White said.

Woodlands leaders are working out the role of the special district and how it will work with the community's two homeowners associations and The Woodlands' commercial owners association. They're also gearing up for a November election in which Woodlands residents will have to approve the expansion of the special district. Even though there's still a way to go, folks in The Woodlands are excited over the progress: "This is nothing short of an historic moment for The Woodlands," Joel Deretchin, president of The Woodlands Association, told the Chronicle. "As someone involved in governance discussions in the community since 1982, 25 years later I'm estatic that we are at this point."