@texaspolicy · Texas Public Policy Foundation
Saved 2026-05-15 · Posted 2025-07-23 · Status: New
In Texas, Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) just passed massive bond packages with virtually NO voters showing up: First Ranch MUD: $2B approved by 2 voters (100% turnout) Collin County MUD #11: $1.3B approved by 1 voter Denton County MUD #11: $1.5B approved by 1 voter Total: $4.8 BILLION in taxpayer debt decided by 4 people total. This is how local elections work in Texas - and why your property taxes keep going up. Most people don’t even know these elections happen. Are MUD elections democratic when single-digit voters decide billions in spending? #TexasPolitics #MUD #LocalElections #PropertyTaxes #VoterTurnout #TexasDebt #DentonCounty #CollinCounty #MunicipalBonds #TexasGovernment #LocalGovernment #TaxpayerDebt
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Comments (15)
Local elections should be decided by a minimum percentage of voters to population. Passing multi-million to billions based on a couple, or even a couple thousand, is insanity. The people trying to pass these rely on no one paying attention.
Need to required 50% population votes for any bill to pass
I used to work as a paralegal for a MUD firm with offices in Houston, Dallas and Austin. This is the crazy part they don’t want you to know, although I know the @houstonchron has covered this well in the past. After the MUD has been created via the Legislature or TCEQ, firms will use a company that finds people (usually a couple), and pays them to live in a trailer, change their address and license, and then holds the “election” whereby these two (paid) voters vote on the initial bonds that end up green-lighting the development process. It’s absolutely insane, and somehow legal….
There’s no way a public vote was held in Denton County and only 2 people cast votes. Either votes are not being counted or the county is up to crazy shenanigans to hide elections they want passed.
Might want to add some context. Most of these MUDs are new development, i.e, there are no permanent residents currently living there. The “voters” are the directors; individuals that the developer has granted property to have these elections to allow a MUD to be created. They are also not issuing the bonds immediately; they are being permitted to issue bonds up to that amount, and as the development goes on and homes are built the developer is reimbursed by the bonds that the MUD issues.
They hired their neighbor to get out there and vote. I live 1.7 miles from the court house. There were no campaign signs. 🙄
These voters are hired by the MUD.
Hard to believe only 2 voters showed up
I live in Denton and I vote frequently. I did not know about these votes going on.
When they hold these elections, only 1-2 people actually live on the property and they are placed there basically rent free for this purpose. The elections are held before development commences. So the debt is there at the time of development and any buyer is aware of the debt incurred when they purchase the property- there are disclosures. However, I don’t think that many buyers understand the long term implications of the additional tax incurred by the MUD.
What the HOLY WHAT???? 😳😳😳
Cool
What yall need to be talking about is SB840!! Impacts a few smaller cities in Texas (Plano is one of them) and says these developers can build multi family units on commercial land without approval by the city. 😢 you all knows what that means, more people sucking the life out of our infrastructure! Roads, water, electricity…
JUST GOOD OL BOYS DOING WHAT THEY DO BEST...... TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SYSTEM... YA'LL ALREADY KNOW THE PEOPLE DON'T THIS
Only voters in the district can vote; the tax burden is only on the land within the district, and no other. The bond proceeds are used for water and sewer facilities within the district, and ensure quality water and sewer services in unincorporated and undeveloped areas, usually not within city limits. They are a primary means whereby water and sewer facilities can keep up with rapid development. For this piece to insinuate that this process creates a burden on anyone outside the district is disingenuous, misleading, and wrong.