Election Information

Murphy voters to decide on Municipal Development District

From Press Release issued October 20, 2011

On Nov. 8, Murphy will decide whether or not to establish a Municipal Development District and eliminate the Murphy Economic Development Corporation as voters will trek to the ballot boxes to make their preference known, according to City Secretary Aimee Nemer.

“The election on November 8 is comprised of one proposition, and the electorate will vote either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on it,” she said. The ballot also contains 10 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.

At their Aug. 30 meeting, The Murphy City Council voted to allow the City’s registered voters the choice of either keeping the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) or terminating it and creating a Municipal Development District (MDD). The funding mechanism for either, a half-percent of the sales and use tax, would remain essentially unchanged.

Specifically, EDCs or Type A Corporations, must demonstrate that expenditures from their funding result directly or indirectly in job creation. Projects in this category are required to demonstrate a strong relationship to business activity that “infuses new dollars into the local economy,” a stipulation that can be difficult to obtain. There are a number of other prescriptive guidelines that often limit the types of projects that a city can undertake through an EDC, since the threshold of direct economic impact is high. These economic development corporations are most effective in cities that are well positioned for an increase in heavy industrial or manufacturing, or are situated in commercial corridors, or have enough available landmass and a ready workforce to attract large employers.

On the other hand, Community Development Corporations (CDCs), called Type B Corporations, are designed to allow cities the leeway to fund projects that benefit the communities in which they are established. Murphy has a CDC in place that was established by general election at the same time as the EDC.

The CDC has a different mission and is more focused on economic development and community development projects that benefit the local community.

MDDs are based on the CDC model, but allow even further flexibility in the use of the funds. For example, if a community were to decide to become a meeting destination, an acceptable MDD project would allow for the construction of a convention center facility. Such a project would not be allowed in either the EDC or CDC.

The key to an MDD is the financing of development projects that are beneficial to the community. The increased latitude in that definition allows for communities to find and support projects that speak directly to the needs and strengths of individual communities.

The MDD would still require a governing body and close coordination with the City and the City Council.

The Murphy Community Development Corporation is not affected by the upcoming election.

As with all elections, there will be a two-week period for voters to take advantage of early voting. Starting on Monday, Oct. 24 and continuing until Saturday, Oct. 29 the early voting polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Then, those same hours of operation will apply on Monday, Oct. 31 until Wednesday, Nov. 2. On Thursday, Nov. 3 and Friday, Nov. 4, the ballot boxes will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. On Election Day, Nov. 8, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The primary site for early and Election Day voting is the Murphy Municipal Complex, in the atrium right outside the Council Chambers, 206 North Murphy Road. Nevertheless, qualified voters may cast their ballots at any polling place county-wide for both early voting and on Election Day. For a complete list of Collin County voting locations, please visit http://www.co.collin.tx.us/elections/index.jsp. This information, as well as background on the 10 proposed amendments to the state constitution, is also available on the Texas Secretary of State site www.sos.state.tx.us.

Voters may present their voter registration card to cast a ballot or present an acceptable form of personal identification such as a driver’s license or similar document or card that contains the person’s photograph, or a birth certificate, or U.S. passport, or citizenship papers, or any of a number of different forms of identification accepted by the Secretary of State.

“The Murphy portion of the ballot is rather clear in that a majority of ‘yes’ votes will enact the change from an EDC to an MDD, and a majority of ‘no’ votes will cause no change,” added Nemer. Questions can be directed to the City Secretary at 972-468-4011.