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The question Im hearing over and over from residents and business owners alike is Why? said Montgomery County Commissioner Precinct 3 James Noack, a conservative who lives in The Woodlands and opposes incorporation, on Friday. Why would we want to do this in the first place? Who wants this?

Supporters of the ballot measure include several township board members, including longtime chairman Gordy Bunch, as well as the Texas Patriots PAC, the tea party organization for Montgomery County and north Houston.

An array of business, political, and civic leaders have come out against the measure, including Noack; The Woodlands Chamber of Commerce; the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber; the Howard Hughes Corp., which acquired The Woodlands Development Co. a decade ago and owns much of the undeveloped land; U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, a Republican; and Georges Coffee Club, a civic group named for George Mitchell, the billionaire, oilman and visionary who founded the township in 1974.

The civic group noted that it doesnt make public statements on political matters, but had to make an exception in this case.

In this unique situation the vast majority of club members feel so strongly that there simply are too many unanswered questions at this point in time to support incorporation now, the members explained in a statement.

Caught in between these unusual coalitions are the voters of The Woodlands, who have been blanketed with slickly produced flyers arguing against incorporation. Many remain confused by the question and the fact that its being posed right now in an off-year, during a pandemic, and in response to a problem that may exist, but hasnt been specified, exactly.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Should The Woodlands become a city? Voters will decide on Nov. 2

Incorporation held a lot of appeal for years to township residents, especially after the city of Houston swooped in and annexed Kingwood 25 years ago. The reasoning was that incorporation would serve as a bulwark against annexation by Houston, 30 miles to the south, or Conroe, to the north. But that threat has been allayed by agreements with both of those cities, as well as laws passed by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature that basically say no community read, The Woodlands can be annexed without the consent of its residents.

Proponents of incorporation say that annexation is not the issue anyway. They argue this is about local control in the face of ongoing development that could fundamentally change the nature of the community, which the Chronicle described in 2014 as a meticulously planned community nestled in pine trees that's part well-kept neighborhoods and part gleaming skyscrapers. It boasts an outdoor performing arts center, a thriving Market Street shopping district and man-made canals.

The Township cant address these threats, but the City of The Woodlands can, says the Texas Patriots PAC on its website.

And, in its telling, incorporation wouldnt cost residents a thing: rather than contracting with Montgomery and Harris Counties for core services such as law enforcement and road maintenance, the new city could simply pay for those things itself, without higher taxes (a companion ballot measure would set a maximum property tax rate of 22.31 cents per $100 of valuation).

If Woodlands residents vote to become a city, taxes wont go up and government wont grow, asserted Dr. Shelly Sekula-Gibbs, a township board member who supports incorporation, in a September letter to residents. She also said the move would give residents more control over roads and development and prevent clear-cutting of trees.

COVID-19 funds have also become an issue. In June, the township board hired a $50,000-a-month lobbying firm, based in Washington, D.C., to make the case for federal COVID relief funds after failing to secure them from the county or the state. Bunch has argued that The Woodlands, given its population, would be due some $30 million under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, if it were a city.

Since The Woodlands is not currently a city, its hard to assess the claims made by proponents. But by the same token, theres reason to be skeptical of the rosy picture theyre painting

Township directors are elected, just as mayors and city council members are in regular cities. And they do have the capacity to rein in development, in theory. If theyve instead issued variances that have enabled overbuilding, thats a reason to oust them, not scrap the townships governing structure.

And consider the COVID funds. Bunchs argument is reasonable enough, but at odds with other recent developments in the region. Houston is a city, for example, and we arent getting a nickel of federal Harvey relief funds under the plan put forth by the states General Land Office. Seriously, not even a cent! Just because youre a city, in other words, doesnt mean you always get your way especially with a Texas governor and legislature eager to wrest control of decisions from local leaders.

Its easy to see why so many disparate groups have come out against incorporation. The process would be disruptive. It would likely involve new costs for residents, depending on which study you believe and in the event of dueling studies, taxpayers should keep in mind that nothing is free. And once incorporated, The Woodlands would remain a city, rather than the unique township it is today.

The Chamber considers that this is not the best time for The Woodlands to take a step from which it will not then be able to retreat, the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber said in a statement.

Incorporation advocates shouldnt feel overly optimistic heading into Tuesdays election, given that many voters are unclear on what the benefits of incorporating would be.

And voters who are understandably confused by the case for incorporation should consider that to be a mark against the idea. As it stands, advocates for incorporation havent made a clear case. If thats indeed the best path forward for The Woodlands, its an idea that should be put to voters during an even-numbered election year, after a thorough debate.

erica.grieder@chron.com

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Advocates for incorporating The Woodlands haven't made their case - Houston Chronicle