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State of Fort Bend County Address discusses current prosperity to the next economic level
It’s been an epicenter of growth and diversity, and now Fort Bend County’s top leaders say an even brighter future is within reach. FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan was on hand for both the projections and predictions.
FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas - Judge K.P. George is the elected leader of more than 900,000, extremely diverse Fort Bend County residents and in his State of the County address pledged to push his community to the next level of economic prosperity.
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As proof of his administration's performance, George points first to the pandemic, a tremendously turbulent period when nearly four of every five Fort Bend citizens accessed vaccination, including 99 percent of those over the age of 65.
"We are not in control of what life throws at you, but we control us, and we control our response," he said.
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Judge George is vowing to escalate growth in the 60 percent of Fort Bend County which remains "undeveloped" post the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We never wanted to stay a bedroom community for Houston, and we will be focusing, we will be absolutely laser focusing on our businesses, bringing more businesses, bringing jobs," said George.
To attract additional employment and commerce, Judge George says he and other county leaders are investing in better mobility, lifestyle amenities like parks, and for the long-term, more bridges across the Brazos River to access the western half of Fort Bend for development.
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In less than six months the Judge faces a critical "job review" in the November election, where he'll face Republican Trever Nehls, the well-known brother of Congressman Troy Nehls.
The veteran peace officer labels George a "political divider" with little interest in cross-the-aisle collaboration.
"The fact is I've been in Ft. Bend County for 30 years," said Nehls citing recent re-drawn precinct districts as an example. "We didn't have partisanship issues prior to 2018. We had long-standing elected officials, both Republican and Democrat, but there was civility. There were working relationships. There was constructive dialogue, and you don't see that in Ft. Bend County today."