Mark Bentley

2 weeks ago | highlandernews.com | Mark Bentley

City of MeadowlakesThree weeks ago, the Texas House approved a $337 billion biennial budget. That followed on the heels of a Senate approved biennial budget two weeks earlier of $336 billion (average of $168 billion per year for the next two years). I was in a long conversation with the Texas Comptroller’s office yesterday to learn the sources of tax revenues required to support that level of spending. I received a return email with five attachments, the one of which had 286 pages of data.

3 weeks ago | highlandernews.com | Mark Bentley

City of MeadowlakesBeginning May 7, 2025, only state-issued driver licenses and identification cards that are fully compliant with the REAL ID Act will be accepted for official federal government purposes, such as entering secure federal buildings or boarding domestic flights. Texas began issuing REAL ID compliant cards on Oct. 10, 2016, and these cards are marked with a gold circle surrounded by a white inset star located in the upper right-hand corner.

2 months ago | highlandernews.com | Mark Bentley

Mark Bentley, Mayor of Meadowlakes Mark Bentley, Mayor of Meadowlakes City of MeadowlakesThe street sweepers in New Orleans must be busy this morning as Mardi Gras has come and gone. The 40-day Lenten season has begun. It’s a season for self-reflection, sacrifice, almsgiving, and repentance to the extent that it is observed by many of the Christian denominations.For me, it is the day that I am set to go under the knife for the first time since 197...

2 months ago | highlandernews.com | Mark Bentley

Alt Text for Image Alt Text for Image The graph below shows the increased state spending from 20 years ago (year-over-year increases averaged 4.8%). Contributed chart The graph below shows the increased state spending from 20 years ago (year-over-year increases averaged 4.8%). Contributed chart Alt Text for Image Alt Text for Image City of MeadowlakesAt last night’s (Feb.

Jan 31, 2025 | highlandernews.com | Mark Bentley

City of MeadowlakesAs mentioned in last week’s column, the state legislature is in full session. As with the 2023 session and the previous three sessions before that, bills have been filed that would – to put it mildly – place a damper on single- family neighborhoods like Meadowlakes. One example is HB 878 introduced by Rep. Cody Vasut of Angleton (pop. 20,000). Rep. Vasut’s district also includes such cities as West Columbia (pop. 3,600), Lake Jackson (pop. 28,000), Freeport (pop. 10,000), Danbury (pop.