Spotlight On: Lori Klein Quinn, Mayor, City of Tomball
May 2024 — In an interview with Invest:, Mayor Lori Klein Quinn of the city of Tomball highlighted the city’s transformation and strategic initiatives aimed at fostering a community-centered environment with robust educational and commercial sectors. “We aim to preserve our identity, support local businesses, and ensure our residents’ happiness,” she said.
What historical factors have influenced Tomball’s development?
Tomball, once known as Oil Town USA, was famously called that when Humble Oil discovered oil here in the 1930s, leading to a significant population influx. The city negotiated free gas for 99 years from the oil company, which catalyzed infrastructure development and growth. Since the 1980s, our focus shifted toward building a family-centric community, supported by a strong coalition with local schools. Currently, Tomball spans approximately 13 square miles and houses around 13,000 to 14,000 residents, with expectations to grow by 5,000 in the next five years.
What are the key initiatives or projects that the city of Tomball has recently undertaken?
The city has focused heavily on strategic planning to enhance the quality of life in Tomball. We’ve structured our initiatives around five core areas, that include creating a Livable City that is desirable for families, supported by a top-rated school district and a leading Chamber of Commerce; improving mobility and maintaining historical Main Street under Connected City; enhancing municipal services and infrastructure in Effective City; prioritizing public safety and community values in Strong City; and fostering commercial growth through partnerships with local businesses and nonprofits in Economic Development.
Our school district is expanding and is among the top-rated in Texas, reflecting our commitment to education. We’ve had notable commercial growth, including a new Costco and a fully sold-out Business and Technology Park that hosts national brands. Infrastructurally, we’re investing in our future with $115 million dedicated to new infrastructure, funded through the issuance of municipal bonds. On the infrastructure front, we’re building a new wastewater treatment plant and developing new water supplies, including an elevated water tank and water wells. This will support both the current and future needs of our community.
How is your office addressing the need for affordable housing?
Tomball has expanded significantly, with over 2,000 homes recently built and more expected. Although Tomball has some affordable housing and about 25% undeveloped land, we’re focusing on attracting developments with homes priced in the mid-$200,000s to maintain affordability. Currently, our average home price is around $350,000. Additionally, we’ve supported the over-55 demographic with a new apartment complex, enhancing our senior residents’ living options.
Our strategy involves close coordination with county and state officials to ensure the development of affordable housing aligns with transportation and regional health services. This includes partnerships with nonprofits to provide free or low-cost transportation for various needs, from medical visits to shopping.
What strategies is your office implementing to remain financially sustainable?
In response to economic challenges, our primary focus is maintaining a low tax rate. We’ve fostered partnerships with district and state governments, which have been instrumental in helping keep our tax rates low, particularly property taxes. A significant portion of our income derives from sales and property taxes, including from bonds we’ve recently issued — the first in a long time — as we are cautious about raising the tax rate. We’re also continuing to implement development impact fees for new growth and making those costs clear to developers upfront to ensure the financial burden does not fall on our existing citizens. This transparency has proven effective.
As mayor, along with our dedicated staff and council, we are deeply involved in our budgeting process. We spend three months each year reviewing every department’s budget. Our budget workshops are about to start, where we’ll determine how to allocate resources efficiently. We’ve been fortunate to see an increase in sales tax revenue, which helps balance the financial contributions between residents and businesses, keeping costs low for everyone.
What initiatives has the city of Tomball introduced to support the city’s growth?
We’ve launched a comprehensive initiative called Main Street 2920, aimed at enhancing the quality of life in Tomball. A significant aspect of this project is our collaboration with tech staff to widen relationships and infrastructure to support growth over the next two years. We’re focusing on improving the walkability of our historical alleyways along Main Street. Additionally, we’ve been developing an East-West corridor to ensure smooth traffic flow and additional options to travel east-west. This planning is crucial for maintaining access for vehicles.
Our school district has also made remarkable strides in attracting families by offering state-of-the-art facilities. Despite being spread across 83 miles; the district is preparing for an expected increase in student population from 22,000 to 27,000 over the next five years. This growth necessitates further development in housing, transportation, and city infrastructure to accommodate new residents, even if many subdivisions may be outside city limits.
Moreover, Tomball is a hub for commerce and community events. We have an annual Christmas parade with approximately 150 floats, drawing around 30,000 visitors. We also host two German Festivals known state-wide. Additionally, major events are held twice a month at our historical railroad depot, reflecting our heritage as a railroad town. We aim to preserve our identity, support local businesses, and ensure our residents’ happiness. We are here to serve.
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