HTX-TOM: Impact 6/18/2026

Good Morning, Tomball & Magnolia!

Top Story

Q&A: Magnolia Mayor Chris Blair talks infrastructure, growth and rebuilding trust

Newly elected Magnolia Mayor Chris Blair said infrastructure, staffing and rebuilding trust with residents will be among his top focuses as he steps into office after winning the May 2 mayor race with 45.4% of the vote.

Blair, a local entrepreneur who said he grew up in Magnolia “on the dirt roads,” said he ran after years of watching the city’s infrastructure needs grow without enough change.

He said his early priorities include steadying staffing at City Hall, addressing lift stations and water wells, improving roads and moving forward with the next phase of the city’s wastewater plant.

What made you decide to run for mayor?
That was easy. The fact that I have waited for about eight years, nine years, to see if anybody was going to step up and start taking us in the right direction of our infrastructure, and I didn't see any change happening.

CI Business

Independent bookstore The Peddler’s Pack Book Co. now open in Tomball

The Peddler’s Pack Book Co. opened May 30 at 408 W. Main St., Tomball, owner Jacky Schaaf confirmed.

What we know: The family-owned independent bookstore offers new and used books, used vinyl records, new and used children’s books, stationery, gift items and audiobooks.

The store also stocks required reading titles for local school districts, including most titles for Tomball ISD, Schaaf said.

For shoppers who prefer to order online, The Peddler’s Pack also has a Bookshop.org account where customers can have new books shipped directly to their homes.

A closer look: Schaaf said she and her family chose Tomball because they live in the community and wanted to help bring more life to their “cozy corner of Northwest Harris County.”

“We are so grateful for how much our community has shown up and supported us,” Schaaf said. “Our grand opening was an overwhelming success.”

As the bookstore settles in, Schaaf said The Peddler’s Pack plans to add more in-store events, including weekly children’s story time, book clubs and author events.

408 W. Main St., Tomball

City Coverage

Tomball looks ahead to FY 2026-27 budget with utility rate hikes, staffing needs

Tomball officials are starting to shape the city’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget, with early discussions pointing to utility rate increases, employee compensation needs and a possible $33 million bond issue for water and wastewater projects.

What we know: During a June 15 meeting, city staff walked Tomball City Council through the city’s current financial picture and early considerations for the next budget year.

For the current fiscal year, the city’s general fund is projected to end stronger than budgeted, according to the presentation. Staff said general fund revenue is projected to come in about $1.08 million over budget, while expenditures are projected to come in about $137,710 under budget.

The general fund—the city’s largest operating fund—is primarily supported by sales tax, which makes up about 45% of the fund, and property taxes, which make up about 17%, according to the presentation. The fund is also the least restrictive, but it is heavily affected by personnel costs.

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Across The Region

Homeownership rates dropping across Houston and Harris County, data shows

Rice University officials unveiled the 2026 State of Housing report for Harris County and the city of Houston, highlighting a number of challenges, including over 50% of surveyed residents expressing concern regarding home affordability.

The breakdown: According to the data, there are 14,000 fewer homeowners within the city of Houston and 19,000 fewer homeowners in Harris County compared to 2023. However, a growing number of homeowners are also expressing new uncertainty about affording housing, Kinder Institute research scientist Stephen Averill Sherman said.

Major concern points for existing and potential homeowners include:

56% are at least "a little" worried about becoming priced out of housing.
58% are at least "a little" worried about being able to afford housing costs.
25% worry "sometimes" or "more often" about being forced to move due to being priced out of housing.

Quote of note: "This is larger than the worst declines during the Great Recession, and the biggest we've seen since these data was tracked yearly starting in 2005," Sherman said.

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