HTX-BAY: Impact 10/29/2025

Clear Creek ISD’s board of trustees unanimously approved about $1.2 million for a new software platform, police vehicles and white fleet vehicles at its Oct. 27 meeting.

What you need to know: The board approved a five-year purchase for software platform Brightly Origin. Paul Miller, CCISD’s assistant superintendent of support services, said this platform will:

• Establish the age of each individual component of a district facility
• Allow the district to do preventative maintenance and track maintenance costs over time
• Perform facility condition index work, which will establish long term costs of all buildings

• 4 for maintenance
• 1 for career and technical education
• 1 for transportation team

Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists opened in Webster on Oct. 16, according to a social media post.

The details: The veterinary clinic will offer 24/7 emergency care, an ICU ward that can accommodate 30 patients, an ultrasound suite, CT scanner, seven exam rooms and two surgery suites.

• 20610 Gulf Freeway, Webster

TDECU—Houston’s largest credit union—and Smart Financial Credit Union—one of the city’s oldest—announced plans to merge, according to an Oct. 22 news release, combining their legacies under a shared mission to strengthen communities and expand member opportunities.

Marking a milestone: Pending regulatory approval and a member vote by Smart Financial, the merger is expected to be finalized in early 2026. The combined credit union will hold nearly $6 billion in assets and serve more than 460,000 members across Texas through a network of 48 branches, per the release.

TDECU President and CEO Isaac Johnson will lead the merged organization, while Smart Financial CEO LeAnn Kaczynski will serve as chief integration officer for one year to oversee the transition.

Also of note: TDECU’s ties with the University of Houston, Houston Texans and Buc-ee’s will join Smart Financial’s work with Smart Financial Centre and local charities through the Smart Financial Foundation.

Members of both institutions will see no immediate changes to accounts or services during the transition, according to the release.

Texas homeowners could see larger property tax breaks on this year’s bills if voters approve two state propositions on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The details: Proposition 13 would raise the property tax exemption on a Texas homeowner’s main residence, known as a homestead exemption, from $100,000 to $140,000. Proposition 11 would give homeowners who are over 65 years old or have a disability a $200,000 exemption.

The exemptions would apply only to taxes charged by public schools.

The impact: Sen. Paul Bettencourt, the Houston Republican who authored the legislation, estimated in June that the average Texas homeowner would see about $484 in annual savings if the tax cuts are approved by voters, with roughly $950 in savings for seniors and people with disabilities. These estimates do not account for potential tax rate increases by local governments.

If voters approve the two ballot measures, the cuts will take effect for the current tax year and appear on homeowners’ upcoming tax bills, according to the Texas House Research Organization.