Retired mayor pitches regional advocacy group to shape Texas MUD laws; Josephine to weigh participation

David Billings, the recently retired mayor of Fate, told the Josephine City Council on Feb. 28 that smaller cities lack the resources to track and influence thousands of bills filed in the Texas Legislature and urged a coordinated regional response.

Billings said he and colleagues propose forming a 501(c)(6) advocacy group that would hire a small Austin lobby firm, work with other local governments and selected business stakeholders, and offer a short, council‑approved legislative agenda. The group would not ask for public funds from member cities and would seek to present local 'enhancements' to municipal utility district (MUD) law rather than sweeping 'reform' language, he said.

"Saying no to everything is not a good strategy," Billings said, arguing that draft bills with constructive edits are more likely to be taken seriously by state staff and legislators than blanket opposition. He described several specific proposals his group favors: statutory authority for cities to recover public‑safety and long‑term capital costs from MUDs that lie in a city's extraterritorial jurisdiction; minimum property‑ownership or water‑account requirements for MUD board members; board training; and limits or new processes for certain MUD debt and governance tools.

Billings also urged a defensive posture on expected property‑tax or cost‑cap measures at the state level, recommending the group educate state lawmakers about local budgets and to seek carve‑outs for public‑safety funding.

Council members asked whether the group already had legal counsel and which neighboring counties or cities were involved. Billings said Rockwall County contacts had participated, and he named various regional contacts and data‑driven partners he had approached. He said the organization would seek to be nonpartisan, to disclose donors when appropriate, and to supply draft bylaws and a model council endorsement once the group formed.

Mayor Turney and several council members said they wanted more information but supported gauging interest. The council directed staff to add questions about participation and a possible delegation or single volunteer board member to a follow‑up survey for council consideration; the issue may return to a March meeting for a formal vote or resolution.

Why it matters: Bills affecting MUDs and municipal fiscal authority have technical detail that shapes local budgets and service delivery. Billings framed the approach as a practical way to reduce unintended local costs by offering workable edits and educating legislators before bills are formally filed.

What’s next: Staff will circulate a survey to council members and return with draft bylaws or additional materials from Billings when the advocacy group completes its C6 formation.