The Temple Health and Bioscience Economic Development District is looking to become a taxing entity.

On Monday, supporters of the district formally applied to the city of Temple for a petition drive to allow for a citywide election to give the Bioscience District formal taxing authority.

The application for the petition will give the Bioscience District 120 days to gather signatures from registered Temple voters which, once approved by the city council, will call for a citywide election on the issue.

About 145 signatures will be needed on the petition, with the required number determined by a percentage of the voter count in the last municipal election.

If successful, the Bioscience District would be eligible to impose a property tax not to exceed $0.15 per $100 valuation on taxable property within the Bioscience District.

“The Temple Health and Bioscience Economic Development District has proven its value to the citizens of Temple since its creation in 2004,” said Bill Jones III, Temple mayor. “It has been the lead in collaborations that have created the Cancer Research Institute and the rebirth of the former Texas Instruments facility. Hundreds of people work there every day with more to come in the very near future.”

It has become apparent, Jones said, for Temple to move forward in its effort to create high-paying jobs in the future, the bioscience district needs the ability to fund investments in the next level of activities.

“We need to give our citizens the opportunity to help create this new industry for Temple,” he said.

With that goal in mind, 18 people signed an application, which requests a petition drive that will allow an election regarding the district’s ability to collect tax dollars to fund its activities.

“This is not an action that has been taken lightly and is just the first of several steps required to allow the voters to determine the future of the Bioscience District,” said Wendell Williams, chairman of the Bioscience District board. “While the law does give the Bioscience District the ability to tax up to $0.15 per $100 valuation, I am sure the board will set the initial tax rate much lower if the election process is successful.”

Williams said he was pleased by the support of the people who have come together to sign this application as an endorsement of the Bioscience District’s activities and for the future of Temple.

Gov. Rick Perry signed legislation allowing creation of the district into law at the close of the 2003 regular session of the Texas Legislature. Local voters approved development of the district in a November 2003 election.

Leaders envisioned the district to be able to recruit businesses engaged in research and development of bioscience products, biotechnology laboratories, pharmaceutical facilities, biotechnology incubators and related projects with the objective of creating jobs and investment in Temple, according to information from the Temple Economic Development Corporation.

At the time of the district’s development, the health and biosciences sector directly accounted for more than 30 percent of Temple’s total employment, according to the TEDC.