Nationally acclaimed for its visionary leadership and prudent fiscal management, the City of Stafford is a dynamic community ideally located in the market place as an "Island of Business Opportunity" and as a friendly, family-oriented place to live. When the City eliminated its property tax in 1995, for residents and businesses alike, The Wall Street Journal described Stafford as "a Shangri-La for property owners". Since that time the City has seen its general fund balance quadruple. The City operates on revenue received from sales taxes, franchise taxes and user fees that are generally lower than those in neighboring communities. The Freeport tax exemption offered by the school and utility districts complement the City's zero property tax rate and has attracted many and diverse companies to the City. Stafford is strategically located in the fast-growing southwestern section of the Houston metropolitan area. Houston, the fourth largest City in the country, lies to the northeast, Sugar Land lies to the west and Missouri City lies to the southeast.