Thank you.

It was first Renew Houston, then Rebuild Houston, later the Drainage Fee, and now the Rain Tax.  Well names can never harm you……unless it is one of these.

The Mayor, the City Council, and the voters who approved Prop 1 (the Rain Tax ), did not see this coming,  Whenever there is an action there is an opposite and equal reaction.  In this case unfortunately the reaction is much bigger and more painful.  Harris County will pay a new annual tab of $353,000 to the City for the Drainage Tax on the Reliant complex.  Reliant is a County facility.  County Commissioner Steve Radack, with the support of County Judge, Ed Emmett, and several other Commissioners, wants to seek legislation to capture the $950,000 paid to the City in sales tax generated by events at the County operated Reliant complex.

It would be smart for the City Government to come up with a different way to fund the street and drainage needs.  Perhaps the answer lies in how Metro is funded.  A referendum is required to be held next year with reference to an extension of the Mobility Fund (For City Infrastructure) included in the 1% sales tax that Metro receives.  The plan for Light Rail needs another look and the entire Metro Budget requires more attention.  Should we look at a referendum as way to re calibrate where our tax dollars are going in the bigger Metro and Light Rail Picture?  I Think so!  Let us put the County’s claim on hold until we can put a proposition on a ballot at the next opportunity to rescind or uphold the Rain Tax at the same time we vote on Metros plans.

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“The News At City Hall Is Not Good“

“Houston: No To A Sanctuary City“

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You can view the clip directly on ABC 13′s website.

We may not be quite be at that point yet but some think we are. In the mid 1970′s New York City had to accept a large amount of cash from the Teachers Union Pension Fund to avoid default and it took that city 10 years to recover. We are borrowing from our government workers pensions now. You can be pro union but not want the unions to be our city bankers.

I am for the best public transportation possible but the cost and scope of the proposition we voted for early in the last decade has changed dramatically. The resistance of the Mayor and those connected to the light rail to questioning the wisdom of those changes and the costs increasing fourfold is unhealthy. Anyone who questions is attacked. There is a requirement for a new proposition to be on the ballot in 2012. It will address the stipulation in the original proposition in how much Metro gets from the city( 1% of the total revenue). Under the Law Metro is required to refund 25% of those revenues to the City’s infrastructure fund. Metro owes the city approx 100 million dollars for this purpose. Metro is keeping it so can raise its bond capacity (more borrowing). The Drainage Fee (Rebuild Houston) was born out of Metro shorting the city. Is this mismanagement or a contrived money grab. I think both.

Your blog should include some of these issues whether you dispute them or not. The Light Rail plans will cause gridlock in areas and we all know what happened during our Super Bowl with the Main Street line. We need another independent look about where we go from here.

I suggest you broaden your purview and opinion to keep your liberal audience more informed. I do not know you but I know where you are coming from. That is OK if you are able to look at the bigger picture as well.