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21 March 2010

YOU HAVE ANY MONEY TO PAY FOR THAT DREAM? A Montrose resident doesn't want a new HEB at the site of the former Wilshire Village apartments, so she has started a petition calling for a different purpose for the land: "Heg, who rents an apartment in the neighborhood, said she and other residents would prefer the land be turned into a park with a cafe and a small commercial space where artists could sell their work."

The petition says, "We are opposed to the appropriation of the land for a chain supermarket that will displace existing business and stifle the opportunity to maintain the integrity of the Montrose community, which has been and continues to be a great draw for tourism and gives vitality to the people living therein." Existing business?

Swamplot points to the aggrieved resident's Facebook page which aims to clarify her demands: "An autocentric development would be of less use and value to the immediate community and the city of Houston at large than would a progressive development that encourages ambulatory traffic, combines retail space with green space, and bears in mind the future growth and change that is inevitable in the Montrose and Houston generally. We are aware of the shifts in population and economy that will occur with the advent of the 2012 light rail, and seek a development solution for this valuable tract that will best benefit businesses and the communities that surround it."

The Danger Train will definitely bring a shift in the economy! Just look at Main Street.

Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/21/10 06:40 AM | Comments (2)

20 March 2010

AND WE THOUGHT THE DANGER TRAIN WAS METRO'S BACKBONE: Lamely attempting to counter the accusation that it has ~~improved~~ reduced bus service to focus resources on light rail, METRO now says, "Our bus fleet has been, and will continue to be, the backbone of Houston’s transit system." Sure.

Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/20/10 12:55 PM | Comments (2)

19 March 2010

BEFORE MAYOR ANNISE PARKER'S METRO ANNOUNCEMENTS yesterday, the METRO board made one big decision: They voted in favor of paying CEO Frank Wilson's legal expenses related to the allegations about an improper relationship with a subordinate.

Previously, Wilson booster David Wolff announced that he had commissioned an "independent" investigation into the alleged improprieties.

Question: How independent will that investigation be if Wolff and his board have already decided, by virtue of covering Wilson's legal expenses, that Wilson is innocent? And if the guy was guilty of wrongdoing at the expense of the public, why should the public ultimately pick up his legal tab?

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/19/10 08:28 AM | Comments (14)

18 March 2010

MAYOR ANNISE PARKER held a press conference today to release the findings of her METRO transition team and to announce her new appointees to the METRO board.

This Texas Watchdog post is a one-stop shop for information related to the announcement, as they have posted the résumés of Mayor Parker's appointees and the committee reports.

We haven't had a chance to read the reports yet, but feel free to discuss anything interesting in the forum.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/18/10 09:01 PM | Comments (5)

17 March 2010

PUBLIC POLICY PUNDIT BILL KING posted another critique of METRO this week. Here's the intro:

There could hardly be a more fitting image for the close of the current Metro administration than the recent photographs for a wrecked Metro buses in front of Metro's headquarters after having been broad-sided by Metro's Main Street light rail. The last six years are likely to be remembered as the most ruinous time for public transportation in Houston's history as Metro has pursued a single-minded obsession to build its version of an at-grade rail system regardless of the cost, both in financial terms and in the degradation of the bus system on which over 100,000 Houstonians rely daily.

What follows is a good discussion on how METRO has squandered both the public's treasure and trust over the last six years.

Tom Kirkendall riffs off that with a fine post of his own that describes how urban rail/planning/development special interests manage to push forward their favored boondoggles despite dubious economic justification and public benefit:

The costs of such systems are widely dispersed among the local population of an area such as Houston, so the many who stand to lose will lose only a little while the few who stand to gain will gain a lot. As a result, these small interest groups recognize that it is usually not worth the relatively small cost per taxpayer for most citizens to spend any substantial amount of time or money lobbying or simply taking the time to vote against an uneconomic rail system.

And as if on cue, the Examiner's Michael Reed reports these interesting financial tidbits:

The city’s commercial paper lending program for Metro has cost Houston taxpayers more than $3.2 million in interest toward long-term promissory notes for Metro street projects so far, according to the City Controller’s office.

That money — $359,635 of which appears on the fiscal 2009 debit side of the city budget — will never be recouped.

[snip]

Separately, as of Feb. 23, the amount of Metro’s unbilled commitment to the city from the general mobility fund collection — dating as far back as 2004 — stood at $161.3 million, according to a Public Works Department document on Metro project expenditures.

Sooner or later, all that money starts to add up. But hey, at least we have a World Class Bus/Car/Train Pinball Machine down Main!

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/17/10 09:58 PM | Comments (4)

METRO put out a press release yesterday announcing that outgoing chairman David Wolff "has asked UHY Advisors... to conduct an independent investigation into allegations that public funds were misused at METRO because of an inappropriate relationship." The press release also contained this laugher:

METRO’s Board of Directors and staff have worked very hard over the past six years to improve mobility in Houston and build the public’s confidence in their transit agency. An independent investigation is necessary to maintain that trust....

Improve mobility? Build public confidence? Maintain trust? Right!

The Chronicle, which describes the coming "probe" of Frank Wilson's alleged relationship (to borrow from Cory Crow, YUCK!), managed to find out that the independent investigator will be charging METRO $310/hour. Apparently, local media were not able to obtain an exact, contractual description of the work to be performed (or at least no such document has been published).

Here is what Wolff, who commissioned this "probe", details of which apparently have not fully been shared with local media, had to say about Frank Wilson to the Chronicle in 2004, when Wilson was under investigation by New Jersey's capable, independent Commission of Investigation:

"He's not just a visionary but a person who has operated and constructed every form of transit in cities all over the country," Metro Chairman David Wolff said Thursday. "He's the best. Everybody loves him."

[snip]

Wolff dismisses Wilson's critics, noting any political appointee is bound to garner enemies. The search firm Metro used to screen candidates thoroughly vetted Wilson's background. It found nothing that would disqualify him from consideration, Wolff said, and he has the board's unanimous support.

We're thinking Mr. Wolff's standards on Wilson's performance in many areas are lower than some. Will those low expectations influence the "independent" probe?

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/17/10 09:12 PM | Comments (0)

REMEMBER HOW America's worst big-city daily reported that none of the people involved in the latest METRO bus/Danger Train crash was injured seriously?

KTRK-13 reports today that one of those injured passengers has a fractured vertebra.

That sounds kind of serious to us, but maybe the Chron style guide does not allow for injuries to be characterized as serious unless suffered by Chron staffers. Our email inquiry to the Chronicle reader representative on the topic was not answered.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/17/10 08:21 PM | Comments (4)

15 March 2010

MAYOR ANNISE PARKER has vowed to shake up METRO's leadership team, but KHOU-11's Mark Greenblatt reports tonight that firing Frank "Procurement Disaster" Wilson could be costly:

If his contract is terminated before 2012 and the firing is not "for cause," it could trigger a pricy escape clause Wilson negotiated into his most recent contract.

The clause includes an automatic two years worth of salary (more than $600,000 in total), an agreement to move his family to any city in the United States, automatic qualification for a pension and payments of $40,000 a year for the rest of his life, which would begin when he reaches retirement age.

If Metro terminates his contract "for cause," those provisions do not become effective.

Well, won't it be interesting if a possible relationship with a female staffer is the "cause" that gets taxpayers off the hook? If not, former Mayor Bill White's lack of interest in overseeing METRO could turn into a costly headache for taxpayers.

Greenblatt also reports that Wilson was trying to jump to Denver several months ago, but their transit authority board had the good sense not to hire him. Perhaps they vetted his background more thoroughly than David Wolff and the Houston Chronicle when Wilson came on board here in 2004. Imagine if Wilson's track record had been examined more carefully back then by Houston's political leaders and newspaper of record. Alas...

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/15/10 10:26 PM | Comments (14)

ANOTHER COLLISION between a METRO bus and the Danger Train has taken place.

KPRC-2 reporter Mary Benton posted this photo of the accident and has twitter updates.

Houston needs more at-grade rail down busy streets!

UPDATE: Here's more on the KPRC-2 website.

UPDATE 2: Here is more coverage from KTRK-13, KHOU-11, and KRIV-26.

UPDATE 3: KHOU's report has been updated to include a passenger who asserts that the bus had the green light, and the Danger Train rammed it. Raequel "9 Volt" Roberts promises another investigation. Perhaps someone should obtain an injunction that keeps METRO from destroying/altering the evidence!

KHOU's report also includes this great quote:

Janet Gates was a passenger on the light rail train.

"You just got to pray every day, because you never know what will happen from one moment to the next," Gates said.

Not when it comes to the Danger Train!

UPDATE 4: Here is the lede for the pro-METRO Chronicle's story:

Nineteen people were injured, none seriously, when a Metro bus and a light rail train collided Monday afternoon in front of Metro's downtown headquarters, the second such crash at that intersection in five weeks.

So, all nineteen people were transported to the hospital by ambulance, but the pro-METRO newspaper editorializes that their injuries were not serious in their news story?!

Perhaps the injuries were not life-threatening, but it strikes us that injuries that result in ambulance transport to hospitals should not be deemed not serious. The 19 people whose commute was interrupted by a bus/rail crash and ensuing ambulance ride to the hospital probably thought it was serious!

But why editorialize at all? Report the facts and let readers decide what to think. This is just another data point for why we refer to the Chron as America's worst big-city daily.

UPDATE (03/16/2010): METRO has released a video that would seem to show the bus driver ran a red light.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/15/10 02:47 PM | Comments (9)

14 March 2010

ON FRIDAY, THE CHRONICLE'S SENIOR METRO/STATE COLUMNIST startled us with a column headlined as follows:

Metro can't let rail jeopardize its buses

The pro-establishment newspaper is a little late to the party (METRO has been cutting bus service and losing riders for quite some time, even though the 2003 referendum promised a 50% increase in bus service), but we welcome them nonetheless.

It's a shame they haven't been a more forceful advocate for area transit users over the last decade, though.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/14/10 09:38 PM | Comments (7)

SLAMPO writes that "they're getting downright PISSy at the Houston Chronicle."

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/14/10 09:21 PM | Comments (0)

13 March 2010

LAUGH OF THE DAY: METRO's press release after last week's visit before the judge to discuss document retention:

JUDGE RULES IN METRO’S FAVOR ON PLAN FOR PRESERVING DOCUMENTS: ALL DOCUMENTS TO BE SAVED

Yes, let's recall METRO's plan for document preservation:

District Judge Al Bennett laid down the law Friday, ordering the embattled Metropolitan Transit Authority to stop shredding and start saving all of its documents.

The order comes after Metro tried to argue against it [...]

METRO's 9-volt battery could use some recharging.

Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/13/10 09:49 AM | Comments (5)

12 March 2010

KRIV-26'S ISIAH CAREY reports that Richard Celli has resigned as head of the City of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department.

Celli was appointed by Bill White to head the agency after friend David Mincberg got so preoccupied with an unsuccessful campaign for Harris County Judge that it became necessary to replace him.

Mayor Parker promises a search for a new and non-traditional leader for the organization, although the late-Friday release of this news would suggest it's not one of the busy new mayor's highest priorities. She has been left with more than a few messes to clean up, after all.

BLOGVERSATION: Houston Politics.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/12/10 08:13 PM | Comments (2)

THE CHRON HOUSTON POLITICS BLOG notes that Borris Miles remains ahead of Al Edwards in the great HD 146 Buffoon Blood Feud rematch, after a canvassing board looked at provisional and mail ballots. Edwards is apparently still considering his options:

I asked the veteran lawmaker just a few minutes ago what he plans to do. "I haven't revealed that yet," he said. "We're looking at all different angles."

Borris Miles did not tell the blog, "The first thing I plan to do is plant a big smooch on the lips of the first babe in sight, whether she's willing or not" but he may have been thinking it.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/12/10 10:06 AM | Comments (0)

11 March 2010

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that public policy pundit Bill King testified to the Senate Finance Committee yesterday on the state of Houston's finances:

A longtime critic testified that during White's six years as mayor, Houston masked an operating deficit by issuing hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of pension bonds.

Nearly half flowed through its general fund, which would have run out of cash last year if not for the borrowing, William E. King of Houston told the Senate Finance Committee.

"It's a way to kick the can down the road and not have to pay for your current expenses," said King, a small-business owner and lawyer.

Bill White's gubernatorial campaign was quick to assert that Bill King previously had little interest in the issue, until he decided to run for political office, even though he ultimately didn't run for political office. That's certainly a muddled talking point, but then again, even the best talking point can't change facts.

The fact is, Bill King has been a frequent -- and frequently sensible -- commentator on area public policy, did not run for any office in the last election cycle, and is not running for any office at the moment so far as we know. So the notion that a self-serving pol would accuse King of being a self-serving pol is more an amusing distraction than a rebuttal of what King had to say.

The other fact is, the City of Houston under Bill White did punt tough financial decisions down the road, as fellow Democrat and current Mayor Annise Parker made clear yesterday:

“For years now, we have spent more money than we have taken in,” she said. “You can't spend more than you earn. It is a very unbusinesslike approach to running things.”

We have not seen any variant of the DMN story in the Chronicle. Perhaps the Chron editorial board will offer the promised "rebuttal" for their man in a few days!

BLOGVERSATION: Pondering Penguin.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/11/10 03:04 PM | Comments (2)

BILL KING has a nice new blog post, "Would you like a transit lesson with that shoe shine?"

Under the current METRO leadership, the needs of those who actually use transit in Houston seem much less of a priority than the desires of urban-planning special interests, developers, and insecure editorialists to craft their version of a world-class Houtopia.

Here's hoping Mayor Parker's promise to change the leadership at METRO will return the focus to transit users (whose numbers are shrinking despite record METRO expenditures).

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/11/10 06:59 AM | Comments (2)

10 March 2010

THE CHRONICLE reports that Mayor Annise Parker is skeptical whether METRO can afford to build two controversial rail lines (the Westpark/University and Uptown lines), and that she reiterated her call today for new management at the rogue organization.

Question 1: Will the rogue agency's embattled leadership blast ahead on the two projects before Mayor Parker actually delivers her promised changes?

Question 2: Was that a collective gasp from every urban-planning/architectural/development/minority/bond-underwriting/consulting special interest that was banking on its part of the (previously) generous METRO boondoggle pie?

BLOGVERSATION: Campos Communications.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/10/10 09:46 PM | Comments (4)

MAYOR ANNISE PARKER said today that all options but tax increases will be considered in trying to make up a multimillion dollar budget shortfall. Here's an interesting quote from the Chronicle story by Bradley Olson:

“For years now, we have spent more money than we have taken in,” she said. “You can't spend more than you earn. It is a very unbusinesslike approach to running things.”

That could have been in a Dave Carney email!

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/10/10 09:24 PM | Comments (4)

MATT BRAMANTI scores with this tweet:

Chron tweet

We expect Jeff Cohen will be hitting the links the rest of the week.

Honestly, though, did America's worst big-city daily really need to devote 30+ grafs to this not-story?

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/10/10 08:42 AM | Comments (1)

MARC CAMPOS notes that new HISD chief Terry Grier has been busy in his first six months, upsetting the usual suspect:

So far it looks like to me that the only person that is publicly unhappy with the Superintendent is the teachers’ union honcho [Gayle Fallon]. Everybody is A-OK, just observing, or keeping their pieholes shut. Commentary is one of the ones that is A-OK.

The folks who hired Grier had to know they were getting a reformer. He has hit the ground running. That all seems A-OK so far to us.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/10/10 08:12 AM | Comments (4)

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At the bottom of Mayor Parker's priority list

METRO has multiple "backbones"

The outgoing METRO board's last act?

Mayor announces METRO board appointees, releases transition committee reports

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