18 September 2006
If Alvarado has her way, cigar bars will be history in Houston
If (temporarily only a) Councilwoman Carol Alvarado gets her way, Houston's cigar bars will have to shut down to comply with her push to get a citywide smoking ban passed (via Greater Houston Weekly):
The Houston City Council is looking at broadening the current antismoking ordinance that currently bans smoking in restaurants. That means bars and even cigar bars could soon be hanging up no-smoking signs.
"We'll look at what other cities have done," Councilmember Carol Alvarado, chair of the Environmental and Public Health Committee, said regarding cigar bars and stores. "But my goal has been to ban smoking in any workplace.
Well, one might think a councilmember would be interested in keeping thriving businesses thriving, not shutting them down. One might also think that cigar bar patrons would expect to be exposed to cigar smoke. But the former mayor pro tem has a goal, and what Carol wants, Carol gets.
"I guess they're trying to put us out of business," said Geoff Neal, general manager at Downing Street. "I'd like to tell City Council what I think about that. They should leave it up to the marketplace. There should be smoking bars and nonsmoking bars and let the public decide where they want to go."
Downing Street, frequented by state senators, city councilmembers (including Alvarado, on occasion), lawyers, pro athletes and even doctors, is the premier cigar spot in town, but it's hardly the only place one can light up a stogie.
Mike Wells, the former general manager at Downing Street, now owns the infamous no-sign-lounge Marfreless, a well-known spot for romantic liaisons, martinis and smokers.
"I don't smoke, I don't like it, but most of my customers do," Wells said. "They need to stay out of it and let us run our business. It's not illegal to smoke so don't tell me they can't do it in my bar. If they want to make it illegal than make it illegal to make them and sell them."
Geez, don't give Councilwoman Alvarado any ideas. Mayor White's liable to let her run with that one, too.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 09/18/06 08:29 PM |
17 September 2006
Mayor criticizes opponents for misleading rhetoric
Several days ago, the Chronicle's Matt Stiles reported that Mayor White is not very happy about some radio ads by a group opposed to the Mayor's proposal to gut the city's revenue caps:
The new ad, voiced by Proposition 2 supporter and former Councilman Carroll Robinson, encourages voters to reject White's plan, called Proposition G. The ad links the mayor's proposal with recent high energy prices.
"Is your electricity bill too high?" Robinson asks in the ad. "If it is, vote against Proposition G." Moments later, he asks, "Are you paying too much for gas at the pump? If you are, vote against Proposition G."
Speaking to reporters after Wednesday's City Council meeting, White blasted the ad.
"That really discredits their whole campaign," he said, adding that the ad "is intending to mislead people."
Robinson said he wasn't trying to mislead anyone. He said he and other Proposition 2 supporters think that changing the revenue cap could lead to future tax and fee increases.
"If Proposition G passes, it leaves open the potential for unreasonable water and sewer rate increases," he said. "The more you lose in terms of your paycheck in terms of paying property taxes, sewer rates and other city fees, the less money you have to pay your regular bills."
The ads are somewhat misleading, and the local media is doing its job in pointing out the same.
Mayor White's criticism of the ads being misleading is kind of amusing, though. This would be the same Mayor White who insists red-light cameras are all about improving compliance and safety and not revenue (but whose administration refuses to put signage in camera intersections to deter red-light runners), who regularly ties any and all favorable traffic statistics to his SAFEclear program (when the cause/effect relationship isn't clear), and who has made wild assertions (without much investigation by local media) that voters must approve Proposition G because police budgets may have to be cut if the airports have a good year (huh?!).
Mayor White is right that it's a shame when exaggerations and distortions become a prominent part of the political conversation. He isn't always an example of innocence and goodness himself, however.
RELATED COVERAGE: KTRK-13.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 09/17/06 10:18 PM |
HPD issues a red light running ticket!
KHOU-11 gives us a bit of humor today:
Sunday morning, Michael Kubosh, a bondsman in Harris County, purposely ran a red light at Elgin and Milam.
He claims that the city of Houston is being “hoodwinked by vendors” into a program that will cost the taxpayers millions of dollars.
Houston police apparently learned of Kubosh’s plan to run the red light, because he was pulled over by an HPD patrol car shortly after going through the intersection where one of the red light cameras was set up.
How in the world did HPD learn of Kubosh's plan? It was such a secret.
Isn't it good to know that HPD really can issue a red light running ticket? Maybe on weekends when Chief Hurtt is in Phoenix, Houston police officers cut loose and defy the old man.
Meanwhile, speaking of Arizona, Scottsdale-based ATS, which has Houston's red light camera contract, is experiencing booming camera business:
Ultimately, there are 350,000 signalized intersections in the United States. Tuton figures maybe 100,000 or so are candidates for photo enforcement. And each of those have up to four approaches to the intersection.
“The first thing you do is put redlight cameras in and, at some point, you can turn them on and covert them into speed enforcement and speed monitoring cameras and then later do midblock or mobile speed,” he said.
That's the future Chief Hurtt wants -- speed cameras.
And while MayorWhiteChiefHurtt won't admit the (financial) truth behind cameras, ATS's boss will:
Cities and towns across the country are under budget constraints, making the business of photo enforcement lucrative. Residents want more services with less taxes, Tuton said.
It's about generating revenue, not safety.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 09/17/06 06:48 PM |
12 September 2006
What Yellow Cab wants, Yellow Cab usually gets
City Council is set to reward a major Houston political player (Yellow Cab company) tomorrow, as the long-delayed shared-ride airport shuttle contract is scheduled again to come to a vote (items 40a and 40b on the agenda).
To recap previous posts, the shared-ride shuttle concept is designed as alternative transportation between airports and homes/businesses. The cost will be less than taxis, because vans will transport multiple users at any given time. For several years now, there has been such a van service between airports and a handful of fixed locations (mainly hotels), and the market has supported more than one company. At DFW, four companies offer shared-ride shuttle service.
Here's where it gets interesting.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 09/12/06 11:12 PM |
10 September 2006
Councilmember's spouse considers political run
The Chronicle's Kristen Mack has an interesting quote from Professor Richard Murray in a politics column that discusses the possibility of Councilmember Michael Berry's wife Nandy running for Shelley Sekula-Gibbs' seat should it come open:
"It's easier to run if your husband is leaving council than to serve at the same time," said University of Houston political scientist Richard Murray. "Generally, voters want council members to be independent. There will be suspicion if you have a husband-and-wife team that they will be voting together."
Professor Murray is not identified by Mack as a sometime Democratic political advisor and pollster.
Speaking of keeping it in the family, however, Professor Murray's commentary on the potential Berry/Berry Council tandem sounds a lot like his son Keir Murray's perspective:
Mrs. Berry may well be a fine person and a potentially great public servant, but if she wants to run for City Council she needs to wait until her husband's term is up at the end of next year. One person per nuclear family at a time serving on a major elective body is enough, thank you. If she wants to run, she should run in November to replace her husband, not in May, so they can office together through the end of the year.
It is difficult to imagine, that over the course of even an abbreviated campaign season, other candidates to replace Sekula-Gibbs won't make an issue of this nepotism.
It's not clear how it would be nepotism if the voters of Houston (not her husband) chose Nandy Berry to serve on Council with her husband (however unlikely that possibility seems), but it is clear that the Murray family doesn't think much of the idea.
Maybe Bob Stein was off riding his bike and so Mack had to turn to the other go-to Democrat for political commentary in town.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 09/10/06 05:59 PM |
06 September 2006
Reporter and bicyclist crack on doctor-councilwoman
KHOU-11's Doug Miller and Houston bicyclist Bob Stein team up for a little hit on Councilmember and Congressional candidate Shelley Sekula-Gibbs tonight:
Shelley Sekula Gibbs is asking voters for their support for a general election write-in campaign and for a special election that would send her to Congress for just a few weeks.
But if voters give her what she wants the City of Houston will have to fill her empty council seat with a special election.
“The cost is not inconsequential, probably around two million dollars.” “So it’s going to cost two million dollars for a special election.” “Yes, it’ll cost two million dollars to fill her unexpired seat. And I don’t believe there will be anything else on the ballot,” said KHOU political analyst Bob Stein.
“Well, these issues are something that are done in the charter. It’s the city charter and really, we don’t have much control over that. It’s just unfortunate, but it’s part of the city charter,” said Sekula Gibbs.
It does seem like a somewhat selfish move that may cost the city quite a bit of money and is likely to be temporary at best (since the doctor-councilwoman has little chance of winning the regular election as a write-in candidate), but that is what is spelled out in the city charter.
Miller tosses out some fun gossip as to who might run if doctor-councilwoman leaves Council early:
Among the candidates talked about on the political grapevine are former state reps Melissa Noriega and Diana Davila-Martinez, former council candidate Jay Aiyer, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce head Richard Torres, a councilmember’s wife, Nandy Berry and district councilmember M.J. Khan, who could run for a citywide seat and build a citywide political base.
Aiyer would seem well positioned to make the run, if the seat does open up. Berry is certainly an interesting name.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 09/06/06 11:02 PM |
04 September 2006
Another Bill angling to run for mayor (in 2009)?
The Chronicle runs a story by Kristen Mack on Bill King, the former mayor of Kemah, who is hinting that he wants to run for mayor of Houston in 2009:
Meet Bill King.
If the name sounds familiar but you can't quite place it, here are some reminders: He has made dire predictions of hurricane devastation and has become a top advocate of preparedness. And he's weathered political storms as part of the Texas Southern University board that ousted President Priscilla Slade.He was mayor of Kemah for four years.
Now he wants to be mayor of Houston.
No, he doesn't plan to challenge Mayor Bill White — who can run one more time under city term limits. King is looking past White to the 2009 election.
Even if it's early to talk about an election three years away, King, 54, an ambitious lawyer, lobbyist and civic leader, wants to be in whatever conversation there is.
The ubiquitous Bob Stein makes an appearance in the story. It's apparently very hard for local journalists to find anyone else who might have an opinion on Houston politics or bicycling. Maybe the oft-quoted Houston bicyclist should run for Mayor in 2009 also!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 09/04/06 12:36 PM |
03 September 2006
"Distinguished" visitors address City Council (2006-08-29)
"Senator" Robert Horton and "President" Joseph Charles separately address City Council during the public comment session.
UPDATE (09-04-2006): I captured another segment featuring a local activist who semi-regularly (and only semi-coherently) addresses Council, but YouTube was a little slow to process it. It is available here.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 09/03/06 01:32 PM |
02 September 2006
A new Out-of-Town-Brown
The Chronicle's Alexis Grant reports on the hilarity that ensued at Council when the topic of Councilmember Peter Brown's vacation in France (and missed Council meetings) came up:
[Councilmember Peter] Brown missed two meetings last month while on vacation in Nice, France, where his wife spent the summer. During one of the meetings, a staffer or fellow council member put a sign on his chair that read "Out of Town Brown."
He missed the other meeting earlier this summer, also for a trip to Nice, one of Houston's sister cities. That trip was listed as city business because he met with Nice's mayor.[snip]
Brown was in his seat this week when Mayor Bill White briefed the council on the state of freight rail here. Brown pressed for details, asking: "Are we headed toward some kind of master plan that would identify priorities for the city in terms of mobility and protecting neighborhoods from noise?"
That brought laughs from several council members, and White smiled while considering how to respond.
"We adopted it last week when you were in France," he replied.
Ha ha ha! What great fun!
Not really.
It doesn't make much sense that a guy who campaigned so hard for so long to be on City Council doesn't take the job more seriously. In fact, it's annoying.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 09/02/06 03:22 PM |
27 August 2006
Alvarado: I'm as powerful as ever!
The Chronicle's Matt Stiles reports that temporarily-former Mayor Pro-Tem Carol Alvarado may have lost her title following her ineptitude in overseeing the office's finances, but she still enjoys considerable political clout with Mayor White:
A payroll-padding scandal six months ago cost Carol Alvarado her job as mayor pro tem, but she kept a coveted piece of real estate along the horseshoe-shaped City Council dais.
It's a green, high-back chair just off center — the spot right next to Mayor Bill White.
The seating arrangement is just one example of how Alvarado has retained her City Hall clout six months after a scandal seemed destined to imperil it."Nothing's changed," the third-term councilwoman said in a recent interview. "I just don't have that title. Everything else remains the same."
Despite a cloud of uncertainty about an ongoing investigation by local prosecutors and the negative news about her employees taking unauthorized bonuses, Alvarado still has more access to White than her council colleagues.
She's the only member with an open invitation to attend his thrice-weekly senior staff meetings, and Alvarado remains a regular on the mayor's weekend bicycle rides through city neighborhoods.
He also lets her spearhead complicated issues, such as studying a tougher ban on workplace smoking, responding to a grass-roots effort to change a police immigration policy or modernizing the city's campaign-finance disclosure system.
And she's still performing many of the historical duties assigned to the mayor pro tem. She advises the mayor, helping advance his agenda. She also works with his staff to gauge the moods of council members on emerging issues.
It's not unusual for Houston mayors to designate one member of Council as their "go-to" member, and certainly Alvarado continues to serve in that role for Mayor White, who nevertheless does seem more inclusive of all councilmembers than his predecessor.
Ultimately, though, one has to wonder about Mayor White's political judgment with regard to his close allies. Alvarado's lack of oversight in the Pro-Tem's office combined with her occasional lack of decorum really seem to contrast with Mayor White's efforts to portray himself as a financially-oriented mayor who likes to lead by building consensus, and Mayor White's handpicked police chief (who reportedly spends lots of his weekends in Phoenix) isn't exactly establishing White as a mayor who's serious about crime. The mayor's judgment in these matters will surely interest opposition researchers if, as expected, Mayor White eventually does run for higher elected office.
UPDATE: Of course, this and another recent story do illustrate that it's very helpful to have Rusty Hardin on your side!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/27/06 05:57 PM |
24 August 2006
Surprise! Mayor's anti-Prop. 2 initiative(s) gets through Council
It seems many important people don't like what the voters said a couple of years ago, so Mayor White wants to make the voters say something different. KHOU-11's Jeremy Desel has the story:
Houston voters will decide in November whether to basically roll back part of Proposition 2, a limited government city charter change supported by anti-tax activists.
Mayor Bill White, who spent much of Tuesday afternoon meeting privately with conservative backers of Proposition 2, passed through city council a measure that will put a new proposition on the ballot this year.
The council vote came during an unusual meeting at Houston City Hall. White, backed by a majority of councilmembers, basically split the usual Wednesday meeting into two parts. As councilmembers wandered off to lunch and other business, the mayor talked privately with conservative anti-tax activists. The council reconvened late in the afternoon and, following White's lead, voted to put his proposition on the November ballot.
Proposition 2 basically restricts the growth of city government, establishing a complicated formula tying city revenue increases to population growth and economic inflation. If the city's revenues exceed the formula's restrictions, Proposition 2 requires the city government to somehow refund money to taxpayers.
Do you think when Jeremy Desel discovers he has overpaid for something, he expects a refund of the amount he overpaid? Do you think Mayor White expects a refund when his insurance company overcharges him? Or a utility company? What about when he looks at his bill from a store and sees he has paid too much for something? Does he expect to be refunded what he overpaid or does he just tell the company to keep the money?
White's plan would exclude from the formula so-called "enterprise funds," such as the Aviation Department, which generate their own streams of income. The mayor argued that Proposition 2 could needlessly force cuts in essential city services that aren't linked to the "enterprise funds." For example, the mayor suggested, after a good year at the airports, Houston might be forced to cut public safety expenses.
Continental Airlines actively supported White's position, arguing that Proposition 2 could restrict the growth of Houston's airports and eventually cost airline employees their jobs.
[snip]
In addition, a separate proposition will allow the city government to spend up to $90-million beyond Proposition 2's limits, provided the money is spent on public safety.
So, what's Mayor White doing with that big surplus the city is sitting on? Is it going to public safety? Or is it going to an African-American Cultural Museum? Maybe it's going to pay for anti-panhandling ads. What else has the city been wasting money on lately that just can't possibly be refunded back to taxpayers? I doubt much has gone toward road repair or graffiti abatement.
RELATED COVERAGE: Chronicle.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/24/06 06:42 AM |
15 August 2006
Houston has a surplus and Mayor White doesn't want to share it
As noted in Ubu Roi's City Council agenda post, Mayor White is attempting to gut Prop. 2 (item #47). On KSEV-700 this afternoon Harris County Tax Collector/Assessor Paul Bettencourt said the same thing -- that Mayor White plans to gut Prop. 2. He said that if Mayor White gets to rewrite the proposition, 87% of all city revenues would not be subject to a revenue cap.
KSEV host Chris Begala also spoke with Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs who said she is voting against the measure (that is, voting against the mayor bringing this reworked proposition before the voters). She also mentioned that the city is sitting on a surplus of $34 million!
Bettencourt confirmed that the city has a large surplus to go along with its record-breaking tax collections, and yet, it appears Mayor White doesn't want to give back anything to the taxpayers.
PREVIOUSLY: City, METRO are enjoying sales tax windfall
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/15/06 07:57 PM |
14 August 2006
Fuller: Sanctuary referendum will not make it to 2006 ballot
KTRH-740's Brent Fuller is reporting that a group trying to change Houston's sanctuary policy will not be able to place the issue before voters this fall:
The offical deadline to put any City of Houston charter changes before voters this fall is August 29. But, due to city rules and some strong opposition on city council to the proposal, it appears the group really needed to file their petition before August 11.
The Mayor's own proposal, on the other hand, looks set to go before voters this fall. Mayor White hopes to gut certain provisions of the Proposition 2 referendum that was approved by voters in 2004. Mayor White offered his own Proposition 1 as an alternative to Proposition 2, but a judge has ruled that since both passed, the city must abide by both.
Fuller's accurate characterization of the anti-sanctuary-proposal is nice to see/hear:
The petition aims to change a long-standing policy at HPD. Right now, city cops are forbidden from asking anyone about their citizenship status if they're stopped for a Class C misdemeanor offense, like a traffic ticket or trespassing. City cops also can't stop someone and ask about their legal status if they've committed no crime. The petition, if approved, would leave those enforcement issues to officers' discretion.
Too many people continue to assert that repealing the sanctuary directive would turn Houston into a police state, where cops constantly harass citizens for documentation. As KTRH's steady Fuller points out, that's not what is being proposed. Rather, the proposal would simply return the matter to the discretion of officers on the street.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/14/06 01:46 PM |
11 August 2006
State of the (Convention and Visitors) Bureau luncheon
Yesterday, the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau held a celebratory luncheon (via the Houston Business Journal):
During its last fiscal year, the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau secured more than 600,000 hotel room nights for future years with an estimated economic impact to nearly $750 million.
That was one of the accomplishments celebrated Thursday at the annual State of the Bureau luncheon held at the Hyatt Regency downtown.
[snip]
During the last fiscal year that ended June 30, the bureau posted a larger membership base than it has had in the last 24 years. The bureau added 153 new members, surpassing the 1,000 total member mark.
The bureau also created a department to focus on short-term bookings, which has booked more than 40,000 hotel room nights to date.
GHCVB and its partners also hosted the largest inbound travel trade show for Latin America, La Cumbre, one week after Hurricane Katrina brought thousands of evacuees to the Astrodome and George R. Brown Convention Center.
In case you were wondering, a certain shoe aficionado was present:
Although Jordy Tollett, GHCVB's president and CEO, is on a temporary leave of absence from his post, he was present in the crowded ballroom to lead the annual meeting.
The story also notes the GHVCB's budget for the new fiscal year: $12.9 million.
Does anyone else find it odd that all these governmental entities have "State of the..." luncheons? Couldn't they just issue a press release? I suppose it's a good excuse to have a party, but how much do these state luncheons cost taxpayers?
UPDATE: The Chronicle coverage is here.
PREVIOUSLY: Tollett takes extended leave of absence from GHCVB, avoids firing, Jordy Tollett, special hunter with very special shoes
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/11/06 06:19 AM |
11 July 2006
Mayor White names assistant for multifamily housing
Last week, Mayor White named a former Democratic party operative and real-estate executive as his special assistant for multifamily housing. The Chronicle's Mike Snyder reports:
Mayor Bill White has named lawyer, real estate executive and civic leader David Mincberg as special assistant for multifamily housing, responsible for coordinating the work of local low-cost-housing agencies.
[snip]
Mincberg is a native Houstonian and a former Harris County Democratic Party chairman.
He and his wife, Houston Chronicle marketing director Lainie Gordon, have five children.
The connections among the city's elites are always kind of interesting to see, when the local media actually report them.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/11/06 11:54 PM |
05 July 2006
Chief Hurtt's surveillance cameras are installed and ready to go
All that's needed now is Mayor White's approval:
Houston has never proposed using cameras to monitor everyday street traffic, but Police Chief Harold Hurtt says five cameras, purchased by the Downtown Management District, are set to be installed along Main Street. Hurtt says the devices may send video feeds to a police substation.
Houston Mayor Bill White has said he must give the final okay before such cameras are used.
See, these are baby steps. Let's recall that Chief Hurtt has big plans for surveillance cameras:
Chief Hurtt believes it would be cheaper to have the cameras than to hire enough police officers and have them at every street corner. He's even suggesting that those homeowners who have too many calls for service to their homes be forced to install the cameras as well.
Chief Hurtt also wants apartment complexes with too many service calls to install cameras as well -- cameras that HPD will monitor. And he says that as long as you're not doing anything wrong, you shouldn't worry about the cameras.
Did Chief Hurtt approach the Downtown Management District initially about this program? Is that how he's getting around all the ins and outs that would be needed to get this approved? He can say the cameras are paid for and installed, so why not let HPD watch the feed?
It's very underhanded and sneaky, and Mayor White should shut down the idea. But he probably won't.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 07/05/06 06:07 PM |
04 July 2006
Editorial LiveJournalists rage at Culberson, sanctuary-policy critics
The Chronicle editorial board really likes Houston's sanctuary directive, issued by HPD's police chief in 1992 (even if they don't like it being called what it is), and they don't much care for criticism of that directive.
It took them longer than anticipated (maybe the spittle fried a keyboard or two, or maybe they were just waiting to see Charles Kuffner's opinion before offering their own), but the Editorial LiveJournalists came out raging today about Rep. John Culberson's amendment aimed at sanctuary-city policies, which won approval in the House several days ago.
The editorial is heavy on name-calling, and takes special aim at Culberson and "local activists" who oppose Houston's sanctuary directive. But the editorial doesn't take up our ongoing questions: If the sanctuary policy is such a good one, then why are Mayor White and Council hiding behind a 1992 directive issued by the police chief (who is not an elected official at all)? Why not have a public debate on the policy, and let our elected officials reaffirm, reformulate, or rescind it?
If the Chronicle is going to shriek about the alleged "boredom with authentic representation" of U.S. House members debating immigration policy, then shouldn't they also criticize local elected officials who refuse to hold a public debate on this subject, but instead hide behind a 1992 directive issued by the police chief? Why are Sam Nuchia's views on this topic in 1992 more relevant than Rep. Culberson's in 2006 (other than the fact that Culberson is a favorite Chron editorial board "bad guy")?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/04/06 03:12 PM |
03 July 2006
City funding for African American Library
City Council is set to approve something for "the African American Library":
23. ORDINANCE approving and authorizing Professional Services Contract between the City of Houston and SMITH & COMPANY ARCHITECTS for the African American Library, GFS E-0144-03-2 - $89,000.00 - Grant Fund - DISTRICT D - EDWARDS
Is this related to the African American Museum the city is working on? And is that plan still to hand over $2 million to an undisclosed group of people who are supposed to create the museum? It would be nice to know some details.
It's a good thing Mayor White isn't whining about the city's lack of money lately, since he's finding more and more projects to fund. Maybe there's another bridge and ditch fund the mayor is raiding to pay for the African American Library.
Thanks to Tom Bazan and Ubu Roi for the heads up.
PREVIOUSLY: blogHOUSTON archives -- African American Museum
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 07/03/06 06:35 PM |
02 July 2006
Is Mayor White searching for a Richmond-line compromise?
Last week Tom Bazan forwarded a KTRH-740 story that said Mayor White may seek a compromise on Metro's University Line-Richmond leg in response to the threat of a lawsuit:
As public hearings on the controversial "University" or west Houston rail line begin this week, Mayor Bill White says he may be looking at a compromise plan to head off the threat of a lawsuit over the proposed line.
[snip]
A citizens' group made up of west side residents, mainly from the Afton Oaks area, have hired attorneys and say they're considering a lawsuit if the line is placed on Richmond. The group says a 2003 rail referendum, which was approved by city voters, showed maps that included rail on Westpark, not Richmond.
White admits Metro's in something of a quandary: "I'd be very, very surprised if there's any final plan to put rail through that (Afton Oaks) neighborhood. Now, there's other parts that are on Richmond, but very close to main street, for example the University of Saint Thomas and all of its students who strongly support rail."
White says its going to be a balancing act to appease both groups. The "balancing" could include plans to put part of the rail line on Richmond, then shift the other part south toward 59 and Westpark. Metro's board has to approve any final routes. However, Houston's mayor has a disproportionate amount of influence on Metro because he appoints five of the nine board members which oversee the transit authority.
Mayor White doesn't like public embarrassment, and anything that might derail (sorry!) HIS new and improved Metro Solutions plan must be stopped. You can bet he's searching for a way to save face on what has turned out to be a PR disaster.
(I'd provide the link to KTRH's story, but it's no longer available, having been replaced by another story. It is incomprehensible that KTRH cannot see the value in having an archive of their terrific local news stories, especially Brent Fuller's.)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 07/02/06 12:40 PM |
01 July 2006
Houston takes "real-world action to reduce pollution"
Showing that he multi-tasks very well, Mayor White has announced that Houston is joining an environmental group:
Mayor Bill White announced today that the City of Houston will join ICLEI, the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives. Working with ICLEI, the City will address the issue of greenhouse gas reductions by conducting an emissions analysis, adopting emissions reduction targets, developing and implementing an action plan to achieve the reductions, and monitoring the progress toward the targets.
“ICLEI will help us take real-world action to reduce pollution -- not just talk about our good intentions to do so,” said Mayor White.
An example of Houston's real-world action to reduce pollution is here.
“ICLEI membership gives the City an important tool in its commitment to protect the environment,” added Karl Pepple, the City's Director of Environmental Programming. “The technical support and training offered by ICLEI has real value for the City.”
Hey! It's an appearance by Houston's own highly-qualified environmental dude!
Joining ICLEI and developing a greenhouse gas reduction plan will formalize and advance other projects already under way in the City that reduce greenhouse gases. These programs include:
Brace yourself...
* Reduction of roadway congestion through programs including SafeClear, subsidy of employees' use of METRO, vanpools and carpools, and promotion of flex-time in the city and the corporate community
* Increased purchase of renewable energy (20% of total purchases)
* Implementation of the Houston Consumer Choice program to encourage residents to take initiative in their consumption of electricity
* Weatherization of 600+ homes in Pleasantville to reduce energy consumption by residents
* Reductions in NOx and VOCs in city activities through a 9% fleet reduction, replacement of old vehicles with 283 hybrids, retrofitting of heavy construction equipment, and upgrading of facilities at wastewater treatment plants and Intercontinental Airport
* Use of TexLED and Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel on a voluntary basis
* Revitalized curbside recycling program
* Adopting the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program for all new City buildings, and ten city projects are currently in the LEED program
* Development of 40 additional miles of bikeways
* Creation of a master plan for a 13-acre downtown park surrounded by residential, commercial and retail development.
Should Houstonians expect more SAFEclear-like programs?
Subsidizing Metro? Why bother? If city employees ride MetroRail, there's no charge anyway.
And weatherization of homes in Pleasantville? Who's paying for that?
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 07/01/06 10:52 AM |
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