27 January 2009
Mayor White says lease at One Park Place, make Houston better!
The Houston Chronicle seems to have decided there might be a future in watchdog reporting, especially watchdog reporting that involves The Houston Way.
Recall that in late December, local reporters Bradley Olson and Carolyn Feibel did some fine reporting on many interesting coincidences (or not) involving prominent local pols (including Mayor White) and politically well-connected developers that eventually resulted in the city taking a small bit of private land for a "public" park that the city's parks director now says he never wanted, but which (coincidentally *wink*) would serve as ornamentation for a planned development.
For the second time in roughly a month, the Chronicle has posted another story that raises questions about the extent to which Mayor White has gone to bat for a politically well-connected developer. Here is an excerpt from the reporting by Bradley Olson, Nancy Sarnoff, and Carolyn Feibel:
The mailing reads like a finely produced marketing brochure, touting the opening of a new downtown apartment tower and urging Houstonians to consider moving there: “One Park Place will be the residence of choice downtown because its 346 residences offer 14 floor plans with finishes typical of high-end condominiums, spectacular views, a nearly one-acre resort-style pool area, a grand terrace overlooking the park and retail spaces.”
Except it is not a marketing brochure. It is a Jan. 16 letter, penned by Mayor Bill White on city letterhead and sent by the developer of One Park Place to hundreds of people and human resources representatives at businesses and organizations across Houston.
Land-use experts and officials in other Texas cities said the letter is highly unusual. Most office holders involved in development and revitalization projects tout improvements in generalities, but rarely, if ever, participate in a marketing effort for a specific business interest.
White said he views One Park Place as a linchpin of the development in the works around Discovery Green, a key element of the plan to revitalize downtown. He also said he would do the same for any major residential development downtown.
City officials in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio were reluctant to weigh in on White’s letter, except to say that they were not aware of their mayors ever taking such a step. Mayors there have spoken publicly about some developments and attended ribbon-cuttings, but none of their staffs were aware of an endorsement on city stationary.
Government watchdogs said such a written endorsement is an inappropriate use of the mayor’s office, most notably because the owner of the development company, Marvy Finger, is a campaign contributor. Finger’s daughter, Jill Jewett, is a former senior staffer of the mayor and left City Hall to work for the Finger Companies.
“It is appropriate for mayors to help promote downtown living, but where you cross the line is where you’re promoting one project and endorsing it and asking people to consider a particular residential tower,” said Tom “Smitty” Smith, director of the Texas office of Public Citizen. “Using city stationary and other trappings of your office to promote a particular building goes beyond the line.”
The amount of the political donation is actually pretty small, but it seems clear that developer Finger is better connected politically than some developers in town (the Ashby high rise developers come to mind). The former mayoral staffer apparently didn't work for Finger long, but again, it's the connection that's the key. The Houston Way is all about the connections!
No less a master of The Houston Way than Bob Lanier is cited by another developer in defense of the unusual letter:
Randall Davis, who redeveloped the Rice Hotel, applauded White for supporting Finger’s project, saying downtown needs the help. Davis also said then-mayor Bob Lanier helped a great deal with his project.
No doubt that's true!
We're having trouble getting too worked up over this, even though turning City Hall into an advertising firm for a local developer does seem a bit unseemly (not to mention clumsy). The Chron.com commenters sure don't seem to like it, though. What do you think?
BACKGROUND: PDF of Mayor White's letter.
BLOGVERSATION: Lose an Eye, It's a Sport, Texas Watchdog, Slampo's Place, Chron Houston Politics.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/27/09 12:22 AM |
26 January 2009
Chron Austin bureau chief can't remember facts, opines regardless
Poor Clay Robison must be one tired guy.
He oversees the combined Chronicle/Express-News Austin Bureau.
He moonlights as a (lefty) editorialist once a week.
And a legislative session just got underway.
So, perhaps that explains this snippet from his latest opinion column:
Let’s see, now. Most of the Republican judges in Harris County who were on the ballot in November were ousted in heavy, straight-ticket Democratic voting. A few years ago, Dallas voters booted a bunch of Republican judges in similar fashion.So, Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, files a bill to prohibit — guess what — straight ticket voting in judicial races.
It won’t pass.
But it reminds me that Republicans took over the courts in Harris County in 1994 in a similar straight ticket sweep that unseated many Democratic judges.
I don’t remember if any Democrat filed a similar bill then. If so, it obviously didn’t pass either.
That's about the laziest bit of journalism to appear in the Chronicle since... well, since somebody sat down over Froot Loops and (mis)reported a KHOU story a few mornings ago.
Over at Lose an Eye, It's a Sport, Cory Crow gives the matter a more comprehensive treatment. We're betting he's not going to hear from the newspaper's invisible reader rep.
In any case, we'll suggest once again that Robison shouldn't be writing opinion columns and running the news bureau. Maybe if he stepped away from one of the jobs, he could actually do the other one well.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/26/09 10:00 PM |
25 January 2009
Stay the execution of Larry Ray Swearingen (updated)
We've had some fun over the years with the Chron Eye for the Death Row Killer Guy, which was once the anti-death-penalty Houston Chronicle's formulaic portrayal of every single cold-blooded killer who was scheduled to meet his end in Huntsville.
To its credit, the newspaper has largely stopped the practice of hagiographic features on the worst of the worst in Texas. Who knows, maybe they grew tired of the mockery.
Unfortunately, their credibility and honesty on the issue have long since been squandered. And so, not many people take the newspaper's struggling Editorial Board, or its Teen Diarist, seriously when both say that a Texas man is about to be executed for a terrible crime that new evidence (or reinterpretation of old evidence) suggests he probably did not commit.
This time, the newspaper is right. The Editorial Board and the Teen Diarist (and others) make a convincing case that enough doubt has been raised about Larry Ray Swearingen's guilt that he should be granted a stay
As our mockery of past Chron Eyes should make clear, we don't have much sympathy for the truly guilty, worst of the worst in the state of Texas. But it's no laughing matter when serious, evidence-based questions, are raised about the guilt of a man sentenced to die (on Tuesday).
It's the most serious penalty the state can impose. Irreversible. Final.
The first time the state demonstrably gets it wrong will likely be the last. This could very well be that instance. Why take the chance?
Larry Ray Swearingen isn't going anywhere. There is time enough to make sure we -- because "we" are the state -- have it right. Or that we do not.
Err on the side of life and delay this execution.
UPDATE (01-26-2009): The Dallas Morning News reports that the Fifth Circuit has ordered a stay. This should allow yet another look at the evidence and another round of arguments from defense and prosecutors alike. It is important to get this right.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/25/09 11:19 PM |
Renaming Tolerance Bridge
Thank goodness someone came to their senses. Now if someone could just 86 that horrid design...
After announcing the “Tolerance Bridge” project, city officials realized there was one thing they couldn’t tolerate: the name.
So, they’re asking Houston artists, writers and other local visionaries to suggest a new name for a proposed pedestrian and biking bridge that will span Buffalo Bayou near Montrose and Allen Parkway.
The $7 million civic art project, with its “twisting arc” design, is intended to celebrate Houston’s cultural diversity and the cosmopolitan sensibility and mutual respect shared by its residents.
Are your eyes bleeding yet? Those two paragraphs are just painful. Any clue how one gets classified as a "local visionar[y]"?
After announcing the project in early December, Mayor Bill White received some feedback about the title, and asked the Houston Arts Alliance to contact its membership for more ideas. The organization is taking suggestions through Jan. 31.
Oh great, the Houston Arts Alliance. The organization that brought Houstonians the Flaming Chicken and the Bouquet of Bathtubs is seeking visionaries to name the ugly bridge.
At least $2 million for the bridge, designed by German arts collaborative Elmgreen & Dragset and architects with the Houston-based SWA Group, will come from private donors. Philanthropist Mica Mosbacher said she came up with the idea for a public art project celebrating tolerance after the 2006 hate-crime beating of David Ritcheson, a 17-year-old Hispanic teen from Spring.
“We did not want the family to feel that was how the majority of Houstonians viewed people of other races,” Mosbacher said.
Then why not name the bridge after David Ritcheson? But if that's not a possibility, it's hard to top the suggestion in the most recommended comment on Chron.com
Name it Geoffrey. Geoffrey is a good, solid name.
It's probably better than anything Houston artists, writers and other local visionaries will come up with. And did you catch the math? It's a $7 million project (for now) that is seeking $2 million from private donors. Guess that means taxpayers get to pay $5 million!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/25/09 06:40 PM |
Houston METRO officer represents Houston well in DC
A few days ago, Jason blogged about the Houston METRO officer who saved a woman who was about to have an unfortunate encounter with a train.
As it turns out, officer Eliot Swainson was one busy guy helping save D.C. residents:
Less than 24 hours after saving a woman who fell in front of a Washington subway train, a Houston, Texas, transit cop was at it again.
Moments after leaving an interview Wednesday about his heroics at the train station, Houston Metro Officer Eliot Swainson helped victims escape an early morning fire at a Washington row house.
Swainson, who was deputized to help with crowds at President Obama's inauguration, and two Washington transit officers noticed smoke pouring from the row house in northwest Washington.
[snip]
"We just pounded on doors and stuff," he said. "We couldn't get into the unit that was actually burned -- there was just too much smoke coming out of there."
D.C. residents are surely thankful for Officer Swainson's assistance.
Now if you don't mind, we'd like him back, thanks! He's a man who's much too useful to be in D.C. We'll happily trade you Queen Sheila and other useless pols.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/25/09 06:19 PM |
23 January 2009
Chron Froot Loops Bureau comeback in '09?
The Houston Chronicle's Froot Loops bureau makes a rare appearance today:
Homicide detectives are still investigating an overnight shooting in which a resident of a north Houston apartment said he disarmed a burglar and killed him with his own gun.
The shooting occurred about 10 a.m. Thursday at the Worthington Apartments at 1350 Greens Parkway, KHOU Channel 11 reported.
We have missed the Froot Loops Bureau!
Here's the actual link to the KHOU story, since the Bureau apparently isn't a fan of hyperlinks.
UPDATE: Upon re-reading, we are confused. Was the shooting overnight, was the shooting at 10 a.m. Thursday, or was the shooting this morning?
Perhaps the Froot Loops staffer needs to have more coffee with the cereal.
UPDATE 2: On the KHOU video report, Rosa Flores says the break-in occurred about 10 o'clock last night, the owners got home at some point, and the struggle/shooting ensued then.
UPDATE 3: The Chron story has been updated to reflect a 10 pm shooting. It apparently has not been updated with a reporter verifying facts from police and witnesses and reporting those, instead of "reporting" the TV news.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/23/09 11:03 AM |
22 January 2009
A little problem for one mayoral aspirant?
KTRK-13's Miya Shay blogs about a potential problem for possible mayoral candidate Ben Hall: One must actually live in the city to run for mayor.
Not to worry, though -- Hall is looking into buying Slumlord-Rep. Hubert Vo's mansion within the city limits.
Or maybe to worry -- local blogger Houtopia asserts in a comment that if Shay's reporting is accurate and Hall truly lives in Piney Point, then it's too late for him to decide he lives in Houston for the purpose of running for mayor.
This could get interesting.
BLOGVERSATION: Swamplot, Prof 13.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/22/09 10:46 PM |
Houstonians like kittens... and crazy auto accidents
When we came to the end of this slideshow accompanying a wild story on KPRC-2's website, we were amused by this "View most popular" page:
Apparently, Houstonians like pictures of cute kittens... and pictures of 10-vehicle accidents that injure pedestrians and pets and destroy property.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/22/09 10:03 PM |
A red light camera ticket nightmare
What could possibly go wrong? How about this (via KPRC-2):
Eileen Donevant did what I hope most of us would do. She took her directions from a Houston police officer motioning her through the red light.
About a week later, she got a $75 ticket for running the red light.
So what do you do?
“If an officer's directing you to go through an intersection, then yeah, you need to do so,” Lt. Kevin Gallier said.
Then why, we asked, did Donevant get a ticket?
“There are some times, just like in any other organization, where some communication can break down,” explained Gallier.
Really. That's not what we've been told. After all, someone is personally checking each and every ticket to make sure only valid tickets are mailed out.
HPD says each set of pictures snapped and the video captured by the red-light cameras is reviewed before a citation is mailed out, but the officer directing Donevant through the red light is not in the picture. He’s standing off camera to the right.
Oh. Nevermind. Personally reviewing every ticket isn't a guarantee something won't go wrong. How many tickets were mailed out that day based on the officer waving cars through the intersection? How many people just paid instead of facing the nightmare to fight the ticket?
HPD did delete Donevant’s ticket when we contacted them, but Donevant says prior to calling us she wrote letters and called the city herself with no success.
The city says the only way to appeal a red light camera ticket is to schedule a hearing downtown.
One is presumed guilty; therefore, in order to correct a municipal screw-up, one must take a day off from work or arrange for child care, drive downtown, find parking (a very fun prospect thanks to Liliana Rambo's organization), and wait to be heard.
And don't forget -- the city now wants to put a hold on vehicle registrations for those who don't pay their tickets. Super! That's running the city like a business!
Moral of the story? If you receive a red light camera ticket in error, contact local media.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/22/09 06:43 PM |
HPOU lawsuit appears to be moving forward
KPRC reports that the Houston Police Officers Union is ready to proceed with a lawsuit against Marvin Driver and Quanell X for slandering Houston Police Officers. The lawsuit could be filed next week according to the article. This will be the first time I know of that Quanell's posturing will have landed him in court on the receiving end of a lawsuit. The HPOU also sent a letter to District Attorney Pat Lykos asking for an investigation of Mr. Driver for false reporting. There is an interesting line about former DA Rosenthal's policy of not prosecuting anyone for false allegations against police officers. While Rosenthal was probably checking emails many officers lost their livelihood, lost money, and lost their reputations defending themselves against false complaints only to be cleared with scant notice in the media. It will be interesting for us to watch Quanell actually have to take responsibility for his actions for once.
Read the HPOU letter to DA Lykos here.
Posted by Jason @ 01/22/09 09:28 AM |
21 January 2009
Fun with local inauguration coverage
Every four years, it seems local news outlets go crazy with their coverage of the Presidential inauguration.
This year was probably worse than most, given the historic nature of the event. Unfortunately, the whole thing can lead to way too many good journalists struggling with way too little to say and producing... well, fare that is below the usual standards.
Here are a few such things that caught my eye:
It may have been dusk, but as thousands of Muslims gathered in places of worship around the city to pray, it felt like a momentous new dawn. (Brad Woodard, KHOU-11 News)
and
The inauguration of President Barack Obama was an event shared by the country, the world, and even by a lot of people who voted for Sen. John McCain. We just watched history play out in front of our eyes, and now it’s time to let it all sink in. This was culmination of an election cycle unlike any in U.S. history. Two years, 20 or so candidates, and a now the country has its first African American President. (Miya Shay, West University Examiner)
Please feel free to share your favorite examples of inaugural-related damage to the English language committed by local journalists in the forum. Now that it's over, we might as well have some fun with it!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/21/09 10:59 PM |
METRO officer saves woman at DC Inaugural
With a lot of negative press on the Metro Police Department I found a positive article. Metro Police Officer (yes our Harris County Metropolitan Police Department) Eliot Swainson was in Washington D.C. working with their transit police for the inauguration of President Obama. Officer Swainson heard a woman was stuck on the track as a train approached. Unable to pry her from the track, Officer Swainson pushed the woman into a crawl space as the train passed over. Afterward, the 68-year old woman was rescued and transported to the hospital with minor injuries. So, kudos to Houston Metro Officer Swainson, a Texas officer who did an outstanding job in Washington D.C.
Posted by Jason @ 01/21/09 02:56 PM |
20 January 2009
KTRK: Artsy lights over SW Freeway bridges already in disrepair
The bridges that cross Southwest Freeway do more than connect two parts of Houston.
They serve to beautify what is otherwise one UGLY stretch of concrete (and, quite often, graffiti and trash).
Unfortunately, one of the striking features of those bridges -- the unique side-mounted fiber-optic lights that once could change colors -- is striking at the moment because most of them haven't been working for quite some time.
KTRK-13's Christine Dobbyn has more details:
Karen Othon of TxDOT says the state is aware the lights are out and that some are even hanging from the bridge.
"It's not the full picture. It's not what they were intended to be," said Othon.
She adds they have been a maintenance challenge.
"It's not like we can just take a bucket truck up there on a freeway lane and replace a light bulb, it's such a specialized issue," said Othon.
The California company that made the lights claims a little maintenance every six months should keep them shining brightly. Any warranties on the lights have now expired.
Crews at the bridge on Wednesday said they were working on repairing peeling paint. TxDOT is not sure if the lights can be repaired or may now have to be replaced at taxpayers' expense.
Earlier in the story, Dobbyn notes that the original price of the lights was $275,000 (as part of the overall $100 million reconstruction project).
It would be great if someone could figure out how to get the lights back to how they are supposed to look, or just pull the things down and be done with it. At the moment, it just looks awful.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/20/09 08:10 PM |
19 January 2009
Competing MLK-Day parade groups see no need to come together
It's Martin Luther King Day, on the eve of the historic inauguration of America's first black president.
Locally, that's still no reason for two bickering groups to come together, as Jennifer Radcliffe reports for the Chronicle:
The MLK Parade Foundation will host the lone downtown event at 10 a.m. Monday, while the rival Black Heritage Society will march at noon on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Ovide Duncantell, founder of the Black Heritage Society, said he moved his parade to the south Houston neighborhood after he lost out on the sole permit for the downtown parade. He vowed to be first in line for the downtown parade in 2010.
Despite the historic nature of this year’s event, organizers of Houston’s rival MLK parades said they don’t feel compelled to unify.
We are still highly amused by Laurence Simon's unity proposal.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/19/09 08:14 AM |
18 January 2009
HIWI: Ike - The Book
Last week, the Houston It's Worth It crew announced that they're accepting submissions for a new book -- this one focusing on Hurricane Ike:
Obviously this subject is still an open wound for many of our neighbors and we don’t want to be insensitive to those who still have a long road of recovery ahead. Rather, we want to highlight the camaraderie and support brought about in the storm’s aftermath – refrigerator cookouts/recipes, extension cord jungles, and neighborhood cleanups. Tell us your stories or poems, dig up a “day ten without power” journal entry, find that song you penned by candlelight and of course, send us your photographs (even those taken on your iPhone or BlackBerry); if you made a hurricane song playlist, go ahead and send that too.
Basically, we want to present a more personal account of Hurricane Ike – from the perspective of those who lived through it, not just from The Galveston Daily News or Houston Chronicle. Thanks again for making HIWI a success, you are indeed the city’s greatest ambassadors.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 13. Submission information can be found on the HIWI website.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/18/09 05:42 PM |
16 January 2009
Chron: Borris Miles found not guilty; Defense attorney alleges conspiracy
The Chronicle's Brian Rogers reports that a jury has found former state Rep. Borris Miles not guilty of charges of deadly conduct stemming from alleged misconduct at a 2007 holiday party:
Jury foreman Forrest Peugnet said there wasn’t enough evidence to convict.
“There just wasn’t a smoking gun,” Peugnet said.
After the verdict, Miles said he was “glad the truth finally came out.”
“I went to the Toyota Center; I went to the St. Regis, but I didn’t have a gun at all,” Miles said.
He also said he would consider going back into politics if asked by his former constituents.
In closing arguments, Hardin said leading members of Houston’s African-American business community had orchestrated a campaign to unseat Miles and ruin his insurance business by lying about what happened.
“These people, who had an incredible motive to lie, did in fact, lie to you,” said Hardin. “What’s happening here is a disgrace.”
Prosecutors said that believing all of the witnesses conspired is ridiculous.
“Do you think all of these people want to come down here and talk about this?” Assistant District Attorney Jon Stephenson asked jurors.
“Of course not. It’s ridiculous.”
Voters apparently thought there was some merit to the story. Perhaps Miles should have Rusty Hardin run his next campaign! Hardin can be a persuasive fellow.
So the next question is: Did Miles' accusers conspire to smear an innocent man for personal and political reasons, and will the appropriate authorities pursue that possibility with as much energy as they pursued this case?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/16/09 10:19 AM |
15 January 2009
Optimism abounds for Dynamo stadium deal
The Chron's Liz Austin Peterson says officials from the city, the county, and the Dynamo are moving closer to a deal:
Houston Mayor Bill White asked the county in July to contribute $10 million to the project by joining the city’s East Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, which includes the stadium’s proposed site.
Harris County Commissioners El Franco Lee and Sylvia Garcia tentatively agreed late last month to join the project as long as the city agreed to conditions including restricting the use of county money to building the public amenities and infrastructure serving the stadium, rather than the physical structure itself. That could include water and sewer lines for the stadium, or the parking lots and tree-lined plazas surrounding it.
Other conditions include guarantees that Texas Southern University will be allowed to play home games at the stadium and that 15 percent of the seats never will be sold for more than the average price of a movie ticket. The county also wants Dynamo to be held responsible for all facility upkeep and proposes the team fund such repairs through a monthly fee in addition to the lease.
Dynamo president and general manager Oliver Luck said the team is amenable to working with the county on the conditions that involve its operations.
White spokesman Frank Michel said the city is reasonably optimistic it will be able to reach an agreement with the county.
And then there's this:
Dynamo co-owner Anschutz Entertainment Group is willing to invest $60 million to build the $85 million stadium, Luck said, with the rest coming from federal tax credits and other sources.
The city's $20 million land purchase for the stadium doesn't appear to be included in those numbers.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/15/09 04:59 AM |
14 January 2009
Chief BARC vet neglected to mention suspension of license
The Chronicle's Bill Murphy reports the latest unflattering news regarding BARC:
The chief veterinarian at the Houston animal pound had her license suspended in New Jersey and was placed on probation for three years after a veterinary board in 2004 found that she had provided substandard care to three dogs.
Eunice Ohashiegbula-Iwunze didn’t note the New Jersey suspension on her application for the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care job in 2007 and omitted it from her application for the top post at BARC several months ago — though the applications may not have required such information.
Animal welfare advocates, who uncovered the information about the veterinarian, called on the city to fire her.
“The city should not have hired Doctor O, and she should not remain on staff at BARC,” said Kelly Cripe, an activist who served on an animal task force created by Mayor Bill White in 2005. “Animal owners in Houston need to understand that if their animal goes missing, it is one truck ride from BARC. You wouldn’t take your animal to a vet in private practice with this track record, and you shouldn’t have to at BARC.”
Michael Terraso, who has oversight of BARC as assistant director of the city health and human services department, said that as far he knows, the city did not learn of Ohashiegbula-Iwunze’s suspension until Monday.
As Cory Crow notes, creative résumé manipulation is just another component of The Houston Way.
BARC frequently draws (deserved) criticism from animal rescue groups, but neither the organization nor its general approach ever seems to interest city leaders for long (not even those who fancy themselves "quality of life" leaders). Even the Chronicle editorial board today criticized "city officials" in relation to BARC. It's rare for the current administration to lose Mrs. White, about as rare as a timely editorial from the same!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/14/09 08:30 AM |
12 January 2009
Queen Sheila: Economic stimulas must come to Houston!
KRIV-26's Isiah Carey describes a Sheila Jackson Lee press conference that was delayed today, due to a spelling glitch.
It's good to know that even in tough economic times, we can count on Queen Sheila for a laugh.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/12/09 10:42 PM |
The latest METRO Solution: A pretty brochure
The Chronicle's Rosanna Ruiz reports that METRO has responded to the facts that it still can't reach agreement with its preferred rail construction partner and still can't actually finance its rail expansion by... creating a fancy brochure (!):
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County went as far as creating a nine-page color brochure that promised that construction could begin within 90 days on North and Southeast light rail lines with a $410 million infusion.
Moving that quickly — and simultaneously — on two light-rail lines may seem farfetched considering that Metro's track record includes completing only a single, 7-mile rail system.
Also, Metro has thus far been unable to reach a final contract agreement with Parsons Transportation Group, the firm it announced in April would build its rail lines.
Here is an excerpt from a fun comment on the story:
Houston Transit seems to have it's [sic] hands out for $400 million for new light rail. If, Houston Transit got the $400 million, what would be the "remaining cost" the five new alignments -- $3 billion or 4.5 to 5 billion? Ans: 4.5 bil - 5 billion more.
(Houston's 50%, need to be borrow all of it: $2.5 bil)
Where is the brochure showing Houston total Light rail construction costs that would include future Debt Service and Operating Costs. I hope the new rail brochure shows all the "new" rail crossing rail in downtown --the new bridges or tunnels over or under Main Street.
The brochure should also show Metro's current "lousy" bus service declining by 20% more, due to increased light rail operating and debt costs. Maybe the brochure should show the City of Houston's additional Stimulus request for $175 million to build road and bridges for Metro's Intermodal Terminal. (roads for a PPP Project that will be privately owned of course)
For even more fun, the brochure might also show Frank "Procurement Disaster" Wilson (unethically) negotiating his next gig with some contractor if/when he is unable to deliver the promised rail expansion on time or otherwise.
We're pretty sure that METRO's brochure won't show any of those things.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/12/09 10:27 PM |
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