Chron: Population growth could alter METRO Board composition (update)
Chron.com posts an interesting story by Chris Moran that first appeared in Sunday print editions of the newspaper. Here's a brief excerpt:
The Metropolitan Transit Authority, struggling to build light rail lines through Houston's urban core, could face the prospect of predominantly suburban leadership as a result of new census figures later this year.
The city of Houston could lose its majority control of the Metro board if the 2010 Census shows that population in the part of Metro's service area outside the city limits has grown enough to trigger a provision in state law that calls for adding two seats to the Metro board (Chris Moran, Population growth could shift METRO control to suburbs, Houston Chronicle).
The inner-loop-urban-rail Houtopians must have nearly choked on their frittatas Sunday morning reading the ominous news that Houston's mayor might lose some influence over METRO (to the dreaded suburbs)!
In reality, such a shift in power may not emerge for quite some time (if ever). Even if the census numbers support the additional board members, the largest single bloc of members will still be appointed by the Mayor of Houston. On some issues, the story's so-called "suburban" bloc might well find common ground, but in general the Mayor's bloc will probably still move most policy as per the Mayor's vision.
Now, if a reconfigured METRO board actually saw its members elected...
UPDATE (01/16/2011): The Chron has issued a lengthy correction to the original story:
Correction: A story on page B1 of Sunday's Houston Chronicle incorrectly stated the manner of appointment of new board members if the Metropolitan Transit Authority board were to expand from nine to 11 members as a result of the federal census. The Texas Transportation Code calls for one new member to be appointed by Commissioners Court and an 11th member, who would be the chairman, to be appointed by a majority of the 10 other members.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/03/11 07:38 AM | Print |
Previous Entry | Home | Next Entry
ADVERTISING
DISCLAIMER
All content © 2004-09, blogHOUSTON and the respective authors.
blogHOUSTON.net is powered by Nucleus.
Site design and Nucleus customization are by Kevin Whited.