Posted on 08/09/2006 6:54:56 AM PDT by weegee
White further defines Prop 2 changes
He wants to exempt funds for public safety from the revenue cap
Mayor Bill White released new details Tuesday about his proposed changes to a 2004 charter provision that capped all city revenue, saying he would amend it to exempt funds for public safety.
White has already said he wanted to generally limit the cap, known as Proposition 2, to apply only to revenues collected into the city's general fund.
That fund gets most of its money from property and sales taxes, and it supports basic city services like police, firefighting, parks and libraries.
He would strip the cap from the city's "enterprise funds." Those are the Houston airports, its convention center and its water and sewer system, which generate their own revenue like a business.
White has said that including the enterprise funds was "bizarre," because a healthy growth in business at Bush Intercontinental Airport could require the city to reduce funds coming into the general fund for basic city services.
White went further Tuesday, saying police and firefighting budgets needed more flexibility and should not be held to Prop 2's restriction of inflation plus population growth.
Prop 2 supporters, aiming to limit the size of local government, called it an outrage.
"Really, he's just trying to disembowel all the protections that have been put in place by the voters," said Bruce Hotze, a local business executive who successfully sued to get the city to recognize Proposition 2.
The City Council is expected to consider White's proposal today. It would require voter approval in November, just as Prop 2 was passed two years ago.
White in 2004 supported a separate cap, known as Proposition 1, which set revenue growth limits only for property taxes and more loosely for water rates.
He said Tuesday that cap would remain intact.
Hotze called on White to remove the Houston Airport System from city control, creating an authority like that over Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
The council must approve the mayor's proposed changes by Aug. 28 for them to go on the ballot in November.
And at the same time they are claiming that the voter approval for rail on Westpark REALLY approved rail on Richmond.
Why didn't ANYONE run against this chump? I blame the local GOP for not venturing a candidate.
At least THIS change would require voter approval. But what of that other cap that voters approved?
Houston PING
This mayor's a schmuck. Lost all respect for him after he allowed Ted Koppel to manhandle him during Katrina. Now his darling daughter is parsing the meaning of "is" to try and beat her DUI rap. But hey we need traffic cameras and automatic towing for the rest of the rabble to meet the mayor's goal of eliminating all risk in driving.
Didn't Orlando Sanchez run?
Pat Gray found it interesting that Mrs. White was able to tell from a video that young Elena wasn't drunk, and the arresting officers who actually saw her and took her in were wrong.
can i get in on that Houston ping list? thanks!
He somehow got credit for effectively handling Katrina and Rita. We are still paying for Katrina here in higher crime, and the Rita "evacuation" was a disaster.
I guess following Lee "Outta Town" Brown into office would make anybody look good.
Not in 2005. I ended up having to vote for Ralph Urlich (of the Flush City Hall campaign).
Republicans decided to sit it out and let term limits take their toll.
We keep getting stuck with Bob Lanier's handpicked successors, and they've been members of the Clinton Administration.
Look at the Houston Comical's Houston articles today. They are all kinds of shootings (prostitution, car jacking, serial killer...). I know 5 people who've been carjacked in 3 years (only 1 post Katrina) and a friend got shot in a drive by downtown last month. Violent crime is rising and the police are going after traffic fines.
http://www.chron.com/news/houston/
I've heard a rumor that he'll run for Senate when he's done.
This city's never escaped the grip of the old paving road money/suburban land holder's money. It's been that way since Whitmire left. Whitmire was a joke but at leat independent in her outlook. Everyone since has been in the back pocket of old money. Lanier/Lanier with a crosseyed mask Brown/Lanier with a goofy grin mask White.
Look at how the state Republicans are reacting to statewide tax relief. Look at how they handled Tom Delay.
Do they even look at the platform?
IMHO, this is so apparent that spending caps will never mean anything if the city government is allowed to move everything out of the general fund.
Politicians and high ranking government officials get the worst cases of hyperventilation and hemorrhoids if even the thought of fiscal responsibility appears on the horizon.
Do some research on the unrelenting continued push by politicians to circumnavigate the state of Colorado's constitutional requirement that government growth and spending cannot for any reason (basically) out pace the actual growth of the state's economy with inflation tied in too.
Hate to break it to White, but he's got illusions of grandeur if he thinks Texas will be electing a democRAT as a U.S. Senator.
I have seen no evidence that they do. There is obviously a major disconnect between the "party faithful" and the stooges we've elected.
Thanks Xena...I was about to post that...
I wasn't going to rub yer nose in it "weegee"...It took me a second to recall who did runs for it for the Republican ticket...
BTW, y'all need to remember Orlando's running for the treasurer's office in November...
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