City erred on drainage fee! (Houston, Howe: credit, tax, law)

[HookTheBrotherUp]

BA-HA-HA!! BA-HA-HA!

Parker: We erred on average drainage fee | Houston Politics | a Chron.com blog

[Hollywood Hogan]

It completely baffles me that when faced with a tax they could completely avoid paying (red light cameras) and a tax they're forced to pay (drainage fee), houstonians chose the latter.

[donhalljobs]

Umm, way to take a quote completely out of context.

"Mayor Annise Parker acknowledged Tuesday that her administration erred in telling voters that the average homeowner’s monthly Proposition 1 drainage fee would be $5. It is actually closer to $8.25, she said."

OMG, what am I going to do without my $3.25?

[Hollywood Hogan]

yeah, 65% tax hike via an error is no big deal.

[tstone]

It's still unclear whether we will still be double taxed:

Parker: Clear Lake City owners won't pay Houston drainage fee

"However, the mayor did add that the Clear Lake City Water Authority was not exempt from the fee, which could still result in the Clear Lake taxpayers paying this fee indirectly. This raises new confusion as to why the Clear Lake City Water Authority that provides drainage service to its customers in Clear Lake would have to pay a drainage fee to the City of Houston, who provides no drainage services to the Water Authority.”

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by donhalljobs

Umm, way to take a quote completely out of context.

"Mayor Annise Parker acknowledged Tuesday that her administration erred in telling voters that the average homeowner’s monthly Proposition 1 drainage fee would be $5. It is actually closer to $8.25, she said."

OMG, what am I going to do without my $3.25?

The $3.25 is just an appetizer. Nothing in the way the law was written prevents the city from raising it. What do you think they will do down the road? They are going to say just what you did "What is $X.00, the tax payers can afford it".

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Hollywood Hogan

It completely baffles me that when faced with a tax they could completely avoid paying (red light cameras) and a tax they're forced to pay (drainage fee), houstonians chose the latter.

It is voter apathy why this passed. The city hired a firm to lobby for it, and advertise it. Voters did not turn up to vote it down, so it passed. I think if you ask the voters again, they would say no to this.

The Red Light Cameras was the same way, except in reverse. Kubosh paid to advertise, and campaign against it, and they were voted out. I give the Mayor credit for allowing it to be voted on, she could have fought it. I suppose when people rally against the drainage tax, she will not be so willing to allow it to come up for a vote.