Judge Hidalgo announces $2.6 million program to fight crime in unincorporated areas of Harris County (Houston: sales, neighborhood)

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by usc619

Basically she’s saying we don’t have enough funding (ie; mismanaged money) to cover all of unincorporated Harris county, so we’ll focus on the hot spots to make the numbers look good, but in reality we’re just kicking the can down the road. Crime will find the least path of resistance.

Right. She needs to talk the county into putting up a vote to let them either incorporate into different little cities or merge with the City of Houston. There needs to be more localized policing and Hidalgo's plan is a bandaid that won't stick long.

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

Right. She needs to talk the county into putting up a vote to let them either incorporate into different little cities or merge with the City of Houston. There needs to be more localized policing and Hidalgo's plan is a bandaid that won't stick long.

There cannot be any incorporations without approval from the City of Houston, and that's not going to happen. Besides, I doubt any of the areas would vote to incorporate, because they don't want the potential of higher taxes. Look at the recent vote in The Woodlands.

I won't vote for a County tax increase for more Sheriff's deputies unless they patrol in teh City of Houston as well. If I call HCSO now for service, they will tell me to call HPD, which is ridicukous given I pay the same County taxes as someone in an unincorporated area.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by WRM20

There cannot be any incorporations without approval from the City of Houston, and that's not going to happen. Besides, I doubt any of the areas would vote to incorporate, because they don't want the potential of higher taxes. Look at the recent vote in The Woodlands.

I won't vote for a County tax increase for more Sheriff's deputies unless they patrol in teh City of Houston as well. If I call HCSO now for service, they will tell me to call HPD, which is ridicukous given I pay the same County taxes as someone in an unincorporated area.

Or perhaps they just need to merge HPD and HCSO into one county wide police agency. BTW you do know that laws can be changed or even repealed ? Maybe its time to repeal or at least ammend the law concerning ETj'S.

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Or perhaps they just need to merge HPD and HCSO into one county wide police agency. BTW you do know that laws can be changed or even repealed ? Maybe its time to repeal or at least ammend the law concerning ETj'S.

IMO they should just repeal the ETJ laws. I see no useful purpose except land grabs for future property taxation and for the various taxes they can start levying on ETJ residents before the area is even annexed. The ETJ laws really are funky and a lot of people don't understand how they can be trapped and zapped when the municipality creates/extends the ETJ.

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by escanlan

IMO they should just repeal the ETJ laws. I see no useful purpose except land grabs for future property taxation and for the various taxes they can start levying on ETJ residents before the area is even annexed. The ETJ laws really are funky and a lot of people don't understand how they can be trapped and zapped when the municipality creates/extends the ETJ.

The positive side is that Houston is not trapped like Dallas is, unable to grow or increase the tax base.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by WRM20

The positive side is that Houston is not trapped like Dallas is, unable to grow or increase the tax base.

Houston is the opposite,
The city doesn’t grow but the ETJ (tax base) keeps on growing outside of the city

You know what that means? Stealing money

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Houston is the opposite,
The city doesn’t grow but the ETJ (tax base) keeps on growing outside of the city

You know what that means? Stealing money

Fine by me. With the stupid revenue cap on property taxes, the City can use all the help it can get.

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by WRM20

Fine by me. With the stupid revenue cap on property taxes, the City can use all the help it can get.

Houston is not unlike any other city in that they need to learn fiscal responsibility instead of constantly taxing, taxing, taxing. The property taxes are already way to high as it is. IMO the caps should be way lower and that can help our Gubberments learn to properly manage what they have.

[GreenBouy]

As long as the DA and judges keep letting the criminals out with slap on the wrist, this program is a waste of time and money.

[NigerianNightmare]

Originally Posted by WRM20

The positive side is that Houston is not trapped like Dallas is, unable to grow or increase the tax base.

Dallas is physically one of the biggest cities in the U.S calling it trapped, is an overstatement. New York is only 60 miles bigger. Not to mention Staten Island is roughly 60 square miles, and is basically the opposite of the rest of the city.

Dallas is neither struggling, as a city and in fact most metrics show it and Houston as very similar cities. Houston doesn't annex actual neighborhoods anymore. By leaving a growing 2 million in Harris, and 100,000-200,000 in Southern Montgomery, not to mention over 300,000 in Northern Fort Bend in limbo; Houston's doing itself a disservice. If the Harris County areas continue their streak, it won't just be unincorporated Harris County is dangerous. But it will become a narrative of don't move to Houston, it's under-policed. Don't move to Houston, middle class neighborhoods can't keep their value. Don't move to Houston, it's ugly and unorganized.

Dallas grew- 8.9% this decade ("landlocked", Dallas). Not to mention the growth in cities like Boston, Washington D.C, NYC (3x as many people moved to NYC as Houston city). roughly 107,000.

Houston grew- 9.8%
roughly 205,000.

San Antonio- 8.0%, The city most similar to Houston: 107,000 people. It passed, Dallas up now it can't even grow as fast as it. It's estimates were off by over 110,000 people, it grew half of what it was, while being on the forefront of suburban development on 3 sides (S/E/W).

Fort Worth grew- 24%, more than any major city in Texas. It grew 177,000.

Austin grew- 21.7%, it gained 172,000 people.

As you can see what Dallas is doing in less than half the land. Fort Worth which has Arlington in the same County, and is roughly as crowded out but smaller than Houston is doing more per capita to bring in residents. Houston and San Antonio even with their ginormous size are just as dangerous as Dallas and just as poor as Dallas.