Council passes dumb forced tax cut

This is where we are.

Mayor Sylvester Turner

City Council rejected Mayor Sylvester Turner’s proposal to leave Houston’s tax rate unchanged from last year Wednesday, instead approving a tiny rate cut to comply with the voter-imposed cap on property tax revenues.

Turner had proposed using Hurricane Harvey to invoke a disaster exception clause in the 13-year-old revenue cap and leave the rate at 58.642 cents per $100 in assessed value. That plan would have let the city collect $7.8 million next year for storm recovery costs in addition to what the cap otherwise would allow, or about $7 next year for the typical homeowner.

It was the same process, Turner stressed, that his administration and former mayor Annise Parker’s administration had followed to collect funding above the revenue cap after floods in each of the last two years – actions that went unnoticed by council members and news media at the time.

The council nonetheless voted 15-2 to approve an amendment from Councilman Mike Knox to lower the rate by 0.221 cents – the rate City Controller Chris Brown had said the revenue cap dictated independent of Harvey-related expenses.

You can read the rest if you want to. I’ve said my piece, and I don’t have anything to add to that. If you need a little more, go read Mayor Turner’s response to Paul Bettencourt, which is exactly what needs to be said to that little toady.

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6 Responses to Council passes dumb forced tax cut

  1. neither here nor there says:

    All I know is that the city is asking the voters to borrow a lot of money.

    The rain tax has not been used as intended, while it is Turner’s fault he has continued using it in the same manner.

    The proper thing is to get rid of the CAP, put us in the same position as all other government entities in Harris County.

  2. Voters don’t trust Government. That is why the Rev. Cap passed. Only Progressives trust government. Remember “I am from the government and I am here to help” Very scary.

    Also using the word “TOADY” isn’t very persuasive. That is as hateful as anything you complain about. When you start demeaning the way people look it discredits every argument you make. Very shameful.

  3. Thank You For Your Honesty says:

    Let me help you out here, Mr. Kubosh:

    toad·y
    tōdē
    noun
    1.
    a person who behaves obsequiously to someone important.
    synonyms: sycophant, brown-noser, lickspittle, flatterer, flunky, lackey, trained seal, doormat, stooge, cringer

    Let me know where in that definition you find any reference to physical appearance.

  4. Anonymous poster going by the name “thank you for your honesty”. You have proven my point.

  5. Robbie Westmoreland says:

    You have a point?
    I mean, other than to score points by comparing the use of a derogatory name to a vague, unquantified and unreferenced “anything you complain about?”
    Are you sure you haven’t been indulging in a blunt?

  6. brad m says:

    Bettencourt is a hypocrite and blowhard.

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