It was very good for Houston, and Whitmire did well getting some of the wasted money that goes to Metro. Metro is a failure, as the ridership could be better. For years, I used Metro Park and Ride; most of the riders were from outside the area that pays the sales tax that funds Metro. Why are city residents subsidizing the suburb riders who work in Houston?
According to the article, the money will free up some HPD funds that can be utilized elsewhere within HPD.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority took over the Houston Police Department’s $25 million traffic enforcement budget, according to a financial update received at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Melissa Dubowski, Houston’s Finance Director, informed the Houston City Council in a routine financial update that METRO will pay $25 million for the Houston Police Department’s traffic enforcement budget. Traffic enforcement is generally a division of the city’s police department and works to curtail unsafe or illegal driving practices.
“That’s our whole traffic enforce- That’s not -That’s our whole traffic enforcement budget?” she asked, appearing perplexed about the sum. Dubowski replied in the affirmative when Alcorn chuckled, “So METRO is taking over our whole traffic enforcement budget?”