The Houston Chronicle is advocating for a tax increase on Houston’s residents. It may be nice not to have to worry about how much groceries cost or what happens if someone hits your car, and you only have liability insurance with no way to repair the vehicle, as there is no extra money. The Chronicle editorial board needs to leave its ivory castle and walk among those who have to worry about every penny they earn as they try to make ends meet. Renters could be the most severely affected, as the property owner will likely raise their rent. They don’t receive those homestead and elderly exemptions that many of us do.
As I talk to people in my neighborhood, many are now only working a few days a week. They make ends meet by combining all the money that all family members earn, and even then, some still wait in line for groceries that are handed out.
I voted for Chris Hollins, but the chart comparing other cities with Houston is misleading, as he does not include the Rain Tax, which raises hundreds of millions of dollars that were supposed to be used for flooding, streets, and infrastructure. However, from the outset, Annise Parker allocated a significant portion of that money to pay city employees. Turner continued doing it, and Whitmire certainly has, thus the lawsuit that the City lost.
A very long time ago, our sewage rate was increased dramatically. That money was intended to be used for repairing and maintaining the proper condition of our sewage lines and treatment plants.
I have no idea what an average water bill is in Houston, but I can look at my water bill and I will find;
The sewer charge is the most significant part of the bill. A few years back, four, I think, my average water bill was about $80; now the average water bill is $200. Where does all that money go? The rate of water has increased significantly over the past few years. The $9.86 is the Rain Tax.
Due to my age, I no longer worry about the property taxes, but my memory still recalls when I had to set aside money every month to ensure that the funds for those taxes were available. One of my neighbors lost his house when the economy went south, and he did not manage to squirrel away sufficient funds to pay the property taxes. The last I heard from him is that he and his family now live in an apartment.
Whitmire needs to stick to his point on taxes, and honestly, the city needs to reconsider adding a garbage fee, or they may find that people who can’t afford it will do what people usually do to solve problems: they dispose of them in vacant properties or dump them into the bayous as someone or someones is doing with bodies. That has happened in the past when the city was unable to pick up the heavy trash after Hurricane Alicia.
Do you think any of the people listed below live in an area where lower-income individuals reside? I wonder how many even live in Houston.
