A call for cuts, but additions, too

As reported in the Chronicle

By CAROLYN FEIBEL HOUSTON CHRONICLE
June 10, 2009, 9:27PM

Houston City Council pushed back in the budget process on Wednesday, offering 87 amendments to Mayor Bill White’s proposed $4 billion spending plan.

“This year was a tough year because of general economic conditions,” said Councilman M.J. Khan.

Still, council members offered even more amendments than last year, calling for additional spending for neighborhood inspections, after-school programs and demolition of abandoned buildings.

Yet some of the amendments reflected fiscal difficulties facing the city. Councilwoman Anne Clutterbuck offered a series of policy amendments that would force the city to eliminate vacant positions, freeing up cash. She also called for a review of city-owned golf courses and the closure of under-performing courses, if necessary. Council members Khan and Peter Brown also asked for the city to focus on hiring practices.

White’s budget calls for the city to increase spending by one-half of 1 percent. The property tax rate would remain the same — the first time the mayor did not cut the rate since coming into office in 2004. Some of the spending in fiscal year 2010 would be funded by drawing down cash reserves by almost 25 percent. The council is expected to vote on the budget Wednesday.

This year’s priority
Last year, public safety spending was a big priority. This year, neighborhood protection was emphasized in amendments from seven council members. Several said dilapidated, abandoned buildings were not being torn down quickly enough. Members also said the legal department needed more help in cracking down on sexually oriented businesses, deed restriction violations and other local nuisances.

Councilwoman Pam Holm did not offer any amendments. “Our job is either to adopt or not adopt the presented budget,” said Holm, who is running for city controller in November.

“This amendment process is usually a fruitless effort and comes too late in the game,” she said. She said she had already spoken with White about her wish to reduce expenses.

Councilman Mike Sullivan, who represents the suburban areas of Kingwood and Clear Lake, offered 28 budget amendments. Last year he also submitted the most amendments: 15.

Sullivan’s amendments, if implemented, could cost millions of dollars. He asked for more firefighters, generators and drainage work, among other things — specifically targeting his requests to areas within his district.

White said that his policy was not to support “district specific” amendments.

Council members also had some competition this year from municipal employees.

The municipal union surveyed its membership and asked for grass-roots suggestions for cost cuts and revenue generation. One idea was to ramp up enforcement of the trash bin ordinance. Owners of large Dumpsters must pay the city $85 per year, and the union suggested that better tracking of unregistered trash bins could bring in up to $10 million.

White said some of the workers’ ideas had already been considered by the administration, but he called the survey an “excellent exercise.”