HOUSNITCH ©
"The ultimate test of a man is not where he stands on positions of comfort and convenience but where he stands on positions of challenge and controversy. So on some questions cowardice asks, 'Is a position safe?' Expediency asks, 'Is the position politic?' Vanity asks, 'Is the position popular?' But conscience asks, 'Is the position RIGHT?'" -- Dr. Martin Luther King
HOUSNITCH P.O. Box 55423,Houston, Texas 77255
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City plans $9.3 million in budget cuts
The Brown administration announced Tuesday that it would cut spending by $9.3 million, including $2.1 million from the Houston Police Department, to make up a projected shortfall in budgeted revenue.
In addition to HPD, 13 of the remaining 15 city departments would trim their spending for the remainder of the fiscal year. Among the planned reductions are: $770,000 from the Department of Parks and Recreation, $700,000 from Finance and Administration, $600,000 from Health and Human Services, $500,000 from Public Works and Engineering, $500,000 from the Library Department, and $500,000 from Building Services.
(By MATT SCHWARTZ
Copyright 1999 Houston Chronicle )
Lets just look at how much the city has wasted....then we'll talk "shortfalls"....shall we boys & girls???
If you will look in our archives...you'll see that we have
proven over & over again how the Mayor has allowed our tax dollars to be
wasted...on first one project after another....$1 million in HOUSNITCH 2, in
HOUSNITCH 4---we showed you how Jerry King gave all Chief Engineers a $14,400
raise....times how many Chief engineers?...and without Council approval.....
HOUSNITCH 5... $944,689.16 and then another $858,000.... HOUSNITCH 7....how much
for having a full scale IAD investigation into 21 police officers & their
Captain having a water pistol shoot out at Central?...HOUSNITCH 8...we showed
you where TSC is "gouging" the city...and no one is negotiating for
the taxpayers , how we GAVE AWAY...$84,921.88 because we didn't ask a simple
question....HOUSNITCH 9 we showed you how ya have HUMPS all over the city that
most people don't want---also how a $2 million project went to being a $10
million one... and how we are just handing out contracts to design on projects
hat are 100% complete...more than a million on Mesa Road...Lord Mayor---just
Mesa Road & San Felipe...IF someone had been paying attentionyou'd have your
$9 million right there! 
There's
your money Mayor...you need to cut more than $500,000 from PW &
E.....Now---let's see where you could actually bring some money IN to the
city......
TO ASSESS or NOT TO ASSESS???
In 1933 the City of Houston passed an ordinance where
property owners were assessed a value against their property for street &
road improvements... Under Mayor Bob Lanier...those assessments were put on
"hold"...the City of Houston assessed....but didn't really
collect...except when ever a homeowner tried to sell his home did he find that
he had an assessment to pay....
Now we have hundreds of homeowners in limbo...the City owes them money or they owe the City...this administration needs to MOVE on this......to leave a property owner in limbo and tie up their assets is just plan stupid.....to have monies out there that we need to collect & not do so is just plain stupid to OWE a property owner (as interest piles up) and not pay them is just plain STUPID!!!!.....SOMEONE needs to bring this to Council....either enforce the ordinance or create another abolishing it.....
Sucks doesn't it?
WE owe property owners almost a Million dollars.....and we're THROWIN IT AWAY on contracts that shouldn't even be given contracts!!!
On just these 9 projects we could recover almost 2 million dollars.....AND WE HAVE 51 PROJECTS IN LIMBO AS OF APRIL....for a total of almost $20 million
There's your "shortfall" again Mayor......
WHY CAN'T THIS ADMINISTRATION ACT ON SOMETHING----ANY THING?????
Remember our Texas Open Records Request?
September 11, 1999
Sylvia Garcia
City of Houston Controller
Dear Sylvia:
Under the Texas Open Records Act....(T.O.R.A.)...I am requesting the following
documents which I believe are maintained or accessible to your office and in
your jurisdiction to provide.....
ANY and all rental records pertaining to the occupation of City of Houston
offices BY Consultants at 611 Walker.
IF no rental record is available----WHY NOT?
WHO gave permission for consulting companies to set up their offices inside City
of Houston property?
IS this in their Contract?
Cost in dollar amounts for using city of Houston
equipment ...i.e. copy machines...telephones.. (long
distance expenditures?)
Are the Taxpayers also footing the bill for mail charges?
Dollar amount for PCs & laptops....also are we
providing then with cellular phones and dollar amount
this costs??
Dollar amount spent on car rentals for these consultants......
Gas expenditures also...
Toll roads fees .....
Parking Fees
Companies now occupying 611 Walker (to our knowledge)....P.G.A.L.....L.A.N.............Atser.....Gilbane.....there
could be other minor consultants as well.
Under the T.O.R.A. you have 10 days to make your findings available to me, or
write to the Attorney General explaining why you cannot....and provide me with a
copy of this letter.
I remain respectfully yours,
Sincerely,
Brenda Flores
RESPONSE WAS...
So...Wes Johnson...Public Information Officer for the City
of Houston Public Works Dept says there ARE NO SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS RESPONSIVE
TO OUR REQUEST........WANNA BET BOY'S & GIRLS????
(Boy OUR snitches are good!!!)
HOW ABOUT A PHONE BILL? (we did ask for that didn't we)
Because some of the #'s are to private residences...(we
tried them)...we have covered them....but as you can see there were calls
made/taken on weekends too...but work documents as to hours worked did not show
any work being done by this person on a weekend...
I think we also asked for gas expenditures, also car
rentals....ISN'T THAT
WHAT THIS IS WES??????
AND.....WHY IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS LEGAL ARE WE PAYING HIM TO GO TO ANOTHER OFFICE IN FT. WORTH?...ARE THEY DOING JOBS FOR THE CITY OF FT. WORTH? WAS THIS INVOICE SUBMITTED TO THEIR CITY CONTROLLER TOO? ARE WE PAYING FOR ANOTHER CITY'S JOBS? WERE BOTH CITIES BILLED? THIS DOCUMENT RAISES A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR HOUSNITCH...IT SHOULD TO ANYONE ELSE ALSO.
Well, boys & girls.....what do you think? Did WES JOHNSON....Public Information Officer for the City of Houston Public Works & Engineering...tell us & legal a lie when he said there were no "responsive documents that support your request?"...or was he covering up, following orders, really not that "INFORMED" or another person in line to join the ranks of the "Stooges"? Ya'll decide.....
Last effort for this week----HOUSNITCH must remain
a-political....but we do support giving the people a voice on RAIL...check out
the following RESOLUTION---print it send it in....IF you do too!
ONE last bit of business----What do ya'll think about HOUSNITCH day at Council?....POP OFF session belongs to US....e-mail us for more details.....
Phone-1-888-Excite2
extension: 291-307-9081 to leave a message or send a fax
That's it---here's the usual sites---tell em what ya'll think...be well
