House election rivals agree on $2.5B flood infrastructure bond

Culberson, Fletcher facing off in district swamped by Harvey

U.S. Rep. John Culberson and his challenger, Lizzie Fletcher, found rare common ground on Wednesday as both endorsed Harris County’s proposed $2.5 billion flood infrastructure bond proposal.

Culberson said he can match every local dollar Harris County puts toward flood recovery

“It takes money. We all have to recognize that. There’s no flood control fairy that’s going to come down and build these projects.” Harris County Judge Ed Emmett

with up to three federal dollars, ensuring the county would have access to additional flood mitigation funds it would not have to repay.

“I support that bond proposal, because that will increase the amount of money Harris County can put on the table, which allows me, as the appropriator, to put more federal dollars into the projects,” Culberson said.

Fletcher, his Democratic opponent, said the bond is critical to addressing the county’s chronic flooding problem.

“We saw as recently as last week how essential these investments in projects are to our community as Independence Day became another flood day in Houston,” she said in a statement. Flood mitigation is a campaign issue in the 7th Congressional District, which includes communities that were severely damaged by Harvey, including Addicks, Barker, Cypress and Meyerland. Culberson, who has represented the Seventh since 2001, faces a tough re-election bid. Though a Democrat has not held that seat since 1967, the Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.

Flanked by Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and Russ Poppe, head of the county’s flood control district, Culberson made his pitch from the lower level of the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center in Meyerland, which was swamped by about eight feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.

The nine-term Republican touted $5 billion in federal aid he helped steer to southeast Texas, which he said is enough to fund every federally authorized flood control project in Harris County. Most of that appropriation, $3.9 billion, will be used to shore up 57 miles of coastal levees in Port Arthur, Freeport and Orange County. It also funds federal projects in the Houston area, including $75 million for Brays Bayou, $65 million for Hunting Bayou and $45 million for White Oak Bayou.

Culberson said the federal funds also will be used to study the feasibility of a third reservoir in northwest Harris County, which he believes will be necessary. He pledged to keep a close eye on the money to ensure projects are not hampered by funding delays.

The proposed bond will go before voters on Aug. 25, the one-year anniversary of Harvey. Emmett said that from his conversations with residents at a series of meetings about the bond, he believes it has wide public support.

He estimated $700 to $900 million of the bond proposal would be used to secure federal matching funds, and urged skeptical Harris County residents to understand that investing in flood protection is a necessity.

“It takes money. We all have to recognize that,” Emmett said. “There’s no flood control fairy that’s going to come down and build these projects.”

The judge noted that the county’s flood infrastructure today is weaker than when Harvey hit, owing to the damage that storm wrought.

Godofredo A. Vasquez / Houston Chronicle Construction workers repair a sinkhole Monday on South Post Oak Road near Gasmer Drive. Erin Jones, a spokeswoman for the city’s public works department, said a sanitary sewer line broke and caused the dirt and street to cave in.

U.S. Rep. John Culberson and House hopeful Lizzie Fletcher.

Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle Water is released from the Barker Reservoir in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in August. Some voters flooded by the releases live in the 7th Congressional District, where the November race for the House seat is considered a toss-up.