County official floats tax hike for flood control
Harris county’s four commissioners said Wednesday they could support either a property tax increase or reallocation of funds in the county budget to better fund flood-control projects after a series of storms and floods this spring destroyed property and claimed the lives of more than a dozen people.
On a conservative county court dominated by Republicans, the sentiment for more spending comes as the public is increasingly wary of damage wrought by the floods.
Anger has been growing in neighborhoods where civic leaders say flood-control efforts have not kept pace with development, and attorneys representing one neighborhood have gone so far as to sue the city.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack said he would support a tax increase if there were a concrete plan on what to do with the extra revenue, and Gene Locke of Precinct 1 said through a spokeswoman he could
likely get behind such a measure but also would want the federal government to help pay more for flood-control projects.
The two other commissioners — Jack Cagle in Precinct 4 and Jack Morman in Precinct 2 — said they would not support increasing the tax rate but could support reallocating funds to tackle flooding problems.
County Judge Ed Emmett said through a spokesman he would not weigh in before a specific proposal was on the table.
‘The way it is’
The discussion about a possible property tax rate increase was sparked by comments Radack made at a recent meeting with a civic group in Cypress, which was hard-hit by flooding.
“I will tell you right now, I will vote for a tax increase for the Harris County Flood Control District,” Radack said to dozens in the audience, noting that he’s the only commissioner on court who has ever voted for a property tax increase. “But I’m one person. I’m not criticizing my colleagues. I’m just telling you this. That’s the way it is.”
On Wednesday, Radack qualified his position somewhat saying he would want to see a list of projects vetted by the public and by county government and would want to involve the city of Houston and the federal government in helping fund the projects.
He said he would want to have county voters weigh in on a potential bond issue that outlined that list of projects.
“I would support a tax increase for flood control; I would support it,” he said. “Now bear in mind, you don’t just have a tax increase without a plan.”
The Harris County Flood Control District receives about $160 million each year, with roughly $40 million tied to previous debt service and another $60 million for maintenance and operations, said county budget officer Bill Jackson.
That leaves about $60 million each year for new capital projects. But the amount recommended for several recent years has been something close to $200 million, said Mike Talbott, the district’s executive director.
“How do you prioritize and how do you get the funding to be all things to all people?” Talbott said.
The tax rate for the floodcontrol district is about 4 cents per $100 of assessed property value, Jackson said. That includes the amount designated for the flood-control district — 2.7 cents per $100 — as well as a chunk that’s used by the county to pay down debt.
The flood-control district’s property tax rate can be raised by commissioners to no more than 30 cents per $100, Jackson said.
Morman was adamant he would not support an overall tax increase to solve the problem.
“I’m a homeowner; most of my constituents are homeowners. We already pay enough property taxes,” Morman said. “It’s kind of like enough is enough at some point.”
Locke said he could support a tax rate increase, though he would need to see the plans and would want the federal government to help pay for more floodcontrol projects, spokeswoman Mary Benton said.
Cagle said he would not support a tax increase but would support reallocating funds toward flood control from the county’s public hospital district. In the past, they had been reallocated toward the hospital district and away from flood control, he said.
Comments criticized
Radack, a Republican and 28-year veteran of the county commissioners court, also stirred controversy by saying last week some flood victims may have liked being flooded.
“There are some people, frankly, over the years, many years I’ve been doing this, that frankly enjoy floods,” he told the audience. “They like to see a flood about every seven years because they want new cars, they want their homes redone.”
Residents, including many flood victims, took to social media criticizing Radack’s comments.
Radack said Wednesday his comment was “misinterpreted” and that he was describing how some people take advantage of federal aid and insurance payouts, filing fraudulent claims and possibly causing flood insurance rates to increase.
“I resent that for the people who really need the money and deserve the money,” he said.
mihir.zaver@chron.com