The opportunity for Houston citizens to voice our positions on Proposition 1, the "Rain Tax" launches full scale next week with the city council district CIP meetings beginning. These meetings are conducted by each council member for their district to present community improvement plans and solicit public feedback.
See below for dates, times, locations and district map links to confirm the district both where your church is located as well as your residence. We encourage pastors to attend where your church is located because of the influence you bring, even though all our congregations are widely distributed. Also listed below are the key talking points!
City-Wide Drainage Committee Town Hall
February 14
3:00 pm
Houston City Hall, City Council Chambers, 901 Bagby, Houston, TX
District E – Mike Sullivan (CLEAR LAKE)
February 14
6-8 pm
J. Frank Dobie High School (10220 Blackhawk, Houston, TX)
District D – Wanda Adams
February 15
6-8 pm
Judson Robinson Jr. Community Center (2020 Herman Dr. Houston, TX)
District I – James Rodriguez
February 16
6-8 pm
E.B. Cape Center (4501 Leeland, Houston, TX)
District E – Mike Sullivan (KINGWOOD)
February 21
6-8 pm
Woodridge Baptist Church (5707 Kingwood Drive, Houston, TX)
District H – Ed Gonzalez
February 22
6-8 pm
Jefferson Davis High School (1101 Quitman St, Houston, TX)
District G – Oliver Pennington
February 23
6-8 pm
Tracy Gee Community Center (3599 Westcenter Drive, Houston, TX)
District B – Jarvis Johnson
February 24
6-8 pm
Kashmere Multi-Service Center (4802 Lockwood, Houston, TX)
District A – Brenda Stardig
February 28
6-8 pm
Spring Woods High School, Mini Auditorium (2045 Gessner, Houston, TX)
District C – Anne Clutterbuck
March 1
6-8 pm
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School (6802 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, TX)
District F – Al Hoang
March 9
6-8 pm
Sharpstown Park Community Center (6600 Harbor Town, Houston TX)
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KEY TALKING POINTS:
Proposition 1 was UNNECESSARY.
Houston city revenues have grown from $600 million in 1992 to projected $1.8 billion in 2011; a 300% increase in TWENTY YEARS. Houston does not have a money problem it has a spending and fiscal accountability problem! The city should be responsible with existing revenues before asking for massive new increases!
Proposition 1 was DECEPTIVE
The ballot language was so vague as to clearly mislead voters; many if not most citizens who cast “For” votes did not know they were adopting a massive new tax on every property in the city. Deception in elections destroys democracy. It passed by a margin of only 6264 votes out of 333,396 cast (50.94%)- even with the deception! The people did NOT speak!
Proposition 1/Rebuild Houston WILL DEVASTATE struggling families, churches, schools, non-profits and small businesses.
The proposed minimum fee of $1415 per acre of impervious property will add up to tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for churches, schools, non-profits, shopping malls, auto dealers and thousands of other businesses. It would add up to SEVEN layers of new taxation on Houston families.
Proposition 1 shatters the historic barrier of NOT TAXING CHURCHES, SCHOOLS and CHARITABLE organizations for the immeasurable and irreplaceable value they provide to society.
This is the proverbial camel’s nose, head and humps in the tent for multiple taxing jurisdictions to jump on the band wagon of siphoning precious dollars from these vital institutions serving critical needs AT NO COST TO THE CITY.
Proposition 1 authorized a FUND not FEES
The only specific action in the ballot language authorizes a “pay-as-you-go fund” with NO mention of a fee/tax or a minimum of $125 million—which may actually be $400 million annually. The mayor’s estimates have already DOUBLED the “five dollars per household” marketing scheme used in the campaign to ten dollars BEFORE implementation.
Proposition 1 was sponsored, promoted and funded BY THOSE WHO WILL PROFIT in the billions of dollars by its passage.
The city council member who led the effort was supported by the major engineering firms and contractors behind the multi-million dollar campaign who will directly reap hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from it. We used to call this type of profiteering scheme bilking the taxpayers, “graft”.
