City Controller Annise Parker has announced an audit of the SAFEclear program:
“I had planned on waiting to begin our audit until Safe Clear had been in existence for a little longer, but there are just too many questions about the true cost of the program,” said Controller Parker. “I have heard reports of wrecker drivers not getting paid. I have also listened to frustrated council members who have been unsuccessful in obtaining financial information about the program. They want answers.”
Auditors will review revenues and expenses to determine the cost of the program from its inception through May 31, 2005. A complete performance audit is planned for the future.
Initially, Safe Clear was supposed to be revenue neutral or possibly even make a little money for the city. Due to numerous revisions since implementation, it is now unclear how much the program will cost. In April, a mayor’s representative placed the annual cost on the high end of a range of $600,000 to $900,000, with about $450,000 of the funding coming from the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Recently there have been estimates that place the cost at a million dollars or more.
Since the city took in roughly a million dollars in fees from tow truck companies for the program, it sounds like it’s finally almost revenue neutral (instead of a revenue stream for the city). Still, the more scrutiny the city controller would like to give the program, the better. We’re sure Mayor White and his council will agree that transparency in government is a very good thing.
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE (06-03-2005): Doug Miller (KHOU-11), Miya Shay (KTRK-13).
