The City of Houston bought itself some time in dealing with a judge’s SAFEclear-killing ruling by saying it needs to focus on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina:
At the city’s request, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt delayed the ruling until November. The move gives the city time to determine whether to change the program to comply with his order or pursue an appeal.
Hoyt ruled Aug. 31 that the city can’t give towing companies exclusive contracts to remove cars from Houston freeways or to regulate the fees charged to motorists who consent to long-distance tows.
The ruling came in a lawsuit filed in February by the Houston Professional Towing Association and three local operators who did not receive exclusive contracts.
The city argued in a court document that, without a delay, the ruling would cause confusion for the city, towing companies and the public at a time when resources are stretched thin as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
The stay, issued late Tuesday, doesn’t affect the underlying conclusions in the ruling. A meeting on how to deal with the ruling is planned today, City Attorney Arturo Michel said.
Of course the city is extremely busy with Katrina evacuees, but what I find interesting is that when SAFEclear was implemented there was no grace period for drivers on Houston freeways, despite the confusion and hardship the draconian program caused.
RELATED: blogHOUSTON’s SAFEclear archives
