Doctor/councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is not happy that a majority on council voted to raise taxes even as Mayor White is cutting municipal health services:
THE city of Houston is raising taxes while cutting back services. One of the targets is our health department, which so many Houstonians count on for a variety of services, from animal control to immunizations to restaurant inspections.
On Oct. 26, City Council rejected a proposed new tax rate of 64.173 cents per $100 valuation. This would have maintained taxes at the 2005 level and prevented increased property taxes based on runaway appraised values. Instead, council voted to set the rate at 64.75 cents per $100 valuation, which will result in an increase in tax revenue. Just two days before, council was informed that Mayor Bill White approved cutting 18 health department positions. These two important decisions announced in one week show how homeowners’ tax bills are rising while basic services to the city’s most needy are decreasing. This is a breach of our responsibility.
