KUHF’s Jim Bell checks in on Houston’s Public Parking Commission, which held its first meeting on Thursday. Already, the new entity seems to be focusing on ways to enhance its powers and decrease its accountability:
As constituted now, the Parking Commission has no authority to adopt rules or ordinances. It’s just an advisory board, but [Commission Chairman Marvin] Katz says City Council is taking steps to change that.
“They are now working on certain drafts of modifications to the ordinances, that would perhaps give this commission certain authority, in the same manner that the planning commission has the authority to approve or disapprove plattes, City Council cannot second guess what the Planning Commission does. And I think the idea is to make certain things fall within the purview of this committee. (Q: But as things are now you’re just an advisory group?) That is absolutely correct.”
The 15 member Parking Commission is made up of people from the general public, city departments, and other agencies with some degree of control over public parking — Planning and Development, Public Works and Engineering, Conventions and Entertainment, Metro and Harris County Commissioners Court.
Isn’t it nice when chairmen of quasi-governmental bodies decide that it’s second-guessing for the elected officials of the city to exercise their powers instead of delegating them to entities that are not directly accountable to voters?
It’s only a matter of time before this body acquires greater powers — perhaps eminent domain powers — and finds a way to insulate its decisions from Council.
PREVIOUSLY: Parking Commission archives.
