We hope everyone enjoyed the Easter weekend… we certainly did. Time to catch up:
- Appeals court upholds higher water rates for Houston – Mike Morris, Houston Chronicle
Prior to adopting the new rates, the utility system was projecting $100 million annual deficits. City Finance Director Kelly Dowe has said the higher rates have improved the system’s finances and allowed $8 million in debt service on utility projects to be paid next year from utility revenues rather the general fund, where those costs now are covered.
That move helped drop the city’s deficit for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1, to a projected $80 million, he said.
- Metro ridership lags despite pricy gas – Chron Houston Politics
It’s not that hard to figure out why. Cory Crow and Tom Kirkendall do a nice job elaborating below (Memo to METRO’s expensive “big brother” media monitors who read BH: YOU NEED TO INCLUDE THE TWO POSTS BELOW IN YOUR NEXT MONTHLY ROUNDUP) - Market needs… and METRO – Harris County Almanac
- Expensive Toy Trains – Houston's Clear Thinkers
- Sources: HPD to cut 181 cops, 445 civilians -KHOU-11 News
HPD is already short on cops. Mayor Parker needs to approach this differently. - HPD chief holds out hope he won't have to lay off 181 officers – James Pinkerton, Houston Chronicle
So does the public. - Cutting Houston PD budget safely means changing unproductive police polices – Grits for Breakfast
- The Public Safety Fee – Camposcommunications’s Blog
- City appeals records request for investigation docs into Houston City Councilman Stephen Costello, who was cleared of any wrongdoing or conflict of interest – Steve Miller, Texas Watchdog
- Mr. Casey Goes to Jury Duty – Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center:
- With traffic cameras gone, red light violations skyrocket, provider says – Steven Thomson, Culture Map
What else would ATS be saying? Not news. - "Amadeus" at the Alley – Unca Darrell
- Jeff Smisek: United Continental's king of the skies – Geoff Colvin, Fortune
- Renu Khator: The TT Interview – Texas Tribune
