Under the cover of COVID, Harris County Commissioners will consider a tax increase at a special meeting today.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo conducting Monday’s special meeting.
Tax Increase: #1 on Agenda
Item #1 on the agenda says: Request by Budget Management for discussion and determination if the Court would like (1) to proceed with initial consideration of proposed property tax rates based on the July 24th Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) estimate or (2) to take no action and wait to propose rates based on the Certified Appraisal Roll expected from HCAD in late August.”
If you got a small black and white post card in the mail last week from HarrisPropertyTaxes.org, this is what it was about.
Reapportionment: #2 on Agenda
Item #2 on the agenda also promises to be a lively discussion: Request by the County Attorney for authorization to file on behalf of the County friend of the court briefs and join in existing/future litigation that challenges federal efforts to exclude non-citizens in population counts when legislative boundaries are redrawn and to further authorize the County Attorney to engage Special Counsel at no cost to the County.”
Monday Special Meeting Considered Changing Election Process
This follows on the heels of another special meeting on Monday. That meeting discussed changing the election process to bring it under the influence of politically appointed, not elected officials.
All these changes follow several decisions to replace high-level county employees with considerable experience. One for instance, was in finance.
Major changes are afoot in Harris County. And none of the mainstream media seem to have the bandwidth to cover the story.
So keep your head up.
How to View
To view archived videos of commissioners’ meetings, click here.
To view archived agendas of commissioners’ meetings, click here.
To view meetings live and in progress, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/6/2020
1073 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Hidalgo.jpg?fit=1200%2C808&ssl=18081200adminadmin2020-08-06 09:43:262020-08-06 09:43:44Harris County Commissioners to Consider Tax Increase at Special Meeting Today
Houston TranStar has upgraded its mobile app and web site in time for the 2020 Hurricane Season. They now feature more sensors and a wider area of coverage that extends throughout the Houston region. The app shows real-time traffic data and estimates areas of roadway-flooding risk during heavy rainfall.
Houston TranStar shows real-time traffic data with potential trouble spots for roadway flooding.
“Expanding the Roadway Flood Warning System’s footprint into counties adjacent to Harris allows us to warn even more people about potentially dangerous roadway flooding,” said Dinah Massie, Executive Director for Houston TranStar. “Information collected by this highly accurate technology is overlaid on the TranStar Traffic Map and mobile application. We’re warning motorists about flood risk and also helping emergency crews respond more quickly and safely during heavy rainfall.”
125,000 Users
To date, more than 125,000 people get up-to-the-minute roadway flood warning alerts using TranStar’s mobile app.
TranStar’s Roadway Flood Warning System was developed to warn motorists of streets with potentially high water so you can plan alternative routes and avoid dangerous situations.
The system uses a comprehensive network of 283 sensors to estimate areas of roadway flooding risk and can be easily accessed through the TranStar Traffic Map.
Reroute Around Trouble
With the addition of new sensors, Houston TranStar now alerts travelers to areas where roadway flooding risk is high in more places than ever before.
It helps commuters reroute transit plans around trouble spots, such as flooded roadways and underpasses. Unfortunately, many people have lost their lives driving into flood waters that weren’t visible because of darkness or heavy rain.
Increased Capacity to Monitor Water Levels
Harris County Flood Control District, the Brazoria Drainage District, the City of Sugar Land, Fort Bend County, the Galveston Drainage District, Waller County and the San Jacinto River Authority maintain sensors. The new sensors increase capacity to monitor water levels for possible local street inundation throughout TranStar’s region.
During Harvey, I relied on this system to navigate my way back into Houston from a long, vacation road trip. It works. This free app could save your car and your life.
Bob Rehak
In case you lose track of this story, you can always find the TranStar links under the Governmental tab on this website’s Links page.
Unique Partnership Saves Billions of Tax Dollars
Houston TranStar is a unique partnership of the City of Houston, Harris County, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). They share resources and exchange information under one roof to manage transportation and emergencies.
This 2 minute video shows how the system works and explains how sharing resources has saved taxpayers billions of dollars. The annual cost to operate Houston TranStar in 2018 was $25.2 million. Divided into TranStar’s annual benefit of $517 million, the benefit/cost ratio is 20.5. So, for every $1 spent on Houston TranStar, the region realizes a benefit of $20.50. Since its inception 22 years ago, TranStar has saved commuters $6.5 billion in reduced traveler delays and fuel costs.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/5/2020based on a story in the Westchase Wire
1072 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Transtar-Warning-System.jpg?fit=1200%2C976&ssl=19761200adminadmin2020-08-05 12:58:262020-08-05 12:58:38TranStar Enhances Flood Warning System
The City of Houston’s Stormwater Action Team began rehabilitating a roadside ditch in Forest Cove on Monday, July 27, 2020. The project area includes Cypress Lane and Palmetto Lane. The map below shows the project limits highlighted in red.
Location of work in Forest Cove
Crews will work Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They should complete the work by November 24, weather permitting.
Scope of Work
The scope of work includes:
Regrading and re-establishing of the roadside ditches
Replacing of the culverts and resetting them to match the flow line of the ditch
Replacing the driveway where the culverts are replaced
Increasing the capacity of any culverts less than 24 inches in diameter
Removing any unpermitted culverts or other encroachments in the City Right of Way.
Impact on Traffic, Neighborhood
Construction will not impact any water or sewer services.
Expect temporary loss of driveway access, lane closures, construction noise and debris, and limited roadside parking during the project.
Flagmen and orange traffic cones will help with traffic flow through the construction zone as the project will require one lane closure. However, traffic will flow two ways at all times.
Businesses and residents will have access to driveways and sidewalks at all times, and may experience an increase in noise levels due to trucks and equipment in the area.
For More Information
For more information, please contact Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at districte@houstontx.gov.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/5/2020
1072 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Cypress-Ln-SWAT-Project.png?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=16301200adminadmin2020-08-05 10:42:212020-08-05 10:42:33City of Houston’s Stormwater Action Team Begins Ditch Rehabilitation in Forest Cove
Harris County Commissioners to Consider Tax Increase at Special Meeting Today
Under the cover of COVID, Harris County Commissioners will consider a tax increase at a special meeting today.
Tax Increase: #1 on Agenda
Item #1 on the agenda says: Request by Budget Management for discussion and determination if the Court would like (1) to proceed with initial consideration of proposed property tax rates based on the July 24th Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) estimate or (2) to take no action and wait to propose rates based on the Certified Appraisal Roll expected from HCAD in late August.”
If you got a small black and white post card in the mail last week from HarrisPropertyTaxes.org, this is what it was about.
Reapportionment: #2 on Agenda
Item #2 on the agenda also promises to be a lively discussion: Request by the County Attorney for authorization to file on behalf of the County friend of the court briefs and join in existing/future litigation that challenges federal efforts to exclude non-citizens in population counts when legislative boundaries are redrawn and to further authorize the County Attorney to engage Special Counsel at no cost to the County.”
Monday Special Meeting Considered Changing Election Process
This follows on the heels of another special meeting on Monday. That meeting discussed changing the election process to bring it under the influence of politically appointed, not elected officials.
All these changes follow several decisions to replace high-level county employees with considerable experience. One for instance, was in finance.
Major changes are afoot in Harris County. And none of the mainstream media seem to have the bandwidth to cover the story.
So keep your head up.
How to View
To view archived videos of commissioners’ meetings, click here.
To view archived agendas of commissioners’ meetings, click here.
To view meetings live and in progress, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/6/2020
1073 Days since Hurricane Harvey
TranStar Enhances Flood Warning System
Houston TranStar has upgraded its mobile app and web site in time for the 2020 Hurricane Season. They now feature more sensors and a wider area of coverage that extends throughout the Houston region. The app shows real-time traffic data and estimates areas of roadway-flooding risk during heavy rainfall.
spots for roadway flooding.
76 More Sensors Than Last Year
Developed in partnership with the Harris County Flood Control District and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute after Hurricane Harvey, TranStar’s Roadway Flood Warning System displays real-time data from 283 weather sensors, an increase of 76 sensors from 2019.
“Expanding the Roadway Flood Warning System’s footprint into counties adjacent to Harris allows us to warn even more people about potentially dangerous roadway flooding,” said Dinah Massie, Executive Director for Houston TranStar. “Information collected by this highly accurate technology is overlaid on the TranStar Traffic Map and mobile application. We’re warning motorists about flood risk and also helping emergency crews respond more quickly and safely during heavy rainfall.”
125,000 Users
To date, more than 125,000 people get up-to-the-minute roadway flood warning alerts using TranStar’s mobile app.
The system uses a comprehensive network of 283 sensors to estimate areas of roadway flooding risk and can be easily accessed through the TranStar Traffic Map.
Reroute Around Trouble
With the addition of new sensors, Houston TranStar now alerts travelers to areas where roadway flooding risk is high in more places than ever before.
It helps commuters reroute transit plans around trouble spots, such as flooded roadways and underpasses. Unfortunately, many people have lost their lives driving into flood waters that weren’t visible because of darkness or heavy rain.
Increased Capacity to Monitor Water Levels
Harris County Flood Control District, the Brazoria Drainage District, the City of Sugar Land, Fort Bend County, the Galveston Drainage District, Waller County and the San Jacinto River Authority maintain sensors. The new sensors increase capacity to monitor water levels for possible local street inundation throughout TranStar’s region.
Download the Free App
For more information on how to Travel Smart with TranStar, visit HoustonTranStar.org. Or download their Mobile App at the Google Play or Apple App store.
In case you lose track of this story, you can always find the TranStar links under the Governmental tab on this website’s Links page.
Unique Partnership Saves Billions of Tax Dollars
Houston TranStar is a unique partnership of the City of Houston, Harris County, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). They share resources and exchange information under one roof to manage transportation and emergencies.
This 2 minute video shows how the system works and explains how sharing resources has saved taxpayers billions of dollars. The annual cost to operate Houston TranStar in 2018 was $25.2 million. Divided into TranStar’s annual benefit of $517 million, the benefit/cost ratio is 20.5. So, for every $1 spent on Houston TranStar, the region realizes a benefit of $20.50. Since its inception 22 years ago, TranStar has saved commuters $6.5 billion in reduced traveler delays and fuel costs.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/5/2020 based on a story in the Westchase Wire
1072 Days after Hurricane Harvey
City of Houston’s Stormwater Action Team Begins Ditch Rehabilitation in Forest Cove
The City of Houston’s Stormwater Action Team began rehabilitating a roadside ditch in Forest Cove on Monday, July 27, 2020. The project area includes Cypress Lane and Palmetto Lane. The map below shows the project limits highlighted in red.
Crews will work Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They should complete the work by November 24, weather permitting.
Scope of Work
The scope of work includes:
Impact on Traffic, Neighborhood
Construction will not impact any water or sewer services.
Flagmen and orange traffic cones will help with traffic flow through the construction zone as the project will require one lane closure. However, traffic will flow two ways at all times.
Businesses and residents will have access to driveways and sidewalks at all times, and may experience an increase in noise levels due to trucks and equipment in the area.
For More Information
For more information, please contact Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s office at (832) 393-3008 or via email at districte@houstontx.gov.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/5/2020
1072 Days after Hurricane Harvey