7/28/2025 – State Representative Steve Toth has announced a bid to unseat U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw in next year’s Republican primary. While Crenshaw helped secure more than $120 million dollars for dredging in the Lake Houston Area after Harvey to reduce flood risk, Toth voted against bills to create a Lake Houston Dredging District THREE times in five years.
Toth claims that the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), a powerful Republican think tank, was “also against the bill.” However, a search of the TPPF website turned up no mention of any of the three bills. They included:
HB 2525 in 2021 (by former State Rep. Dan Huberty)
HB 5341 in 2023 (by current State Rep. Charles Cunningham)
HB 1532 in 2025 (also by Cunningham)
I searched the TPPF website for each of the bill numbers (with and without spaces and hyphens). I also searched it for key words such as “dredging” and “Lake Houston.” None of the searches turned up any mention of any of the bills. Moreover, neither of the bills’ authors could recall TPPF taking a stance for or against the bill(s), nor could their chiefs of staff.
Likewise, neither Google, nor ChatGPT, found any public records indicating that TPPF adopted a position against the creation of a Lake Houston Dredging District.
Witness Lists Don’t Support Toth Claim Either
The list of witnesses who addressed the House Natural Resources Committee on HB 2525 in 2021 shows no one from the TPPF. Ditto for the Senate testimony.
In the six full sentences above, I quickly spotted five major issues.
#1 – I can find no public records of TPPF being against any of the dredging bills as discussed above.
#2 – “One more taxing agency.” The 2025 version of the bill (HB 1532) that became law states explicitly that the dredging district cannot levy taxes. Do you really want a representative who doesn’t read the legislation he’s voting on?
#4 – Even if TPPF was against the bill, who cares? Toth is running to represent tens of thousands of Lake Houston Area residents and business people that flooded – not the TPPF. Do you really want a representative who votes against the needs of constituents to curry favor with a think tank in Austin that doesn’t even list flooding as an issue it cares about?
#5 – If the TPPF was against the 2025 bill, why did so many Republicans vote for it? It passed the House by 114 to 19 and the Senate by 30 to 1.
Mr. Toth certainly doesn’t inspire my trust.
No Reply from Toth Yet
Johnna Wells, the lady who elicited the response above from Rep. Toth has invited him to come to Kingwood and address voters on these issues. He indicated a willingness to talk to her, but wouldn’t say when.
In the hall of mirrors that political discourse has become in recent years, it’s important to verify the claims you hear or see.
If Mr. Toth wishes to respond to the observations in this post, I will be happy to print his point of view. But he must start with who at TPPF came out against the bill. What did they say? When? And where? And how can it be verified?
What started out as unexplained votes has quickly morphed into a major trust issue.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/28/2025
2990 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Dredging-e1753753680332.jpg?fit=1100%2C608&ssl=16081100adminadmin2025-07-28 21:24:172025-07-28 22:01:14Explanation of Toth’s Negative Votes on Dredging Bills Not Supported by Evidence
7/27/25 – Callan Marine is done with its City of Houston West Fork dredging contract. The contract used the last of the FEMA money that U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw helped obtain for dredging the West Fork Mouth Bar and the surrounding area after Harvey.
The City hired Callan to dredge 800,000 cubic yards from the San Jacinto West Fork between Kings Point, Atascocita and FM1960. But even though that contract is now complete, the need for dredging is far from over. Let me explain.
Pictures Taken Today
The General Pershing, Callan’s dredge was docked today on the east side of Lake Houston, just south of FM1960.
Dredging DemobilizationMiles of massive dredge pipe used in the operation were pulled onshore, waiting for removal.The placement area next to the Luce Bayou Inter-Basin Transfer Canal was vacant. Callan had removed all of its equipment.The gates that let return-water out of the placement area had been removed (lower right).The return-water channel from the placement area was filled in. Straw had been placed across the filled channel to retard erosion.Callan filled the area inside the perimeter bermsalmost completely.
But just upstream from from where the dredging took place, the West Fork is already filling in again near the West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge.
The area near Kings Harbor is only 1-2 feet deep.The Army Corps dredged this area just a few years ago.Not many people will be tying their boats up here near Raffa’s.Farther upstream, it’s the same story. Boaters told me today the outfall of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch (shown above) is only about 6″ to a 1′ deep at River Grove Park.
Same area in 2018 before Army Corps dredging. An estimated 500+ homes above this point flooded during Harvey.
Sediment buildups like these reduced the conveyance of both the East and West Forks by 15 feet in places.
Another massive build up less than a half mile downstream from River Grove took the Corps months to dredge.
The Would-Be Congressman Who Denies Need for Dredging
Reducing flood risk in the Lake Houston Area requires reducing sediment build ups like these. Before the Corps left the West Fork, it recommended setting up a maintenance dredging program to help prevent such massive buildups in the future.
And yet a person upstream who wants to represent the Lake Houston Area in Congress, State Representative Steve Toth, voted against Cunningham’s Dredging District bill. And now he’s challenging Crenshaw.
I have yet to hear a credible explanation as to why Toth voted against the dredging district bill and the needs of the people he hopes to represent. Perhaps he would care to go on the record.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/27/25
2889 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/20250727-DJI_20250727113351_0613_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-07-27 18:28:202025-07-27 19:14:04West Fork Dredging Contract Complete, But Job Far from Over
7/25/2025 – The San Jacinto Flood Planning Group is fielding a brief regional flood survey that will be used to help judge public priorities for the next round in the development of the State’s Flood Plan. Your last chance to take the survey is August 1, 2025.
But don’t wait. Take it now while this post and the link are in front of you. It will only take a few minutes and your suggestions could help reduce your flood risk.
About the State Flood Plan
In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 8 directing the creation of the first-ever state flood plan for Texas. The state flood plan brings together the findings of the 15 river-basin-based regional flood plans and makes legislative and floodplain management recommendations to guide state, regional, and local flood control policy.
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) adopted Texas’ inaugural State Flood Plan on August 15th, 2024. Now we’re into the next cycle of the plan, which will be updated every five years.
So here’s your chance to sound off about everything you’ve learned in the last five years. The San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group covers more than 5,000 square miles in 11 counties.
Explanation of Toth’s Negative Votes on Dredging Bills Not Supported by Evidence
7/28/2025 – State Representative Steve Toth has announced a bid to unseat U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw in next year’s Republican primary. While Crenshaw helped secure more than $120 million dollars for dredging in the Lake Houston Area after Harvey to reduce flood risk, Toth voted against bills to create a Lake Houston Dredging District THREE times in five years.
Toth claims that the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), a powerful Republican think tank, was “also against the bill.” However, a search of the TPPF website turned up no mention of any of the three bills. They included:
I searched the TPPF website for each of the bill numbers (with and without spaces and hyphens). I also searched it for key words such as “dredging” and “Lake Houston.” None of the searches turned up any mention of any of the bills. Moreover, neither of the bills’ authors could recall TPPF taking a stance for or against the bill(s), nor could their chiefs of staff.
Likewise, neither Google, nor ChatGPT, found any public records indicating that TPPF adopted a position against the creation of a Lake Houston Dredging District.
Witness Lists Don’t Support Toth Claim Either
The list of witnesses who addressed the House Natural Resources Committee on HB 2525 in 2021 shows no one from the TPPF. Ditto for the Senate testimony.
I could find only two public comments in 2023 – both written and neither from TPPF.
The same holds true for HB 1532 in 2025. No comments from TPPF in the House, nor in the Senate!
The only people who ever testified against any of the three versions of the Dredging District bills represented water authorities, not TPPF.
Error-Ridden Defense of Negative Votes
A close examination of Rep. Toth’s defense of his negative votes shows other troubling issues, too. See below.
Five Issues in Six Sentences
In the six full sentences above, I quickly spotted five major issues.
Mr. Toth certainly doesn’t inspire my trust.
No Reply from Toth Yet
Johnna Wells, the lady who elicited the response above from Rep. Toth has invited him to come to Kingwood and address voters on these issues. He indicated a willingness to talk to her, but wouldn’t say when.
In the hall of mirrors that political discourse has become in recent years, it’s important to verify the claims you hear or see.
If Mr. Toth wishes to respond to the observations in this post, I will be happy to print his point of view. But he must start with who at TPPF came out against the bill. What did they say? When? And where? And how can it be verified?
What started out as unexplained votes has quickly morphed into a major trust issue.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/28/2025
2990 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
West Fork Dredging Contract Complete, But Job Far from Over
7/27/25 – Callan Marine is done with its City of Houston West Fork dredging contract. The contract used the last of the FEMA money that U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw helped obtain for dredging the West Fork Mouth Bar and the surrounding area after Harvey.
The City hired Callan to dredge 800,000 cubic yards from the San Jacinto West Fork between Kings Point, Atascocita and FM1960. But even though that contract is now complete, the need for dredging is far from over. Let me explain.
Pictures Taken Today
The General Pershing, Callan’s dredge was docked today on the east side of Lake Houston, just south of FM1960.
But just upstream from from where the dredging took place, the West Fork is already filling in again near the West Lake Houston Parkway Bridge.
Ironically, the Army Corps liberated River Grove from a giant sand build up just a few years ago. Remember what this area looked like then? See below.
The Would-Be Congressman Who Denies Need for Dredging
Reducing flood risk in the Lake Houston Area requires reducing sediment build ups like these. Before the Corps left the West Fork, it recommended setting up a maintenance dredging program to help prevent such massive buildups in the future.
Following the Corps’ lead, former State Rep. Dan Huberty tried to set up such a program in 2021. So did State Rep. Charles Cunningham in 2023. Cunningham finally succeeded this year when HB1532 became law.
And yet a person upstream who wants to represent the Lake Houston Area in Congress, State Representative Steve Toth, voted against Cunningham’s Dredging District bill. And now he’s challenging Crenshaw.
I have yet to hear a credible explanation as to why Toth voted against the dredging district bill and the needs of the people he hopes to represent. Perhaps he would care to go on the record.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/27/25
2889 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
Take Regional Flood Survey Now, Deadline Fast Approaching
7/25/2025 – The San Jacinto Flood Planning Group is fielding a brief regional flood survey that will be used to help judge public priorities for the next round in the development of the State’s Flood Plan. Your last chance to take the survey is August 1, 2025.
But don’t wait. Take it now while this post and the link are in front of you. It will only take a few minutes and your suggestions could help reduce your flood risk.
About the State Flood Plan
In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 8 directing the creation of the first-ever state flood plan for Texas. The state flood plan brings together the findings of the 15 river-basin-based regional flood plans and makes legislative and floodplain management recommendations to guide state, regional, and local flood control policy.
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) adopted Texas’ inaugural State Flood Plan on August 15th, 2024. Now we’re into the next cycle of the plan, which will be updated every five years.
So here’s your chance to sound off about everything you’ve learned in the last five years. The San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group covers more than 5,000 square miles in 11 counties.
Here’s the start page to take the survey.
After some location and contact questions, the survey will ask you some pretty high level questions, i.e., “What do we need?”
I said, “We need river-basin-wide flood control districts. Otherwise, we’ll never be able to solve flooding that originates across county lines.”
Others knowledgeable about flooding problems in Texas said we need:
Whatever your suggestions, make sure you submit your regional flood survey by August 1, 2025. Better yet, do it now so you don’t forget.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/25/2025
2887 Days since Hurricane Harvey