(note: this post has been updated below to reflect Keith’s decision to step aside as Chair-elect of the HCRP)

Keith Nielsen, chair-elect of the Harris County Republican Party, is facing calls for resignation for what many Texas leaders are calling a racist post on Facebook. His defenders are calling it nothing more than a gaffe for which he has apologized and he need not step aside. For those unaware of the controversy, here you go:

Again for those unaware, that quote is from Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail. The banana is, of course, a long time symbol of racism towards blacks by comparing them to monkeys.

Keith apologized, then deleted the apology. In this Houston Chronicle article by Jasper Scherer, Nielsen is quoted as reposting the image with the banana because in his childhood home, they used the word “bananas” instead of curse words and he was trying to differentiate between protesters and rioters.

Tone deaf much, yes but should he decline to accept the position for which he was duly elected? Many Texas Republicans certainly think so.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick:

“I have called on the chair of Bexar County and the chair-elect of Harris County to step down because of their recent outrageous and racist statements on social media. The Texas Republican Party represents the majority of Texans — conservatives who are united by principles of freedom, faith and equality for every Texan. There is no room for racism or hatred, in our party — let alone in a leadership position.

“Going forward, we know that some Democrats and their allies in the media will continue to throw out charges of “racism” anytime they disagree with us on any issue. Without taking that bait, we should continue to unequivocally condemn racism where we see it in our party and in their party.

“As have said before, in times of crisis all Texans come together. During this past week Texas has seen primarily peaceful protests including a march of over 60,000 people in Houston. During Hurricane Harvey we were one Texas — nobody cared who was on the roof or who was in the boat. Our state has one of the most diverse populations in the world. We know there is more work to be done in bringing us all together and ensuring that every Texan is respected, treated equally and prospers.

“But we cannot do this alone.  Scripture commands us to love one another as we love ourselves. We can’t do that unless we love God and put him first in all that we do. He is the answer to healing our nation.”

Rep. Dan Crenshaw:

Keith Nielsen has no place in our party. Not now. Not ever. It is a sad reminder that such blatant ignorance and bigotry still exists. When we see it, it’s our duty to unequivocally condemn it and make sure that people like him have no place in our politics.

Rep. Michael McCaul:

The Facebook post made by the Harris County GOP Chair-elect was racist and unacceptable. Keith Nielsen should tender his resignation immediately. Racism has no place in the Republican Party, the state of Texas or the United States of America.

Ed Hubbard:

I have known Keith Neilsen of several years, and my wife and I have worked with him and his wife in Republican organizations. I like them both, have hoped that Keith would succeed as the new HCRP Chair, and have been prepared to help him in any way I could to succeed. Moreover, I have no doubt that about his the sincerity of his beliefs and motives, or his desire to improve relations between our party and those African-American neighbors who currently support the Democrats but who agree with us on so many issues.

Based on all of this, I was shocked to see the post Keith uploaded to social media quoting MLK with the picture of a banana.

Regardless of his intent, the message seen and perceived of putting these two images together does nothing but reinforce the distrust of our party among many of our neighbors. Although I like Keith and wish him well, this is not the message or perception the party of Lincoln should be making at any time—let alone in the midst of the ordeal we now face as a country. Although Keith removed the post and has apologized, this is a bell that cannot be un-rung in this age of social media, and it will impede our efforts to try to re-build trust with our neighbors. Frankly, it will haunt us and our candidates this fall.

It is for these reasons, that I join so many leaders of our party, including Senator Cruz, Commissioner Bush, and Congressmen Crenshaw, Hurd and Roy, in condemning the gross lack of judgment behind this post, and the perception it reinforced among our neighbors; and I sadly join them in asking Keith to resign his position as HCRP Chair-elect to allow the HCRP Executive Committee to elect a new chair this summer.

You get the gist of their complaints.

And I get it. The job of the HCRP Chair is to bring people to the party, not keep them away. Does this racist post/gaffe help in that regard? No. Does it hurt? Not really.

What? Not really, I say? Yep. Not a single person is going to stay away from voting Republican because of this Facebook post. Not one. The fact is that yes, Democrats will use it to tell votes that Republicans are racist. Guess what? If Keith declines to take the role, they will STILL use it against Republicans. So really, what is to be gained by Keith stepping aside?

Nothing.

Now, I’m not saying he should or shouldn’t step aside. I’ll leave that up to Keith. I’m simply saying that it isn’t going to help or hurt the HCRP regardless of his decision. He probably should stay and fight if he wants to reclaim the good name he has had in the party for many years but again, I’ll leave that up to him.

From a purely political perspective, I think he should stay. Harris County Republicans are going to be crushed in November. It would be nice to have a sacrificial lamb as the head of the party and then choose someone to lead the party back to some success in 2022 when we don’t have the stigma of Donald Trump at the head of the ballot. Besides, if he declines to accept the post, the HCRP Executive Committee will choose the new chair – talk about a disaster. This group is now led by the most radical of radicals in the party. On second thought, maybe it would be fun to see whom they would choose.

I reached out to Dr. Steven Hotze for his thoughts on Keith. After all, if it weren’t for Dr. Hotze’s support, Keith would never have been elected in the first place. This is what he had to say:

I cannot imagine that Keith intended to disrespect blacks with his post.

If I were him, then I would just ignore the cries to resign.

UPDATE: Keith Nielsen has decided to step aside and will not be Chair of the HCRP. Via his Facebook post:

I have spent my entire adult life supporting conservative candidates and causes and I am grateful for the thousands of supporters who have reached out to me over the last several days. I regret that I must step aside as Chairman-elect of the Harris County Republican Party and will not be taking office on Aug. 3rd. I will continue to stand up for the values that have made our country great…“Faith, family and freedom.” Dr. King’s quote is as relevant today as when it was delivered. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Concerning Keith’s statement, Senator Paul Bettencourt said, “The true measure of a person is what they do in the face of adversity. I respect Keith for his decision and thank him for his years of service to the HCRP.”

I received the following press release from Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia:

COMMISSIONER GARCIA PROPOSES PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

Plan will provide much needed relief to Homeowners from Harris County Property Taxes

Harris County, TX — TODAY, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia announces will be putting an item on the next Commissioners Court Agenda (May 19, 2020) to extend the Harris County Homeowners Property Tax Exemption for seniors and disabled homeowners. The plan would eliminate county property tax liability for seniors 65 years of age and older as well as disabled homeowners and disabled military veterans, with homes valued at $260,000 or less. Qualifying homeowners with homes valued at $260,000 or more would save at least $350 next year (and annually going forward) on their property tax bills.

This is the first update to the Homeowners Exemption since 2008, and according to a Budget Management Department analysis commissioned by Commissioner Garcia’s office in 2019, the plan would be revenue neutral. The exemption also eliminates tax liability for Harris Health and Harris County Flood Control for homeowners qualifying for the exemption. If the plan is approved, it would take effect for this year’s tax bills.

“I hope my fellow members of Commissioners Court will approve this plan to increase these exemptions without delay. This would be the first time in twelve years that we will have brought meaningful tax reform to Harris County homeowners, and given that seniors and homeowners are particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to step up and help right away. In addition, the added exemption is long overdue to negate the adverse impact of rising appraisal values is having on families across Harris County,” said Commissioner Adrian Garcia, “I’m proud to be the first Commissioner to submit this in 12 years and put money back into the pockets of hardworking families, many who have been directly impacted due to COVID-19.”

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:

In 1984, the Over-65/Disabled Exemption amount was increased to $156,240 and the homestead exemption was established at 40%. The most recent update to the exemption was in 2008.

I wasn’t surprised by the release because Commissioner Garcia had talked about it on the last two weekly conference calls with elected officials. As most of you know, I am Mayor of the City of Shoreacres, which explains my participation in those calls. On yesterday’s call, I noted my opposition to the proposed exemption increase, pointing out that these types of property tax exemptions simply transfer the tax burden from one set of taxpayers to another. In this case, the proposed increase transfers money from those least able to afford it to those far more capable of affording it.

The press release states that the proposal is revenue neutral. That is simply not the case. Any reduction in tax revenue is by definition not revenue neutral. The commissioner and his team are relying upon future growth of property appraisals on those taxpayers not included in the exemption to offset the reduction. In effect, Commissioner Garcia is repeating the talking points of the Republican Party and the TaxMan, Paul Bettencourt, saying that appraisal creep does increase total revenues for governmental entities.

As I pointed out to the commissioner, just last year he and the other two Democrat members of the court voted to increase property taxes by 12% and were stopped only because the two Republican members of the court refused to attend the meeting in which the vote was to be taken, denying the Democrats a quorum and blocking the increase. The idea that the court would now propose an exemption increase that would be revenue neutral is not credible.

But the larger point is that this is poor public policy and is a transfer of wealth from those least able to afford housing to those far more capable of affording housing. Let’s take a look at what actually happens if this proposal passes.

Currently, the Harris County tax rate is comprised of five governmental bodies with separate rates for each:

 

HARRIS COUNTY	$ 0.40713
HARRIS CO FLOOD CNTRL	$ 0.02792
PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHY	$ 0.01074
HARRIS CO HOSP DIST	$ 0.16591
HARRIS CO EDUC DEPT	$ 0.00500
	$ 0.61670

So the total tax rate before any exemption for a property owner in Harris County is $0.61670/$100 in appraised value. Zillow says that the median home price in Harris County is $202,143. I’ll round their number to $200,000 to make it easier. Here is a matrix of the current situation regarding homestead exemptions in Harris County:

Current Harris County Over 65+/Disabled Exemption
	Homeowner 65+/Disabled		Homeowner Under 65		Rental Property
Harris County Median Value	$ 200,000		$ 200,000		$ 200,000
Homestead (20%)	$  40,000		$  40,000		$   –
Over 65/Disabled Exemption	$ 160,000		$ –		$  –
Taxable Value	$  –		$ 160,000		$ 200,000
Tax Rate 2020	$ 0.61670		$ 0.61670		$ 0.61670
Total Taxes	$  –		$     986.72		$   1,233.40
Monthly	$  –		$      82.23		$     102.78

As it stands today, if a person 65 or older owns a median appraised home in Harris County, they pay no Harris County property taxes. A person under 65 pays $ 986.72 per year or $ 82.23 per month. A renter pays $ 1,233.40 per year or $ 102.78 per month.

Good deal if you are 65 or over, right?

So what happens if this proposal is passed by Commissioners Court? Note that the astute among you will notice that I used $ 286,000, not $ 260,000 as indicated in the release. That is because on the call yesterday, Commissioner Garcia clarified that it would be a total of $ 286,000 by combining the 20% and $228,500.

Proposed Increase in Harris County Over 65+/Disabled Exemption
	Homeowner 65+/Disabled		Homeowner Under 65		Rental Property
Model Appraised	$ 286,000		$ 286,000		$ 286,000
Homestead (20%)	$  57,200		$  57,200		$   –
Over 65/Disabled Exemption	$ 228,800		$ –		$  –
Taxable Value	$  –		$ 228,800		$ 286,000
Tax Rate 2020	$ 0.61670		$ 0.61670		$ 0.61670
Total Taxes	$  –		$     1,411.01		$   1,763.76
Monthly	$  –		$      117.58		$     146.98

If the proposal passes, if a person 65 or older owns a home appraised 43% higher than a median valued home in Harris County, they would pay no Harris County property taxes. A person under 65 would pay $ 1,411.01 per year or $ 117.58 per month. A renter would pay $ 1,763.76 per year or $ 146.98 per month.

GREAT deal if you are 65 or over, right?

But let’s be real, those appraisal amounts aren’t realistic. So let’s see what happens if we apply the median value to the under 65 homeowner and a much lower value for the rental property.

Proposed Increase in Harris County Over 65+/Disabled Exemption with Realistic Appraisals
	Homeowner 65+/Disabled		Homeowner Under 65		Rental Property
Appraised	$ 286,000		$ 200,000		$ 130,000
Homestead (20%)	$  57,200		$  40,000		$   –
Over 65/Disabled Exemption	$ 228,800		$ –		$  –
Taxable Value	$  –		$ 160,000		$ 130,000
Tax Rate 2020	$ 0.61670		$ 0.61670		$ 0.61670
Total Taxes	$  –		$     986.72		$   801.71
Monthly	$  –		$      82.23		$     66.81

With this model, the under 65 homeowner pays $ 986.72 per year or $ 82.23 per month on a median valued home while the renter pays $ 801.71 per year or $ 66.81 per month on a lesser valued home while the 65 or over pays nothing while living in a far more expensive home. Presumably a much nicer home, although gentrification can, in some cases, mitigate that.

Want to know what at what home values each category of housing pays equal amounts of property tax? Here you go:

Proposed Increase in Harris County Over 65+/Disabled Exemption with equal total taxes
	Homeowner 65+/Disabled		Homeowner Under 65		Rental Property
Appraised	$ 448,500		$ 162,500		$ 130,000
Homestead (20%)	$  89,700		$  32,500		$   –
Over 65/Disabled Exemption	$ 228,800		$ –		$  –
Taxable Value	$ 130,000		$ 130,000		$ 130,000
Tax Rate 2020	$ 0.61670		$ 0.61670		$ 0.61670
Total Taxes	$  801.71		$     801.71		$   801.71
Monthly	$  66.81		$      66.81		$     66.81

Do you see how these types of exemptions transfer wealth from the poor to the better off? The couple living in Galena Park, working two jobs to support their kids, having scrimped and saved to buy a starter home is paying the exact same amount of property taxes that a person owning a half-million dollar home is. The migrant family living in a run down rental is paying the exact same amount of property taxes that a person owning a half-million dollar home is. Do the millionaires and billionaires living in River Oaks really need another $425 a year at the expense of the examples above?

That is not good public policy.

This example demonstrates the problem of using property taxes to fund government. Politicians looking for votes deem one part of society winners and the others losers. They focus on low hanging fruit instead of forcing large businesses to have fair appraisals, further increasing the tax load on the housing market.

I don’t expect that Commissioner Garcia will pull his agenda item simply because I think it is bad policy. Once a press release is sent out, a politician typically doesn’t change his or her mind about an issue. Besides, the fact is that homeowners 65 or over vote at a higher rate than the under 65 or renters. And this is, as they say, politics.

But I do know that these types of wealth transfers from the least to the most is the antithesis of Commissioner Garcia’s entire political philosophy. It is also the antithesis of the political philosophy of County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Perhaps by writing this, I can help them remember their philosophy in the future. As a society, we cannot continue to favor the fortunate over the less fortunate.

And yes, I am still a conservative. Republican? Meh.

Overall, I’ve been impressed by the leadership of Judge Hidalgo and Commissioner Garcia during the current coronavirus plague. They were out front while Republicans were hiding in the backrooms. Judge Hidalgo’s executive orders were well ahead of Gov. Abbott’s. You know, the ones he back-flipped on when someone was actually jailed because of his orders?

And Commissioner Garcia has consistently, since the early weeks of the epidemic, offered support to the local communities in his precinct. The picture at the top is just one result of his efforts – he rounded up people to donate masks to first responders for each governmental entity in Precinct 2. He was out front in setting up mobile testing in our precinct and in getting the county to set up a space for the homeless to isolate themselves and be tested. It was his leadership that paved the way for a county wide program to assist small businesses.

Republicans need to step up their game. Childish antics like the one Sen. Paul Bettencourt and Rep. Tom Oliverson put in place aren’t leadership. All they are doing is building their email list to get reelected so they can continue to take responsibility away from local government. You know, the government closest to you?

So yes, I think this particular proposal by Commissioner Garcia is bad public policy and I hope that in the future, he will think about it when he is attempting to change public policy. And I think he will, because I know that increasing opportunity for everyone is in his heart.

From the InBox:

INITIAL LIFELINES FOR HARRIS COUNTY SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE ARRIVED

First cash distributions have been made to applicants to Harris County Small Loan Program that was championed by Commissioner Garcia

Harris County, TX — Today, May 5, 2020, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia, along with program administrators from Houston-Galveston Area Council are proud to announce that the first set of cash disbursements have been made to successful applicants to the Harris County Loan Program.

The Program was developed by Commissioner Garcia’s office and approved by Commissioners Court on April 7^th. Less than 4 weeks later, money in the form of forgivable loans has begun flowing to qualifying applicants.

The first batch of businesses have already received or will receive their loans shortly. These loans can be forgivable if certain conditions are met. In total, around more than 600 local small businesses are expected to receive loans.

“I am extraordinarily pleased with how fast we’ve gotten these lifelines into the hands of our local small businesses,” Commissioner Garcia said. “For a program to be designed from scratch to money in bank accounts in less than a month exemplifies the strong leadership local government has taken during this pandemic. We’ve proved that we are often the best option to move most quickly to respond to residents’ needs. I also want to thank the fine folks at Houston-Galveston Area Council for stepping up and acting fast for the people of Harris County.”

“We’re moving as quickly as possible to navigate the applicants through the underwriting and review process, and to get funds distributed to these businesses that are in dire need,” said Omar Fortune, program manager of the Houston-Galveston Area Local Development Corporation.

Opportunities to speak with speak with recipients of the loans will be available for press covering the program. Please contact Scott Spiegel to make arrangements. Commissioner Garcia is also available to speak with media.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON LOAN PROGRAM

The $10 million Harris County Small Business Loan Program administered by H-GAC was approved by Commissioners Court by a 3-2 vote on April 7, 2020. The money was split evenly among the 4 Harris County Precincts ($2.5 million each). On April 9, 2020, the website HarrisCountyLoan.com was launched for loan applications. In less than 30 hours, more than 7,000 requests were made for a total of more than $150 million sought by local businesses. At that time, the application process was paused. Plans for another loan program for either applicants that still have need or those that remain on the waiting list are being discussed.

Notice that the two Republicans that voted against this are happy to distribute the money in their precincts.

From Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia:

PCT. 2 EXPANDING HOMEBOUND SENIOR FOOD DELIVERY PROGRAM

New online portal and phone hotline will enroll qualifying seniors for daily hot meal delivery

Harris County, TX — With the thought that no one should go hungry during the current Harris County Stay-At-Home order, and because many in elderly population already have difficulties getting out anyway, Commissioner Adrian Garcia is expanding the existing homebound senior daily free hot meal delivery program in Precinct 2. Any Precinct 2 resident who is age 60 or older possessing limited resources and is unable to leave their home due to illness, disability, or lack of mobility could qualify.

Seniors that qualify will receive daily, nutritious hot meals delivered directly to their door by Precinct 2 staff. Anyone who believes they are eligible for this service is asked to register on an online form on the Harris Co. Precinct 2 website (https://www.hcp2.com/programs/precinct-2-meal-program). Those without internet access are asked to apply over the phone via the Precinct 2 Hotline (713-274-2222) which is active Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Commissioner Adrian Garcia issued the following statement:

“During this crisis, we will not forget our most vulnerable residents of Precinct 2, such as homebound seniors. I have instructed my staff to expand our current homebound senior food delivery program by signing up any and all seniors who are struggling and are unable to leave their Precinct 2 homes, due to illness, disability, or lack of mobility. Our current program is great, but I know there is going to be an increasing need for help, and we are preparing to meet the demand.”

Eligibility

After submitting an application, a Harris County Precinct 2 representative will evaluate applicants’ conditions. Evaluations will include assessing the ability to perform daily activities such as food preparations and shopping, how often the applicant leaves their home, as well as their access to other assistance services. Note: All information gathered is totally confidential, and records are kept at the Harris County Precinct 2 service provider’s office.

People may qualify for home deliveries if they are:

• Ages 60 and over.
• Homebound due to illness, disability, or frailty.
• Unable to prepare nourishing meals due to limited mobility, psychological, or mental impairment.
• Without resources such as family and friends.

Find out more about what is happening in your Precinct 2 community by following us on Facebook (Harris County Precinct 2), Instagram (@harriscopct2), Twitter (@HarrisCoPct2), and visit hcp2.com, where we keep you updated on our latest news.

Since I happen to live in Precinct 2, I can tell you that Commissioner Garcia has really stepped up during this crisis, providing steady leadership and not over-reaching. Sure, there are some things that he has supported during his time in office that I disagree with but I give credit where credit is due. And it is due during this crisis.

Harris County Public Health reported a 50% increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hour period, up by 40 cases from 79 to 119 in the official Harris County count. You can find this information online at this link: http://publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/Resources/2019-Novel-Coronavirus.

I broke that data down into several groups. Click on the charts to enlarge. The first chart is for the four quadrants of the county.

Quadrant	Cases
NE	23
NW	76
SE	9
SW	11

Next by gender:

Female	58
Maie	61

Next by age group:

0-9	2
10-19	1
20-29	22
30-39	20
40-49	29
50-59	25
60-69	14
70-79	4
80-89	2

Lastly by status for recovered and deceased and how the remaining active cases contracted the coronavirus.

Community spread	56
Domestic travel	1
Exposure to confirmed case	15
Pending investigation	18
Travel related	15
Deceased	1
Recovered	13

The State of Texas has a dashboard up showing the latest data from the Department of Health and Human Services. Click this link to see the live data:  https://txdshs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/ed483ecd702b4298ab01e8b9cafc8b83.

The observant among you will see that the state is reporting 134 confirmed cases and the county 119. I raised the question of inconsistent data during a conference call with Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia. The problem with inconsistent data is that those skeptical that the coronavirus is actually a serious issue use the inconsistencies to play down the coming effects of the coronavirus. Gov. Abbott’s order requires counties to submit standardized data but there will always be a lag between various reporting agencies and news media. Commissioner Garcia is committed to making the Harris County data as current and consistent as possible.

There are a lot of things happening with the overall government response. The federal bailout on the Senate side looks to be about ready, lots of waste in that pig trough. But, you have to get votes I guess. I’m not certain what all the state is doing, even after participating in another conference call with them. They did say that over 13,000 tests have been done, which matches their dashboard, so that is good.

On Commissioner Garcia’s call with Precinct 2, the commissioner and the medical professionals on the call wanted to emphasize a few things.

• Suspend tolls during the emergency declaration AG
• Partnership with Houston to set up 150 bed quarantine shelter for homeless. Shortage of personnel to staff and shortage of supplies and PPE are slowing the planning.
• Micro business help up to $25k max forgivable loan Partnering with the HGAC
  • Motion was to put $10 million into the program
  • Charges low interest for 5 years but then can be forgiven
  • Helps small Mom & Pop shops that do not qualify for other programs
  • Must prove that the business was already running
• Enforcement – call non-emergency numbers to make people aware, leaders reinforce the necessity to follow order
• Testing site in Baytown – collaborative with federal gov’t – low on supplies – use screening process to allocate resources (link: https://checkforcorona.com/harris-county#/welcome)
• Duration of the county order – April 3^rd but Commissioner Garcia intends to make a motion to extend it to 30 days
• False sense of security – for every positive case, many unrecognized – lack of access to testing, both in the community and in hospitals

On a call with Judge Hidalgo and emergency management personnel, I learned a few things.

• For every confirmed coronavirus case, an average 20-25 contacts must be tracked down
• Online screening survey – of the 24,000 screened thus far, over 75% do not need testing
• 4 drive up sites in Harris County, 250 tests per day per site, 1,000 tests per day for county
• 44 sites nationwide doing the same thing
• PPE supplies are very low

Saw a lot of people walking around the neighborhood enjoying the weather today. Neighbors are doing things with their kids that are creative – sidewalk chalking, taking portraits, cooking, etc.

Hang in there!