and oh, by the way, County Judge Ed Emmett is a crook according to the president of one of the local economic growth organizations.
You learn an awful lot by going to these little council meetings. If you aren’t going to yours, you really need to.
First, on the tax increase. Instead of making meaningful budget cuts, the Shoreacres City Council has decided to increase revenues by adopting last year’s tax rate. Had they chosen to keep tax revenue the same, they would have lowered the rate to the state mandated $0.793174. In choosing to keep last year’s rate of $0.844381 per hundred dollars of appraised value, they are increasing city revenues by $50,596.79. Click here to read the notice of a budget hearing on September 22nd. It is very interesting that the notice of a budget hearing was placed on the city website before council voted on it last night.
In defending his budget, Mayor Rick Moses acknowledged that he was increasing taxes. It’s refreshing that he didn’t hide behind the tax rate argument as other mayors before him have done. What is not so refreshing is that the budget is once again deficit funded with funds from the General Fund Reserve. Mayor Moses did say that he hopes to spend less than budgeted because he is working with San Jacinto College and hopes that they will give the city two new police vehicles, eliminating the need to spend the funds he budgeted to purchase one. Since when did the San Jac system become so flush with taxpayer money that they can afford to give small cities police vehicles? Perhaps it is time to start attending San Jac board meetings and ask them about their finances. While I appreciate the larger cities in the area subsidizing us with a couple of new police vehicles, I sincerely doubt the citizens paying those taxes appreciate it.
Now, about the county judge being a crook. A guy named Chad Burke, President and CEO of the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region, was invited to give a presentation to the council on “Coastal Barrier Proposals” (think Ike Dike). During his yawn fest of a forty minute presentation, he was gleeful that the EPA is proposing new rules on the use of coal, which increases natural gas usage, which is good for the Houston area, etc. He might ought to ask Attorney General Greg Abbott about those rules as Abbott is suing the EPA for continuing to mess with Texas.
During his talk, Burke also said that the biggest holdup in getting started on the Ike Dike was Rice University getting $3 million a year to study various proposals. And then he directly implicated County Judge Ed Emmett as the real culprit, saying that because Ed is a Rice alumni, he was deliberately holding up the process so that his alma mater would continue to receive this funding. If true, that would be against the law. Of course it isn’t true and Burke was intentionally lying about Emmett.
I found Burke’s statements highly offensive and called Burke out on it during the time allotted for citizen comments. I also called out the council for sitting there and letting this jerk disparage Emmett. I’ve met and known hundreds of public officials and will stand next to Ed Emmett on the integrity scale every day of the week. It’s a sad day when elected officials allow people like Burke to address them with such falsehoods and sit there shaking their heads in agreement because hey, everyone is a crook, right? They need to look in the mirror if they really believe that. Mr. Burke and the Shoreacres Mayor and Council owe County Judge Ed Emmett a public apology.
So there you have it. You should attend your local government meetings. You never know what you’ll hear.
UPDATE 9-10-14
I neglected to post the actual vote on the proposed tax rate. I guess that I assumed “everyone” in Shoreacres would know but here you go. The vote was 4-1 in favor of the increase. Those in favor were Mayor Pro-Tem Richard Adams, Alderman Mike Wheeler, Alderman Bo Bunker, and Alderman Neil Moyer. The only opposition was Alderman Nancy Schnell. During her tenure on council, Alderman Schnell has been alone in trying to curb the city’s spending.
Paul Croas says
Empty promises from the newly elected councilmen! So much for lowering our budget! Instead of getting cost effective measures in place, we raise taxes. I suggested contracting with Harris County, for police services, which could have saved $300,000 a year and now they have to borrow cars from another tax entity! You get what you vote for!
Alderwoman Nancy Schnell says
As I, as the only descending vote, expressed last night in the Shoreacres City Council meeting, this council refused to make necessary cuts to balance the budget. And to increase the taxes on folks still recovering financially from Ike?
I am highly disappointed in both the mayor’s proposed budget and the unwillingness of this council to face reality. These poor decisions and of those prior will adversely affect the City of Shoreacres, if there is one.
Alderwoman Nancy Schnell
618 Baywood
Shoreacres
Sara Andrews says
To add to the mountain of bs Officer Vela was relieved of duty again! He was questioned over a fire chief that was being accused of some sort of financial issues and not long after because he told the truth Vela was accused of theft. Shoreacres relieved him of duty and he isn’t even convicted…and he of course is fighting to save his reputation and after 25 years who steals less than $300.00. It’s just an act of retaliation on behalf of telling the truth! Vela has ran for constable a few times and of course in reading the campaign letter to the public…like Paul Croas he wanted to involve the public in decisions, helping those people that requested it and he was the man that wasn’t intimidated by uniting city and county police to protect and serve and that the current administration was using one against the other…I don’t normally take up and put anything on the line for anyone because usually there is some sort of hidden detail but this time we all need to contact Mr Stall and ask for our officer to be returned once proven innocent! Vela is a peace keeper and a man that brings back the small town feeling that we pay the highest property taxes in the area. He is motivating to the young and it’s easier to protect if you know who you are protecting. Stalls should be ashamed especially after the last hearing that Mr Gregg and Mr Stall left the citizens who attended mesmerized with the events leading to his dismissal. This is the second time Vela was relieved of duty…I encourage you to keep up with the events and defend those who protect you. Those officers put their life on the line everyday…just like our military…can you imagine if the kind of man that defends your life decided to quit you when you needed him? Educate yourself on the details and make your decision or continue to ignore but it’s always been my experience that you get what you put out in every aspect of life when you least expect. Thank you to our officers for your service to my community and protecting our families with your lives…VELA WE WILL WATCH AND CELEBRATE WITH YOU UPON YOUR RETURN!
BJ Fenley says
Paul Croas true it will save the city money without a police department but you know just as well as I do that it will turn into a reactive department and will no longer be proactive. HCSO gets the saved money from city disbanding the PD and citizens get an hour plus response from available deputies somewhere in Harris County. I live in Harris County and work around a lot of great deputies but even they will tell you if it’s not an in progress call find a shade tree see ya in about an hour. I know for a fact there will not be a deputy patrolling city streets until they are called. I agree with you about budget issues but it will cost citizens money with burglary, auto theft, property damage ect from not having a city PD
Douglas Downs says
My opinion, this community can survive and thrive with the right leadership.Even though the city is land lock, there opportunity for the city to generate more revenue.
GerryV says
Letter to Mayor & Council
Honorable Mayor and Council:
Please give us a break! Why do you find it necessary to impose a 0.84 property tax rate when the city’s tax base (total appraised value of property in the city) has already jumped from $93,187,672 to $98,808,341 and will go up during the next appraisal cycle? This jump equates to approximately $50,000 additional tax revenue for you to apply to the city’s operating budget. I see no need to continue with a 0.84 rate. What’s needed is for you to control spending!
How about it? Did you ever think where this additional $50K is coming from? You can thank the appraisal district; most of it is coming from outlandish appraisals on many houses. I recognize the flip side of this issue in that other home owners in Shoreacres have watched the value of their homes depreciate. I empathize with them. But the bottom line is there are many homeowners being hit with double tax increases because of actions by the appraisal district and by the proposed tax rate hikes of the city.
Mayor and Council, please look at your city. Almost all the roads have been repaved or replaced. The water system and sewage system are in good condition. Your buildings are in good condition. Your vehicles are in acceptable condition. What is your goal on behalf of the citizens? Tax them out of town. Or protect their interests. And what budget items really need attention? Staffing and salaries, that’s about it. Is your proposed 7{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} average increase in salaries justified for all employees (I’ve excluded the parks position which remains vacant)?
I ask you to consult with other citizens for their input. From my view, as a retiree who watched my house appraisal jump 11 {997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} in three years (& the property taxes) and is currently appealing another 10{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} increase, who like many others has watched the costs of many basic commodities of life skyrocket, and expects to see the city pass a bond to replace the city water tower in the near future, which will mean additional taxes.
I am proud of this city. It has gone through some tough times. It survived Ike, survived the transformation of the Bayport Terminal and major road construction in the area, saw many citizens leave because of Space Center downsizing, and dealt with adversarial decisions of the Port of Houston Authority. The city is still here and is in your hands. Do you really think this city needs a 0.84 tax rate?
Please consider other citizens less fortunate than you are. Like, citizens with families trying to survive on the income of one spouse, those having to care for several children in an economy with shrinking buying power, and those living on fixed incomes. Our citizens are already paying exorbitant school and county taxes, and taxes to five other entities in addition to the city taxes. You know the real solution is to control spending not impose maxed-out tax rates.
Also, why are you budgeting $47.295 for a parks position which you never filled during 2013-14? And currently it is not listed in the Shoreacres website as a position for hiring. Is this merely additional padding of the General Fund budget? Apparently the parks position tasks are being taken care by Water and Sewer Department employees as a collateral responsibility. As a last resort, why not change the parks position from full-time to a part-time?
Regards, GerryV
CC: Big Jolly, Please Post
GerryV says
At the September 29th Council Meeting I voiced my objection to the proposed .844381 tax rate and provided the Mayor and Council with my written reasons why. A copy is enclosed.
Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
Reference: Proposed .844381 Tax Rate Hike
Be advised I am opposed to the proposed tax rate hike.
My reasons:
I believe the proposed .844381 tax rate is excessive and unfair to the citizens of this city.
When I compared the tax rates of 52 cities in Texas having populations between 1,351 and 1,758 with Shoreacres’ proposed tax rate it showed our city’s .844381 (replicates the 2013/14 rate) was the highest in the state in that population range.
Many citizens are already being assessed dual tax rate hikes.
• Rate hikes from recent increased property value appraisals by the county.
• Another from the continuation of the city tax rate of .844381.
As you are aware, the substantial increase in the appraised values of homes during fiscal year 2013/14 created additional funds for the city. During the city budgeting process of last year property tax revenues were projected to be $769,498 for 2013/14, but thanks to unprecedented increases in appraisals of many houses the city tax revenue increased to over $811,000, creating over $42,000 in additional funds for the city.
During fiscal year 2014/15 you are projecting $850,000 property tax revenue if a .844381 rate is imposed.
Note: Before hurricane Ike the tax rate was .700560. In 2009 and 2010 the rates were increased to .884264 and.82467 to compensate for the loss of tax base from homes damaged or destroyed by hurricane Ike. Since then, the tax base has gradually increased as houses were repaired and new ones constructed. Recent city reports show the tax base is near the pre-Ike level and will likely surpass it during year 2015.
The City’s infrastructure currently is in good condition. Funding for roads, the water distribution system, sewer lines and building in the immediate future should be minimal. I recognize Council has already passed salary increases in the 8{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} range for Administration employees and in the 17{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} range for Public Works employees and lesser percentages for the Police Department. I don’t know what citizens supported this action but apparently there wasn’t any serious objections since the budget proposal was passed by a majority vote of council. I do know several Shoreacres citizens who live on fixed incomes. Their pay hikes during the past two years amounted to 1.5 {997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} and 1.7{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} from Social Security, the same rate hike for recipients of federal pensions, and in the case of IRAs approximately ½ {997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} to 1{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} annual increase in their investment and retirement return. In other words citizens on fixed incomes received only minimal increases in their checks during the past two years and expect the same during fiscal year 2014/15.
Recent councils have gone through efforts to ensure Shoreacres’ city employees achieve salary parity with employees of nearby communities. However, I doubt if there was any effort by recent councils to achieve parity of Shoreacres’ tax rates with other Texas cities of comparable size. The tax rate information of all of the cities in Texas is available on the Texas Municipal League website for review. If you compared the tax rates of 52 cities in Texas having populations between 1,351 and 1,758 with Shoreacres’ proposed tax rate you will find our city’s .844381 is the highest in the state in that population range.
I encourage you to reconsider the proposed 2014/15 tax rate. The city will be receiving additional revenue from increases in property value appraisals imposed by the county, and from the addition of several new houses to the tax base. This should be the year to start reducing the city tax rate.
“The TML Survey website contains property tax base and tax rate data for all cities in Texas.”