Attention Rob: Democrat Houston On the Verge Of Bankruptcy

[Rightguide]

Dem Mayor Admits His City Is on Verge of Bankruptcy, No Money for Emergency Services​

• By: Jason Walsh
• March 28, 2024

Houston’s Democratic mayor has admitted that his city, the fourth largest in the U.S., is in millions of dollars worth of debt and cannot afford to pay for firefighters.

Mayor John Whitmire, elected after defeating Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee last year, sounded the alarm about his city’s money woes in a meeting.

As the city now faces a deficit of $160 million, Whitmireis proposes spending cuts and tax increases to tackle the massive damage done by his Democratic predecessors.

“I think we can all agree that we’re broke,” Whitmire admitted during a City Council meeting.

More here on Blue success: https://www.dailyfetched.com/dem-ma...f-bankruptcy-no-money-for-emergency-services/

In typical Democrat form the Mayor states, "it was broken when I got here."

 

[ll74]

Oh look, another whine fest about a big city.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

Right Up North to Rob Down South

 

[schism666]

which state is houston in?

 

[Rightguide]

Oh look, another whine fest about a big city.

Yes, economics isn't your strong suit so time to belittle the news.

 

[ll74]

Yes, economics isn't your strong suit so time to belittle the news.

Yes, because that's what you're focused on with this thread.

 

[TastySuckToy]

Why is it that politicians and governments can never manage something as simple as a balanced budget? As soon as people have access to other people's money, any concept of fiscal responsibility evaporates into thin air.

 

[ll74]

Why is it that politicians and governments can never manage something as simple as a balanced budget? As soon as people have access to other people's money, any concept of fiscal responsibility evaporates into thin air.

It isn't simple.

 

[BrightShinyGirl]

Why is it that politicians and governments can never manage something as simple as a balanced budget? As soon as people have access to other people's money, any concept of fiscal responsibility evaporates into thin air.

Houston is paying the place for years of poor infrastructure choices. Sprawl is expensive to maintain. They have lots of paved streets used by only a handful of residents. Eventually the suburb system breaks down.

 

[PaxNurgle]

Sprawl characterizes many Western cities. This is not a "Liberal" or a "Conservative" problem, but rather, an urban planning problem.

Or, you could argue it is both a liberal and a conservative problem.

Liberals want close, dense cities and less sprawl. However to achieve this, they institute land-use policies that heavily restrict development. Big money interests, and landowners cry "Foul" and claim it is government over-reach when the local governments won't let them turn their farms and open space into housing developments. So they cave in, and ultimately DO let them do exactly this.

Which means, a larger urban footprint, which means more resources are needed for schools, roads, fire and police services. Which also means more revenue is needed to pay for these things. How do cities get this revenue? Taxes. But nobody wants to raise taxes, especially in conservative Texas. Which means, city services get under-funded and a host of problems crop up.

I see this play out in my own city where I live. Here, local governments are not even allowed to charge impact fees, neither are utilities. So, when a new 10034 lot development gets greenlighted and they need to expand the electrical grid- who pays for it? The rate payers do, not the developer. And when they need more firefighers, police, and schools to serve the new development, who pays for it? Local residents through taxes. And what if the current city revenue is no longer sufficient to pay for these things? Taxes either go up or, in conservative Texas, they go down- and things get under-funded (and a host of problems crop up.)

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

Houston is paying the place for years of poor infrastructure choices. Sprawl is expensive to maintain. They have lots of paved streets used by only a handful of residents. Eventually the suburb system breaks down.

True. And basically no zoning.

 

[BrightShinyGirl]

True. And basically no zoning.

The no zoning thing is cool. It will make it easier for Houston to rebuild the core when the suburbs start to rot.

 

[BrightShinyGirl]

Sprawl characterizes many Western cities. This is not a "Liberal" or a "Conservative" problem, but rather, an urban planning problem.

Or, you could argue it is both a liberal and a conservative problem.

Liberals want close, dense cities and less sprawl. However to achieve this, they institute land-use policies that heavily restrict development. Big money interests, and landowners cry "Foul" and claim it is government over-reach when the local governments won't let them turn their farms and open space into housing developments. So they cave in, and ultimately DO let them do exactly this.

Which means, a larger urban footprint, which means more resources are needed for schools, roads, fire and police services. Which also means more revenue is needed to pay for these things. How do cities get this revenue? Taxes. But nobody wants to raise taxes, especially in conservative Texas. Which means, city services get under-funded and a host of problems crop up.

I see this play out in my own city where I live. Here, local governments are not even allowed to charge impact fees, neither are utilities. So, when a new 10034 lot development gets greenlighted and they need to expand the electrical grid- who pays for it? The rate payers do, not the developer. And when they need more firefighers, police, and schools to serve the new development, who pays for it? Local residents through taxes. And what if the current city revenue is no longer sufficient to pay for these things? Taxes either go up or, in conservative Texas, they go down- and things get under-funded (and a host of problems crop up.)

Liberals don't uniformly want dense cities. That's part of San Francisco's problem. There's a lot of very vocal Democratic NIMBYs in SF who will fight new housing to preserve "the character of the neighborhood" while the city is strangled by high rents.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

The no zoning thing is cool. It will make it easier for Houston to rebuild the core when the suburbs start to rot.

IDK. Never lived there, just visited on business a number of times. Miserable driving the loop. I suspect the lack of zoning is more of a legacy thing. Probably can’t put strip clubs and drive thru liquor stores near schools anymore.

 

[BrightShinyGirl]

IDK. Never lived there, just visited on business a number of times. Miserable driving the loop. I suspect the lack of zoning is more of a legacy thing. Probably can’t put strip clubs and drive thru liquor stores near schools anymore.

I lived there briefly in my 20's in a weird funky neighborhood between a gay club and an auto shop, next to a bunch of old houses chopped up into apartments. I tried never to drive out to the bleak, soulless suburbs.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

While it’s true that urban areas have high concentrations of liberals and rural areas are more conservative, the suburbs draw from all sides of the spectrum. Liberals and conservatives both love the suburbs. Big backyards for kids and dogs, swimming pools, grills, peace and quiet. Green belts and hills, two car garages, sidewalks, touch football games in the street, fireworks in the street on 4th of July, green lawns, private gardens. Still the American Dream for many if not most. It’s why a 50 year old 1900 square foot tract home sells for $1.5 to $2.5 million in many parts of SoCal and the Bay Area, at 6.5% mortgage rates and property tax bills that can easily exceed $20K per year for new buyers of those very modest houses.

 

[DeluxAuto]

While it’s true that urban areas have high concentrations of liberals and rural areas are more conservative, the suburbs draw from all sides of the spectrum. Liberals and conservatives both love the suburbs. Big backyards for kids and dogs, swimming pools, grills, peace and quiet. Green belts and hills, two car garages, sidewalks, touch football games in the street, fireworks in the street on 4th of July, green lawns, private gardens. Still the American Dream for many if not most. It’s why a 50 year old 1900 square foot tract home sells for $1.5 to $2.5 million in many parts of SoCal and the Bay Area, at 6.5% mortgage rates and property tax bills that can easily exceed $20K per year for new buyers of those very modest houses.

You're like your hero when you type. It's like the first time you've ever heard what you just typed - a surprise. Like, "Who knew healthcare would be so difficult?"

and what the fuck does that have to do with Houston or BSG's gay auto shop?

 

[ishtat]

Houston's annual budget is $5.1 Billion. The deficit is $160 million, tiny by any common sense comparative measurement. If the previous administration of the Democrats had agreed to the Firemens demands the deficit would have been $650 million+. The new mayor settled for a more modest pay increase which resulted in the low deficit. There is some credit to both parties for the D's in rejecting an excessive pay demand, and for the new mayor in settling at a more reasonable figure.

 

[JoePepsiCo]

rob doesn't have two wooden nickels to rub together. How is he going to bail Dem out?