METRO fooled you for big money
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In November 2003, Houston voters narrowly approved Metro’s request to build light rail across town, including on Post Oak Boulevard. The Metro Board resolution calling for the special election said the deal was binding, and couldn’t be repealed, altered, or rescinded without a new vote. So much for promises.
A sworn affidavit from Metro Boss Tom Lambert obtained by Dolcefino Consulting now says the election wasn’t about rail at all, it was just about money, getting voters to approve $640 million dollars in bond funds.
The money is now all spent, so Metro apparently figures it’s off the hook.
The affidavit was provided on November 10th to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is trying to decide if Metro can legally now create dedicated bus lanes in Uptown instead of rail. The decision is due sometime after Thanksgiving.
Houston Attorney Andy Taylor has weighed in against Metro, claiming the agency’s participation in the Uptown project is illegal.
Texas State Senator Robert Nichols has asked for the legal opinion.
Documents obtained by Dolcefino Consulting show Metro has already spent $500,000 on the bus project, and may have to commit to spending more than $40 million dollars more, most of it spent buying special buses to replace the ones carrying folks just fine now.
The affidavit admits something else you should know. Metro says the October 15th boardings on the current Post Oak buses is just 2,291, half of the stated ridership from last year. Do that math. Commuters should be counted twice, which raises a question no one seems to want to answer. How many Uptown workers actually use the bus to commute right now? Don’t you think someone should know that before they spend $300 million taxpayer dollars to tear up the road for dedicated bus lanes?
Video surveillance of Uptown bus shelters show they are virtually empty, with riders on bus 33 simply using uptown to connect to other buses.
“Not a penny more should be spent on this project until the Texas Attorney General rules on this important contract with voters,” says Jim Scarborough of the Uptown Property Owners Association. “When this project is ruled illegal, Metro and Uptown will be obligated to pay this money back.”
The Metro letters to the Attorney General and the letter from Houston Attorney Andy Taylor are available on Twitter @waynedolcefino, Dolcefino Consulting on Facebook and at www.dolcefino.com.
DOCUMENTS
11.18.2015 AT Letter Brief
RQ-0028 New Metro briefing
