City Controller Annise Parker urges City Council to prohibit relocated billboards in any new billboard agreement.

"While the agreement was drafted with the best of intentions, Houston citizens overwhelmingly desire and deserve far fewer billboards," she said. "We can't allow more than 400 small and medium-sized billboards to be relocated — possibly twice — and remain up for the next 20 years. "

City Council is considering an agreement hammered out between Clear Channel Outdoor, one of the largest outdoor advertising firms, and city representatives which reduces the total number of billboards but allows 466 small and medium-sized billboards to be relocated.

The new agreement would amend the current billboard ordinance passed in 1980 that requires all billboards not protected by federal law to come down by 2013.

That ordinance has reduced the city's 11,000+ billboard faces to about 4,500. Various ordinance provisions have been in litigation since it passed nearly 30 years ago. The city's recent legal victory prompted a new look at the ordinance. Whatever City Council passes, billboards along federal highways and other federal corridors, such as Main and Westheimer, are protected by federal law. The state has also said it would not challenge billboards along state roads.

Projected surplus jumps to $12 million

Unexpectedly robust property tax revenues continue to fuel a projected city budget surplus, up from $8 million to $12 million in one month.

City Controller Annise Parker delivered the good news to City Council recently during the monthly financial report (MFOR) for the period ending October 31.

The projected general fund budget surplus stems almost entirely from a $7.2 million increase in Controller's Office projections for property tax revenues, prompted by yet another new estimate of taxable values from the county appraisal district (HCAD). With this increase and $25 million already incorporated from the last HCAD update, the current Controller's Office projection represents a $35 million increase over the original budget estimate. (The $35 million in new revenue yields only a $12 million "surplus" because the original budget drew down fund balance.)

"This is the first time in 10 years I remember the numbers changing this much and this often. It's always good news to have more revenue than expected, but there could be implications for our revenue caps and tax rate if this continues," Parker said.

Because of the dramatic increase, the city controller suggested that HCAD Executive Director Jim Robinson brief the Fiscal Affairs Committee on tax roll fluctuations.

Robinson cited two main reasons for the huge $1.8 billion difference between the county's certified taxable value set in the fall and the current value of almost $136.5 billion: a record 345,000 protests of a possible 1.7 million (in part prompted by new school district tax rates) and a $1 billion temporary bump.

The actual loss of value following so many protest hearings turned out to be less than projected. According to state law, the roll must be estimated and certified based on the projected value as if all protests were upheld, a very conservative number.

Robinson explained that the State Legislature also played a role in creating the temporary $1 billion blip. New legislation giving oil companies the choice of paying taxes on oil rigs in the operating county or in the headquarter's county caught companies off-guard. Some inadvertently paid in Houston. He said December updates will show a $500 million decrease as companies start paying taxes in other counties.

Despite 345,000 protests, Robinson said a state review concluded that HCAD is appraising residential property at 98% of value. The HCAD senior appraiser pointed out that most protests are prompted by tax bill increases rather than appraised value. Robinson, for one, would like to see the Legislature pass a 5% cap on annual appraised value increases.

So many abbreviations. So many wild cats. About 250,000 cats to be exact. That's why TNR may soon become a recognizable acronym around Houston. Houston City Council recently approved a Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) program to encourage cat lovers who feed wild feral cats to trap, fix and release them.

Until now, a widely ignored city ordinance made it illegal to feed three or more stray cats, even after trapping and fixing them. Residents can  now take  cats  to several local clinics to get them  fixed  for a discounted fee and return them to the neighborhood.  For more information about discount clinics, call the city at 713-229-7300 or Citizens for Animal Protection, 281-262-5577.

The program allows residents to pay about $30 to vaccinate and sterilize cats through various local groups, including Citizens for Animal Protection, which received a grant from PetSmart. No city money will be used. Each neutered cat will receive an ear notch. SNAP (713-863-0010) has offered a low-cost feral cat program for years.

"While this is a reasonable attempt to reduce the feral cat population, bird predation by cats is a significant problem, and all cats should be indoors," commented City Controller Annise Parker.

The new City Council that votes for the first time in January is slightly more male than female, 8-7 (counting the mayor), but heavily Democratic, 10-5, including all at-large positions.

This could be most lopsided council in recent memory in a city and level of politics that's supposed to be non-partisan, although only a relative handful of issues ever reflect partisan divisions.


Joining council are three district members: businessman Mike Sullivan ( E); former city employee Wanda Adams ( D); and former council aide James Rodriguez . Attorney and former track star Jolanda Jones was elected at-large (Position 5).

Leaving council after serving three terms are Council Members Addie Wiseman (E), Michael Berry (at-large Position 5), Ada Edwards (D) and Carol Alvarado (I).

                                      New Houston City Council Members:
                             Mike Sullivan (top, left)    Jolanda Jones (right)
                             Wanda Adams                 James Rodriguez