Protestors rally against high rises' property tax bills

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- As Houston City Council spent the day dealing with its budget, there was a big money protest near City Hall.

Hundreds of people marched on Chase Tower, trying to get big building owners to pay more taxes. They argue that would help the city.

At a time when skyscrapers have fewer vacancies in downtown Houston and sale prices are going up, protestors say tax bills for those big buildings are going down. They're fighting their bills - just like lots of homeowners do - but protestors say the system is unfair.

They are the buildings that define downtown Houston. They are the shapes of our skyline, the homes to some of the nation's most powerful companies. And not surprisingly, the places where our area's largest property tax bills are sent.

On Wednesday, members of the Texas Organizing Project and striking union janitors marched on Chase Tower, downtown's tallest and owner Hines Interests' most valuable building. They carried a nearly $7 million supposed tax bill for what protestors say is unpaid property tax Hines owes because the system's been so successful fighting property tax appraisals.

"These large entities keep robbing us of monies that they are due to pay. Then we lose," said Roselyn Johnson with the Texas Organizing Project.

"But they're paying their bills, Roselyn," we said.

"They're not paying their fair share," she said.

Protestors say successful appeals have lowered the tax bills for buildings like these -- $6.6 million in 2011 alone, and $ $1.7 million of that would go right to the city.

"This week, the city of Houston is talking about their budget and how much more can that help," said Gloria Villareal with the Texas Organizing Project.

The protestors say the system works to benefit big companies because of access to high-priced lobbyists and lawyers. It's an argument that only goes so far, since every one of us can appeal and protestor Roselyn Johnson has.

"Have you ever appealed yours?" we asked Johnson.

"I have, twice," she said.

"How did it work out for you?" we asked.

"I don't pay tax any more," she said.

Yes, she is complaining about breaks to big companies, and at the same time benefiting from breaks the system gave her and homeowners across our area.

More money may help the city of Houston with its budget, so long as it comes from someone's wallet -- and who's going to volunteer to pay more first -- you, me or the corporations with the sky-high offices?

The Harris County Appraisal District does say it feels outgunned trying to increase the value of big buildings downtown, even when rents are going up and occupancy going down.

We called Hines twice looking for comment but heard nothing.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more In Focus »

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City of Houston cracks down on customers with overdue water bills

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The city of Houston is getting tough on people who don't pay their water bills. The delinquencies are costing the city millions.

Legally, the city can turn off your water if you fail to pay for more than 52 days and right now, the city says they have more than 20,000 accounts that are over 200 days past due. The total amount to the city exceeds $13 million. That includes commercial and residential, as well as multi-family customers.

The city says it is not going to wait for that money anymore. They say they are going to be quite aggressive starting today in turning off your water if you don't pay.

"Today, we are announcing a stepped up enforcement effort to get people to pay their water bills and the method we use is if you don't pay, you get your water turned off," said Houston Mayor Annise Parker. "It's not that we haven't been using water cut-offs, but we are about to ramp up the effort."

The city handed out a list of the top 20 customers who are delinquent on their accounts. One customer topped the list, owing $198,451.

The city says it has assistance programs for people who can't afford to pay their bills. There is a water fund available for those individuals. The city says they are willing to work with those people but not with others who have blatantly disregarded their water bills for more than 200 days.

The city says you can call the main Customer Service Number at 713-371-1400 for information related to your water bil, or visit HoustonWaterBills.org. The hotline if service has been cut is 713-371-1110.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Harris County-produced movie racks up bills

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We stick our watchdog on the county's watchdog. 13 Undercover is back and this investigation is about more than the Harris County Attorney's Office. It really is about dogs and an expensive movie you'd paid to make.

Vince Ryan campaigned as an ethics watchdog, so you'd figure his office would the first to make sure your money wasn't wasted. Instead, they spent money like they were in Hollywood.

Ah, the cinema; the magic of pictures and sounds all on the big screen. This one is hardly a science fiction classic. But the guy who directed this cinematic gem was also hired to make a movie with your money. You'll scream when you see the bills.

"Explain it to the people who work real hard for a living," KTRK legal analyst Joel Androphy said.

And here's the guy making movies on your dime: Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan.

It was a documentary about dog fighting. There had been a big bust by the DPS -- 55 arrests and more than 300 dogs saved. And no one disputes that dog fighting is not only illegal, it's downright cruel.

But Vince Ryan, he wasn't even in office when it happened.

"I've had dogs and loved dogs my whole life," Ryan said.

No, this was the new county attorney telling the camera just how tough he was going to be on people who fight dogs.

"The problem of dogs are severe and part of the effort was to prevent dogs from killing children," Assistant Harris County Attorney Terry O'Rourke said.

Who would not want to stop mean dogs from attacking our kids? But why did we need a movie director?

"Why Fleming Fuller?" we asked O'Rourke.

"Because he was the best available," he said.

This county contract said we would spend a maximum of $10,000 and finish in one month.

But look at the first bills for research: more than $6,000 -- $1,000 a day just for the director to come here to consult. Then add weeks of hotel bills over an entire year. Sushi, steak houses, valet parking, lots of plane flights. It cost more than $100,000.

"Do you think spending $100,000 on that dog video was a good idea?" we asked Vince Ryan.

"Yes," he replied.

"You do?" we pressed.

That's because Fleming Fuller lives in North Carolina, so we flew him back and forth to Houston a lot -- even paid to fly his crew to Montana to edit the video.

"It's not just that they flew guys back and forth, they flew his buddy back and forth. That's what's disturbing," Texas Watchdog Editor Trent Siebert said.

Oh yeah, did we mention the movie director is a longtime friend of Ryan's top assistant, Terry O'Rourke?

"It's the strand that connects everything together; it's a person in power helping his buddy," Siebert said.

"So the best available means you talked to local production people and nobody was available?" we asked O'Rourke.

"Yeah," he replied.

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"OK, because we'll want to see the records of that," we said.

"Based on that look, I would like him to show some evidence to back up what he says," Siebert said.

We asked. The names never came.

"I'm not going to make an agreement on television to talk to you about a contract we made by writing," O'Rourke said.

Mr. O'Rourke, we're still waiting.

A lot of the video was free -- DPS surveillance video -- but those Hollywood folks know that some scenes are more expensive than others to shoot.

Take this one: a man and his loyal companion frolicking on the beach. The director charged $500 just for a travel day from Houston to Galveston, just for his time. There's lots of expenses, like the hotel bills from the exclusive San Luis Resort, a pricey dinner in Jamaica Beach at Nate's Seafood. Based on the bill, it must have been shrimptastic. We found another bill at a Galveston hotel next door for the same night; it says Fleming Fuller, too, but the address on the bill is a Houston one, where Terry O'Rourke lived.

"Your hotel bill under Mr. Fuller's name?" we asked O'Rourke.

"It may be, I don't know. I will look at it," he replied.

It was apparently a nice weekend at the beach, and as they say in show biz, at least they got the money shot. Hey wait a minute, isn't that guy with the dog your county attorney?

"It sort of looks like a campaign commercial," we told Ryan.

"Well Wayne, I've said for years and years, and you probably should use it, the best government is also good politics; good politics is the best government," Ryan said.

In the end the documentary was so graphic, they had to spend more of your money cutting it down to just seven minutes. That's $13,000 a minute. And look how many people have actually watched the video on YouTube: 171. Isn't that a steep price to pay for a politician's box office flop?

13 Undercover Interactive: See how your money was spent -- the bills, the connections and see if the county attorneys office is really telling you the truth.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more 13 Undercover »

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Grand jury no bills DPS trooper indicted after chase

 A grand jury no billed DPS Trooper Andrew Papanos who was charged with aggravated assault by a peace officer after a November high-speed car chase in Fort Bend County.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A grand jury has no billed a state trooper who was indicted last month because of what happened in the aftermath of a car chase in Fort Bend County.

DPS Trooper Andrew Papanos had been indicted on a charge of aggravated assault by a peace officer in connection to the alleged beating of 58-year-old Ricki Kelley. In November, Kelley allegedly led officers on a high-speed chase that stretched from Patton Village to near Rosenberg and had fired shots at the officers during the pursuit. When spike strips finally disabled Kelley's car, he exited with a shotgun in hand. What happened next was never revealed to the media, but Kelley was injured enough that he was flown by medical helicopter to a hospital. A dash-cam in a patrol car caught the confrontation on tape, which led to the Papanos' indictment. Attorneys, however, claimed the DPS trooper did what he had to do to get control of the situation. On Thursday, grand jurors reviewed the evidence in the case and decided to drop the charge against Papanos. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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