Council members consider unusual proposals to trim budget

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- City leaders are huddled for a marathon meeting about proposed changes to the city's multibillion-dollar budget. These are potentially significant decisions affecting everything from the mayor's term limits to whether you can use a plastic bag at the grocery store.

More than 100 amendments are on the table for consideration. But the good news are none of them propose large-scale layoffs.

Just outside City Hall, downtown workers tote their lunches in plastic bags -- something that could go away if one budget amendment passes.

"I think it's a good idea, it's better for the environment to use the reusable bags," downtown worker Amanda Cooper said.

The idea of phasing away plastic bags is just one of 104 amendments being considered this budget year. Councilman Ed Gonzalez says the bags turn into hard-to-get-rid-of trash.

"We spend a lot of money trying to keep our city clean and we need to see if we could make an impact on those costs," Gonzalez said.

The plastic bag proposal may seem like unusual for council members to consider, but budget cycles are a time when council members introduce unusual ideas.

"As a supporter of police and firefighters, it's not a comfortable to say 'the emperor has no clothes' but that's the reality as it stands," Councilwoman Helena Brown said.

Brown, for example, wanted council members to default on police and fire pension plans, among other suggestions. That was quickly voted down.

But other ideas did pass.

Council members could now put a proposal before voters to change term limits to two four-year terms. And the proposed pole tax of $5 for every strip club customer is scheduled for a vote next week.

"We have so much on our plate right now that some people simply can't look at everything that's being put in front of them. I have respect for that," Houston City Councilwoman Ellen Cohen said.

Council members are expected to meet a couple more times before finalizing next year's budget.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Fort Bend ISD budget meeting Monday open to public

  SUGAR LAND, TX (KTRK) -- The budget is front and center for Fort Bend Independent School District on Monday.

The district's board of trustees is holding a public meeting to discuss the proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

Top on the agenda is debating the maintenance and operations tax rate.

The meeting is at 4:30pm at the FBISD administration building in Sugar Land.

Anyone can attend and weigh in with their opinions.

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

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Houston Schools New Budget Brings Needed Money for Teachers and Improvements

Fewer college grants, scholarships due to budget cuts

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Governor Rick Perry praised lawmakers Tuesday for making what he called tough choices to keep Texas living within its means. We look at just one of those tough choices -- big cuts to college financial aid.

We spoke with one of the 30,000 Texas high school seniors graduating and still looking for the cash that was cut. For years, some of our state's neediest college students relied on Texas grants. Last year, the grant averaged almost $6,000 per student per year of college to more than 100,000 students statewide. But $55 million in budget cuts just enacted make those harder to find now, and take a little excitement out of this week's graduation ceremonies. Nine years ago, Oscar Ortega walked into a Houston classroom and didn't understand a thing. "The first day I walked in in third grade, they were talking English and I was like, 'What is this?'" said Ortega. On Sunday, Ortega will graduate 25th in his Reagan High School class of nearly 400. It probably goes without saying that Ortega has worked very hard to get where he is. He hopes to start at Texas A&M in the fall. "Wow. I'm really excited," said Ortega. "It's A&M. Howdy! I mean, come on." His hard work earned him a spot in A&M's incoming class, but acceptance will not be nearly enough to get him to College Station. Ortega told us A&M costs $20,636. Any other year, Ortega would be close to having it all -- he earned a $1,000 Project Grad scholarship; $5,000 from his high school scholarship program; an A&M Regents Scholarship would've been $5,000 more; a state 10-percent scholarship would've earned him $2,000; and a Texas grant would've been roughly $5,000. That would leave him just $2,636 short. But the $15 billion worth of budget cuts this year in Austin erased almost all of that, leaving Ortega and thousands of other incoming college freshmen scrambling. "It scares me because this should be the easy decision -- funding our public schools, funding the Texas grant -- this should be the easy work," said Ann Stiles. Stiles runs Project Grad -- a Houston non-profit helping at-risk students get through high school and into college. She says, and the state admits, more at-risk first generation students need to go to college in Texas. But funding cuts just approved mean 29,000 fewer freshman will get Texas grants next year than the year before, nearly ending the program for incoming freshmen. "If the businesses can't find the workforce that exist here in Texas, they'll look elsewhere. We'll lose some of our big business out of our cities and we'll have to import the workers that we need," said Stiles. High school seniors a week from graduation though may be the most optimistic people on Earth, and Oscar Ortega is no different. He has no idea how he'll pay, and he admits some anger. "I am shocked," said Ortega. But he is not giving up. "I can keep on finding scholarships, maybe a loan. A door closes, but many more open," said Ortega. He is continuing to look for scholarships, and schools may now be able to restore some money. The budget cuts are actually less than what was orginally proposed at the beginning of the year. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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HISD to lose millions if Gov. Perry approves budget

  Demond FernandezHOUSTON (KTRK) -- Under the proposed budget approved Saturday by the Texas Legislature, the Houston Independent School District would lose out on nearly $200 million over the next two years.

The district has been making cuts to deal with the lack of funding, but administrators, parents and teachers are speaking out about this budget decision.

They all say that school districts like HISD are in some serious trouble.

"I think that it's a lot of politics and the kids are suffering," parent Taryn Phillips said.

HISD could stand to lose more than $78 million dollars in state funding next school year, and the estimates hit the district even harder in 2013 with $126 million in cuts approved by the Senate and House.

"Of course our economy needs a lot of help right now, but still you got to think about the children, and think about, 'Is it worth cutting back on that or other things?'" parent Julia Smith said.

After learning about its budget reduction estimates from the state, HISD released a statement.

"Schools in Houston and elsewhere will still suffer significantly in years to come," the statement read.

"The substantial reduction in state funding will undoubtedly have an impact in our students' education," it continued.

Gayle Fallon with the Houston Federation of Teachers agrees.

"Parents are not going to like what school looks like next year because they're going to have kids coming back to very large classes," Fallon said.

Fallon predicts the state's budget estimates may lead to unsafe and understaffed schools.

She says one of the only solutions could be an unpopular one if the school board lessens the burden by raising taxes.

"As a taxpayer in Houston, I'm not thrilled with a tax increase, but I'd rather pay the money now than pay it into the criminal justice system when we turn out an illiterate generation that can't get a job," Fallon said.

Parents, HISD administrators and the teachers union all say they will be waiting and watching to see what lawmakers ultimately decide.

The district has already laid off employees, cut programs and closed schools to make up part of the expected budget gap, but trustees believe their only option could be a roughly 4 cent tax rate hike.

The district's current tax rate is 1-15 per $100 valuation.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Mayor Parker to unveil city's budget plan today

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- After months of layoffs and budget cuts, Houston Mayor Annise Parker is ready to unveil her spending plan for the next fiscal year. The mayor will outline the budget at city hall this afternoon.

We won't know for sure what's being cut until we hear from the mayor this afternoon, but city department heads and leaders have been preparing us all along for the services we might not see for much longer or may see less of.

In recent weeks, we've reported that the city's parks department has been hard hit. At least 100-200 layoffs last week, which it's possible, could make for fewer city workers to take care of park facilities, affecting park hours for facilities like swimming pools and golf courses.

We talked to the health department last week, about the 84 pink slips which went out to workers there.

"It is very sad and every person here is important and they do an important job so it will be a struggle for us to overcome this," said Kathy Barton with the Houston Health Department.

When it comes to police and firefighters the mayor's office has announced tentative deals with both the police officers and firefighters unions in order to save those jobs. The deals need to be approved by the city council.

But still, with the reduction in civilian workforce, now totaling 747 -- it's difficult to imagine services won't be affected at all.

The mayor is expected to release her budget today at 12:30pm.

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HISD board resume discussions on budget, school closures

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The HISD board is meeting this morning for another round of budget talks.

Trustees will discuss next year's budget along with a redistricting project based on the results of the 2010 census. They'll also review the latest recommendations for closing and consolidating low-enrollment schools to help the district close a budget gap.

A final vote on school closures is set for May 12th.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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Katy students to take different approach to protest budget cuts

   KATY, TX (KTRK) -- After two days of protests last week at multiple campuses, Katy ISD students are taking a different approach.

Today, students plan to organize a letter writing campaign to voice their frustration with budget cuts. Cinco Ranch High School students will write and mail letters today to lawmakers in Austin.

Katy ISD is facing a $50 million budget shortfall due to spending cuts in the state budget. The district plans to lay off 500 teachers.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) 

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