HOUSTON – Some residents in Clear Lake are fighting to be exempted from Proposition 1, Houston’s recently-passed drainage fee, because they claim the measure would amount to “double-taxation.”
“We already provide that drainage service to customers down here," said John Branch, a board member of the Clear Lake City Water Authority.
But since Houston annexed Clear Lake more than 20 years ago, Prop 1 would still apply. Some residents are furious.
"I think it's a really unfair deal and I don't think people really read the propositions before they go vote on them," Clear Lake resident Bill Stein said. “"It's just like double-taxation."
Renew Houston, the group of engineers that originally backed Prop 1, estimated the measure would cost the average homeowner just $5 a month to create a dedicated pay-as-you-go fund to improve drainage and stop the City of Houston from having to borrow money for infrastructure improvements.
Supporters called that a "fee." Critics preferred to label it was a "tax."
Since voters approved it last month, several groups – including schools, churches and business owners -- have said they will ask state lawmakers to exempt them. Presumably, that would drive up the cost for other homeowners.
Houston City Council must figure out how to implement the $8 billion referendum before next summer. Negotiations are underway, but they may prove difficult since several council members blasted the proposal before the November election.
As for the Clear Lake situation, it’s unclear how the city will end up handling it.
"They'll be probably an interlocal agreement between the city and the water authority,” said Stephen Costello, the Houston council member that’s heading up the task force to implement Prop 1. “I'm not really sure, but I think that's probably what might happen."
An interlocal agreement could mean the water authority will be allowed decide how the Prop 1 money is spent in Clear Lake.
Mike Sullivan, the council member that represents Clear Lake, told 11 News on Saturday that was a possibility. Sullivan has expressed concern that Prop 1 was “double-taxation.”
Still, Costello argued Prop 1 is not a “double-fee” since it'd be used for different things. He said the city’s legal team found that since Clear Lake’s fee was used mostly for water plant upgrades and not drainage, it didn’t conflict with Prop 1.
“I'm not in favor of an exemption,” Costello said. “I think everyone should pay the drainage user fee."
