HOUSTON — Houstonians will have to wait another week to find out if they’ll be paying for street parking at night.
City Council pushed back a planned vote Wednesday to extend meter hours from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday, with Sundays and holidays exempted.
Edward Pollard, one of three council members who proposed the plan, “tagged” the agenda item, delaying the vote by one week. After the meeting, Pollard told KHOU 11 he wanted colleagues and constituents to have more time to review the plan.
“We want the residents to know that we hear you,” said Pollard of District J, which includes neighborhoods in southwest Houston. “We understand that no one wants to pay additional fees, but the same way that costs have gone up when you go to the grocery store, to a concert, or to a ball game, or to a restaurant, costs have gone up for the city, too, and we have to find a way to pay for that.”
Pollard said the city earns $5 million a year on parking. Before the pandemic, it was $10 million. He hopes his proposal could net as much as $20 million annually.
It’s one of several ideas he said leaders are considering to raise money to close a deficit currently estimated at $160 million on the low end.
“You’re not gonna get all of that from parking meters, but every single dollar helps,” Pollard said.
On Wednesday, City Council continued talking about ways to cut costs and raise revenues.
“The 5% goal was a starting point for cuts,” Mayor John Whitmire said referencing suggested reductions across all departments.
A new garbage fee or asking voters to lift property tax rates are also options.
Finance leaders predict the fiscal year 2025’s shortfall will grow to as high as $280 million if a proposed settlement with firefighters to end a years-long pay dispute is finalized.
“We’re assuming if we take it to trial, we could get a better deal,” said Twila Carter, Houston City Council Member, At-Large Position 3. “Well, we could really get a bad deal, too.”
The parking meter vote should happen on Wednesday, April 10.
Houston City Council, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and District Judge Lauren Reeder must approve the city's settlement with the firefighters union.