Most local political and City Hall players have an opinion on the creature called the TIRZ. One thing is for sure. Some folks make a ton of money off of them. Hey, this is a free country! More power to them! But don’t hide from the press when you are scarfing up public funds. The Houston Press today has a very thorough piece on the local TIRZ creature. Here is a small part on the firm that won’t talk:
In Sharpstown, an eight-year fight between the neighborhood association and Hawes Hill Calderon LLP continues over what Bigham says were shoddy $4 million enhancements to the intersection of Bellaire Boulevard and Fondren Road. A majority of business owners interviewed by the Houston Press are angry with the Houston-based consulting firm that’s in charge of the daily operations of many TIRZs and management districts.
Scarborough of Montrose says the company charges a pretty penny for services that “don’t amount to anything.” According to documents in a Texas Supreme Court lawsuit between property owners and the Montrose Management District, Hawes Hill Calderon once billed the Montrose district a monthly consulting and administration fee of close to $20,000.
Repeated requests for interviews with David Hawes, Susan Hill and Bill Calderon were flat-out ignored. Additional inquiries made via Alice Lee, the director of business development and marketing at Hawes Hill Calderon, were also shunned. During the two months that the Press spent on this story, the company’s website was “under construction.” Calls to the main line never made it past the person answering the phone.
Now that is chicken s__t! One of the H-Town City Council committees ought to call a meeting and get these folks to start talking. Here is the entire Houston Press read on the TIRZ creature: http://www.houstonpress.com/news/how-houston-uses-the-tirz-system-to-benefit-high-dollar-areas-and-ignore-poorer-neighborhoods-7497253.
You may be a fan of the TIRZ or you may hate the TIRZ, but at least we can agree if you take a ton of money from the TIRZ, you ought to talk to the press.
Jose Altuve’s lead has shrunk considerably in the balloting for the 2015 AL All Star starting second baseman. His lead is now 159,315 votes. Who is in second?
This tweet came out this morning.
Vernon Loeb @LoebVernon 1h1 hour ago
Lisa Falkenberg’s quest to free an innocent man is complete. Police are in denial @chronfalkenberg http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/columnists/falkenberg/article/In-Brown-case-police-should-trust-evidence-not-6315021.php?t=cb93fdd895b2e7d3f0&cmpid=twitter-premium … via @HoustonChron
Show me the proof?
I really don’t know why the Skipper started Villar in left field last night. He couldn’t catch a fly ball!
Omar Infante of the Royals who is batting .216 is second to Jose Altuve of course who is batting .300.
Carlos Correa certainly did his part last night but the team didn’t and now we have a five game losing streak but still up by three.
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