Government
BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & CASSANDRA JENKINS
Sports Authority names Canetti as interim CEO
Houston's tax rate to remain unchanged Members of the Houston City Council adopted a property tax rate Oct. 16 of $0.51919 per $100 valuation for the 2024-25 scal year, the same tax rate as the previ- ous year. The takeaway Council members were debating the potential adoption of a higher tax rate to help fund roughly $40 million for ongoing disaster recovery e orts related to Hur- ricane Beryl and a May derecho, both of which caused extensive damage in the city. However, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Oct. 9 the distribution of $50 million in funds to communities in Southeast Texas to help with disaster recovery, which prompted council members to keep the tax rate the same.
Dry weather prompts county burn ban Harris County commissioners approved a burn ban at an Oct. 8 Commissioners Court meeting, which includes restrictions on all outdoor burning as well as the sale of certain reworks. What happened The ban was requested by the Harris County Fire Marshal’s O ce, which cited “prolonged dry and hot weather.” The ban makes exceptions for burns within an enclo- sure that contains all ames and sparks. From Oct. 25-Nov. 1, vendors weren’t able to sell “tail and n” reworks, which typically include skyrockets, missiles and bottle rock- ets, according to the HCFMO. Violations of the ban are considered a Class “C” misdemeanor and could result in a ne of up to $500. The burn ban was still in e ect as of press time.
O cials authorize audits for all TIRZ districts in wake of Midtown scandal All 28 tax increment reinvestment zones in Hous- ton will undergo extensive auditing after members of the Houston City Council approved a $770,000 increase in consulting services to take a deeper dive into TIRZ spending habits. What’s happening? According to an Oct. 16 agenda item, the work will be carried out by the accounting rm Ernst & Young. The process will involve identifying all sources of spending data within an organization, such as vendor selection, supply management, contract pricing and payment terms. The analysis is anticipated to take approximately ve weeks, and the city will seek reimbursement for the $770,000 increase in cost from the TIRZs for all work performed.
“[Tax increment reinvestment zones] spend large amounts of money with
little oversight. So, we want to get inside the operations and see if we can eliminate waste, duplication and corruption.”
The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority has named Chris Canetti as interim CEO. What we know HCHSA board Chairman J. Kent Friedman announced Oct. 14 that Canetti will temporarily ll the spot left by former longtime CEO Janis Burke. Canetti is the former team president of the Hous- ton Dynamo. He stepped down in 2024 to serve as president of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Host Commit- tee. According to a news release from HCHSA, he will continue to serve in that capacity while acting as interim CEO. Friedman said Canetti has a proven track record of success in Houston. In the meantime, Friedman said HCHSA leadership will organize a special committee that will be tasked with identifying and hiring a permanent CEO. In case you missed it The HCHSA’s board of directors voted
unanimously Oct. 11 to release Burke after 18 years of service. The vote came on the heels of Houston Mayor John Whitmire sharing that he had received several complaints from sports venue owners and stakehold-
JOHN WHITMIRE, HOUSTON MAYOR
ers that HCHSA had become di cult to collaborate with and had “moved away from its core mission.” The HCHSA board is made up of 13 members con rmed by the Houston City Council and Harris County Commissioners Court. In addition to choos- ing the CEO, the board is tasked with maintaining sports venues and promoting sports-related events in the county. Burke shared a post on LinkedIn thanking the Houston community for its love and support over the course of her career. As of Oct. 11, Burke has declined additional requests for comment. Chris Canetti
Why now? The decision comes on the heels of an ongoing investigation into the Midtown Redevelopment Authority that led to the alleged discovery of money laundering and theft by former real estate manager Todd Edwards and two contractors. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg charged Edwards with abuse of o cial capacity, money laundering, theft and misapplication of duciary property, according to a June press conference. Edwards allegedly used his position as an o cial of the Midtown TIRZ to use approximately $8.5 million of public funds for personal gain, Ogg said.
HOUSTON SUPERSTORE 2410 Smith Street (713) 526-8787
WESTCOTT AND MEMORIAL 5818 Memorial Dr (713) 861-4161
SHEPHERD 1900 S Shepherd (713) 529-4849
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