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Harris jail building scheme an improper use of tax-increment financing

Voters rejected a new jail last year, but the Harris County Commissioners Court wants to shove one down their throat, anyway, reports the Houston Chronicle ("Deal on jail, stadium, Dome in homestretch," Aug. 24), using a tax-increment financing scheme:The city of Houston and Harris County are negotiating a deal that could pave the way for construction of a new soccer stadium, a new jail and the redevelopment of the Astrodome, according to officials taking part in the talks.The negotiations, which have been under way for several months and are reaching their final stage, focus on the use of tax increment reinvestment zones, or TIRZ, as vehicles for the major capital projects.?We're in the home stretch,? said David Turkel, director of the county's community services department, who has played a key role in the talks...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on August 24, 2009 (boomark / email).