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Resident urges Bellaire to review 39-year Metro agreement that sends half of local sales tax to transit authority
Summary
A resident told Bellaire City Council the city should re-examine a long-standing agreement with Metro that directs half of available local sales tax to the transit authority, saying the payment amounts to millions annually and limits the city's budget choices.
A Bellaire resident urged the City Council at the May 19 meeting to start a public review of the city's long-standing sales-tax arrangement with Metro, saying the current agreement diverts half of Bellaire's available local sales tax to the transit authority and costs the city millions annually.
Dan Collins, a longtime Bellaire resident, told council he and other voters were surprised to learn "we send one half, 50%, half of our available sales tax revenue each year to Metro. This fiscal year, that amounts to over $3,600,000. That's greater than 12% of our general revenue fund." Collins asked the council to research the 39-year-old agreement and to educate voters about options under the Texas Transportation Code for municipal withdrawal from a transit authority.
Nut graf: Collins framed the request as a fiscal and transparency issue. He said Bellaire has other pressing capital needs including the library, parks and public safety equipment and argued the city should explore whether continued participation in Metro remains in Bellaire's fiscal interest.
Council Members acknowledged the comment as part of the public-comment record; the council did not take formal action on Metro at the meeting. Collins also touched on separate city matters in his remarks, including wastewater and neighborhood blight.
Ending: Councilmembers noted the city is already reviewing a number of long-term agreements and that staff would incorporate citizen feedback into ongoing budget and contract discussions.
