02/01/2007
ANHOC Heads to Austin
A delegation of Cy-Fair Chamber members will embark February 6 on the Alliance of North Harris Chambers of Commerce (ANHOC)’s biennial trip to Austin to lobby legislators about issues important to the chambers and north/northwest Harris County region.
Several groups made up of Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce, Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce, Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce, North Houston Greenspoint Chamber of Commerce, Humble Area Chamber of Commerce, Community Chamber of Commerce of East Montgomery County and North Houston Association members plan to deliver packets of resolutions – or position papers – that all seven organizations endorsed.
“It is always important to determine the consensus items important to all seven of our area chambers,” said Darcy Mingoia , Cy-Fair Chamber President and ANHOC’s Assistant Secretary. “When we visit Austin to support something that is endorsed by all seven chambers, we have great strength in our numbers. Our local legislative delegation is always interested in how we feel about issues important to all of us.”
Mingoia said the delegation would deliver resolutions to all 31 senators and 150 representatives.
Those ANHOC resolutions include:
• Resolution supporting an amendment to Texas Penal Code, Title 7, Chapter 30, Section 30.04
This resolution requests that an auto breaking & entering crime be reclassified from a misdemeanor to a felony. The chamber’s Crime Prevention and Public Safety committees have had several discussions regarding the increase in the number of these crimes since it was demoted from a felony to a misdemeanor in years past. Mingoia said ANHOC members believe that reclassification will help deter and discourage individuals from breaking into cars parked at businesses, which is a serious concern to business owners committed to patrons’ safety.
• Resolution in support of the HB 599 and HB 600 (Introduced in the 79 th Legislative Session)
These two bills were introduced by state Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, in 2005 but failed because time ran out in the legislative session. The bills called for tougher punishment for individuals and/or companies that erect illegal off-premise “bandit signs” and billboards in public rights-of-way.
“ANHOC calls for our neighborhoods and business areas to be free of ‘litter on a stick’ and other signage that causes blight and esthetically damages our beautiful area,” Mingoia said.
Mingoia added that the previous bills have been re-filed in the 80 th Legislature and the new bill reference numbers are HB 412 and HB 413.
• Resolution supporting further enhancements in public school funding
“We are concerned that our local educational institutions are still not adequately funded despite the changes brought about by last year’s special session,” Mingoia said. “Education is the key to economic development, because we can’t be a thriving, growing community without an educated workforce.”
“It is our goal to monitor the funding changes brought about by the special session’s legislation and insure that it will allow enough access of monies to our local school districts to insure they can educate our young people," Mingoia said.
• Resolution in support of funding for Texas Rail and Relocation Fund
House Bill 1546 passed the House and Senate in the 79 th Legislature, and the Texas Rail Relocation Fund was established to fund the relocation, acquisition, improvement, rehabilitation and expansion of rail facilities for freight and commuter rail services. Texas voters ratified that legislation in a November 2005 referendum vote. The fund was established, but the legislation did not set up a revenue stream to fill the account.
This resolution calls for legislators to designate a state-funded revenue stream to go into that account, so that the Gulf Coast Freight Rail District, Texas Department of Transportation, Houston-Galveston Area Council and other public and private partners can work toward getting commuter and freight rail projects underway in the Houston region.
“Safety improvements and (rail line) relocations will also allow our local TxDOT area to review the possibility of commuter rail on those tracks currently serviced by freight trains,” Mingoia said.
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