November 1, 2017      4:36 PM

Local leaders talk revenue crunches, communications breakdowns in aftermath of Harvey

In testimony before Senate Business & Commerce, mayors say what’s worrying them two months into a multi-year recovery effort

In Rockport, where the housing stock was wiped out by Category 4 winds when Hurricane Harvey came ashore in late August, the city government will soon face a difficult decision — raise the tax burden on property owners to an “unconscionable” level or make big cuts to municipal personnel.

That was the message delivered by Rockport Mayor C.J. Wax to a meeting of the Senate Business & Commerce Committee that took testimony on several Harvey-related interim charges on Wednesday.

The coastal city is looking at a 35 percent loss in its property tax base, Wax said.

By John Reynolds

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