In My Opinion

"Yes" on the METRO referendum will expand bus system, continue road building andreduce debt

Editor's note: We have asked representatives on both sides of important initatives to express their views. METRO board member Dwight Jefferson states his case on the use of tax dollars in the METRO General Mobility Program.

Some people say the METRO referendum is confusing. I don’t see that. I like to say that what the METRO referendum does is as simple at 1-2-3:

Continue the road-building program
Expand METRO's bus system
Pay down METRO's short-term debt

Voters have the opportunity in this election to decide that they want to continue building roads and improving the bus system. The Metropolitan Transit Authority (or METRO) is asking people to vote "for" the referendum near the end of the ballot.

A vote "for" the METRO proposition will put into place a fiscally responsible plan that balances our needs for vital road projects and safe, affordable and reliable transit.

A vote "for" the METRO proposition will put into place a fiscally responsible plan that balances our needs for vital road projects and safe, affordable and reliable transit. This proposition will maintain funding for local streets and roads, expand bus service, reduce traffic congestion and keep our taxes low.

A vote "for" the METRO proposition means that METRO will continue to share its tax revenue with our local multi-cities and the county for street improvements and mobility projects. It will increase bus service so more people can use METRO. And it will protect tax dollars by paying down its debt.

Pay-as-you-go

METRO is getting its fiscal house in order by moving to a pay-as-you-go system for its General Mobility Program, eliminating company cars and other perks and winning awards for transparency and accountability. The METRO proposition is a fiscally responsible plan because it requires METRO to pay down debt and it will not increase our taxes.

METRO is constantly being called on to meet the demands of a diverse and growing region. This referendum balances our need for regional transit with the needs of multi cities, Houston and the county to fund street and road improvements.

The bus system is the backbone of the transit system. These funds will be used to buy more buses, upgrade Park and Ride and Transit Center facilities and build more bus shelters.

The actual ballot language is simple. Voters will be asked to vote "for" or "against": "The continued dedication of up to 25 percent of METRO's sales and use tax revenues for street improvements and related projects for the period October 1, 2014, through December 31, 2025, as authorized by law and with no increase in the current rate of METRO's sales and use tax."

Currently a portion of sales tax revenue goes to METRO to pay for bus, rail and other transit services. METRO shares 25 percent of this revenue with our local multi cities, Houston and the county to help pay for street improvements and other vital mobility projects. This General Mobility Program was established to enhance regional mobility and ease traffic congestion. That sharing arrangement expires in 2014.

If the METRO Proposition passes, Metro will continue to share tax revenue with the local multi cities Houston and the county to pay for vital road projects. METRO will also receive additional funds to spend on our transit. The bus system is the backbone of the transit system. These funds will be used to buy more buses, upgrade Park and Ride and Transit Center facilities and build more bus shelters.

With these additional funds, METRO will also pay down its debt — almost $190 million in short-term debt. To continue expanding the community’s vital transit system, and before starting any new major capital program, METRO needs to eliminate that short-term debt. This gives the agency more options for future transit solutions, since federal funding cannot be relied on.

The proposition will put METRO in a stronger financial position to meet future transit needs, including rail.

If the proposition fails, the tax revenue would all go to METRO and the cities and county will lose that money to pay for roads, bridges, sidewalks, lighting, bike lanes and more. The City of Houston would lose up to $100 million.

METRO will complete the three rail lines currently halfway through construction—they are halfway to the finish line now. Under this plan, new money going to METRO must be used to expand and improve bus service and pay down its debt. The proposition will put METRO in a stronger financial position to meet future transit needs, including rail.

Early voting is underway and continues through Nov. 2. Election Day is Nov. 6. I urge voters to go to the end of the ballot where the propositions are located to vote "for" the METRO referendum. Even if you vote a straight party ticket, you still need to go to the end for the referendum and other propositions.

A "for" vote is good for METRO because it strikes the best balance between our need for first-class, affordable transit and our need to repair and improve our local roads. Voting "for" the METRO referendum is as easy as 1-2-3. Money for roads, a better bus system and less debt — these are three steps we can take together to help solve the transit needs of our region.

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For an opposing view, read this opinion piece by Houston Tomorrow's David Crossley.

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good for the soul

Houston blooms as No. 3 best city for urban gardening in the U.S.

Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash

Let's get gardening, Houston

Folks in the Bayou City have plenty of reasons to develop a green thumb: Houston has harvested new acclaim as the No. 3 best city in America for urban gardening in 2026.

Lawnstarter's annual report, "2026’s Best Cities for Urban Gardening," compared 500 U.S. cities based on their respective public access to community gardens, climate, the prevalence of nurseries and gardening supply stores, and the number of regional gardening clubs and online groups.

Atlanta topped the list as the No. 1 best U.S. city, followed by Miami (No. 2); St. Louis (No. 4); and Jacksonville, Florida (No. 5).

For the uninitiated, urban gardening is the practice of growing plants or food in densely populated areas. Local examples include Blackwood Skyfarm, which is the largest rooftop farm in Texas, or Urban Harvest's 160 affiliate gardens – but backyards, apartment balconies, and vacant lots could also fit the bill. Additionally, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department has an Urban Garden Program where residents can volunteer to help locate sections of local parks to turn into community gardens.

Houston was No. 1 nationally in the "supplies" rank, and Lawnstarter said the city is home to 253 landscaping equipment shops – the most in the U.S. – and the second-highest number of gardening stores (276) and nurseries (132). The city also earned a respectable No. 6 rank for its "support and interest" of urban gardening, meaning many residents are searching terms like "community gardens," "vertical gardening," and others.

Here's how the city fared in the remaining three categories:

No. 115 – Public access
No. 157 – Climate
No. 390 – Private access (based on average yard size for starting an at-home garden)

Cathy Walker, president of the American Community Gardening Association, offered some tips for first-time gardeners to help get their hands in the soil: choose only a few easy growing plants to start; learn which growing zone you're in to determine the plants that will thrive in your area; watch how much sunlight your garden space gets daily; and prioritize keeping soil healthy with compost and mulch.

Ecoregions are also helpful for understanding what plants will thrive. Whereas zones are about temperature, ecoregions are much more detailed groups. Planters can learn about their ecoregion and get personalized growing tips from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation in its new native planting app, Wild Thumb.

Starting your own garden can also have a financial benefit, the report suggested. However, up-front costs can get high in gardening, so gardeners might have to stick to it for a few seasons to see savings.

"With grocery prices projected to rise by 3.1 percent in 2026, there’s never been a better time to grow your own food," the report's author wrote. "Estimates show that growing a 600-square-foot plot for fruits and vegetables can save you around $600 in a single season."

The top 10 best cities for urban gardening in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Atlanta
No. 2 – Miami
No. 3 – Houston
No. 4 – St. Louis
No. 5 – Jacksonville, Florida
No. 6 – Orlando
No. 7 – Cincinnati
No. 8 – Fort Meyers, Florida
No. 9 – Tampa
No. 10 – Austin

urban gardening gardening houston