Houston City Council members are weighing the future of Safe Clear

Houston City Council members are weighing the future of Safe Clear




HOUSTON – Houston City Council members are weighing the future of Safe Clear, the controversial towing program that was one of former Mayor Bill White’s most highly touted projects.





According to a Houston Police Department budget presentation earlier this week, the program was almost $1.5 million over budget during the 2010 fiscal year and projected to be even more expensive during the 2011 fiscal year.



Without council action, the city of Houston is projected to be $50 to $80 million in the red by the end of this fiscal year.



"In a time of deficit, why do we have Safe Clear?" asked Houston City Councilmember Jolanda Jones.



The city is now debating three options: Eliminating the program altogether, raising the highest fee wreckers charge for other tows by $12 to close the budget gap or transferring the entire program to Metro.



Safe Clear launched back in 2005 and was billed as a way to ease traffic along some of Houston’s most congested freeways. At first, drivers that broke down on the freeway were charged $75 to be towed to a nearby location where they could safely call for help, regardless of whether consent was given for the service.



After public protests, the $75 fee was eliminated. Instead, the city of Houston footed the bill and paid tow truck drivers $50 per tow.



Those “free” tows added up, and now cost the city and Metro more than $3 million a year.



"I think, even in tough budget times, you want to maintain safety," said George Greanias, Metro’s president and CEO.



Metro currently pays for the bulk of the program after council members capped the city’s payment in 2006.



Greanias said Safe Clear had reduced freeway traffic and prevented accidents, but he cautioned against having Metro bear the entire cost of the program.



"We don't want to simply embrace the city's budget issue and take it on as one of ours, given our challenges already," Greanias said.



If Safe Clear was transferred completely to Metro, HPD said that would free up 14 officers to return to regular police duties. But the city would have to find another way to pay their salaries.



It’s unclear when council will vote on any of the options.



But many tow truck drivers say they would be happy to see it go.





Jerry Aguilar works for Superior Wrecker Service, a business that’s been around Houston for 20 years. The company was not among the few chosen for the Safe Clear program.





When you cut our business in half like that, guys lost jobs,” Aguilar said. “From ten trucks down to four? That's a lot of money you're losing."



Aguilar dismisses the argument that Safe Clear has cut down on tow truck drivers speeding to accident scenes. He said now he’s forced to ignore stranded motorists on the freeway who need help rather than risk getting a fine.



"I say we need to do without (Safe Clear),” Aguilar said. "It's not fair to the citizens at all."