Cynthia Massey
Guest Columnist

Helotes’ population tripled in the 1990s. This fast population growth prompted a concern about our city’s lack of adequate services. City leaders, recognizing their duty to keep Helotes solvent without the need to burden residential property owners with increasing taxes, created the Economic Development Committee in 1997.

One of the recommendations of the EDC was to rescind VIA’s half-cent tax based on some compelling data. Of 15 buses that stopped in Helotes per week, only 21 people used them daily—12 of them O’Connor High School students who were able to use NISD school buses. Revenue paid to VIA from January to mid-November 1999 was $142,603, which meant that, excluding the students, the city was paying VIA $65.44 per rider, per day (22 days per month) to use the bus, according to a report given to the Helotes City Council in 1999.

Contrary to Myfe Moore’s assertion in a Nov. 1 guest column that the election to rescind the VIA tax was the “result of a little-publicized election,” several articles appeared in our local paper outlining the pros and cons of rescinding this tax. Citizens voted to discontinue VIA service 55 percent to 45 percent in the May 2000 election.

On Feb. 5, 2003, citizens voted to create a half-cent 4b sales tax for economic development. That voter turnout was low is irrelevant. Those who did cast a ballot voted overwhelmingly to create the EDC. The growth rate in sales tax revenue is higher now than it was before the EDC was created, indicating that our city leaders were visionary in their approach.

The EDC has embarked on a citizen-approved Old Town Helotes revitalization project, including the installation of a much-needed water line. Moore says that this project “has only benefited six landowners in Old Helotes.” Moore is simply wrong. What is good for Old Town is good for the entire community. Vibrant Old Town districts all over the country draw thousands every year, bringing in much needed sales tax revenue.

Moore is being disingenuous when she says that our city is divided by those who want “conservative, controlled development and those who want rapid, uncontrolled development.” No one in Helotes wants the latter. And her contention that the EDC is involved in “corporate welfare” is totally off the mark.

The EDC is trying to facilitate a respectful balance between the rights of business property owners and the desires of Helotes citizens who moved here to enjoy the landscape. Moore’s scare tactics and sarcasm are not helpful. Her assertions about codes allowing the removal of 60 percent of the trees and allowing four-story buildings are wrong. The codes dictate no tree removal percentage and limit buildings to three stories. A third story must be residential.

Moore claims to want to keep her properties undeveloped. That is her prerogative. However, she has no right to dictate to other property owners what they should or should not do with their properties. The city, on the other hand, holds not only the right, but also the fiduciary responsibility, to enact ordinances for business zoning that benefit the entire community, not just a few vocal activists.

Cynthia Massey serves on the Helotes EDC.