Tension during City Council meeting as members discuss debris removal

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Everyone knows the mounds of debris left after the flooding needs to be removed but Houston City Council can't seem to agree on how to make that happen.

At Houston City Hall there was a heated city council meeting.  When council members came to the point to decide on securing money for debris removal it was certainly a spirited few minutes.
                 
The mayor made it clear he is the leader of this city and is not happy council couldn't agree on approving a measure dealing with funding debris removal.

"There is but one CEO at a time in this city.  There are not 16 and in the end you all will hold me responsible".

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also says he doesn't want to hurt Houstonians anymore than they already are so he is decreasing his proposed 8.9% property tax hike which could go into effect next year.

"We're going to be able to reduce the request by more than half.  Right now the way it's presently being presented it would have generated close to $118 million," explains the mayor.  Instead, he says the reduced rate will raise about $50 million for debris removal and to help replenish money spent from the Economic Stabilization Fund.
   
As for when all the of debris will finally be hauled away from neighborhoods?

"Quite frankly I would want this up by Thanksgiving," says Mayor Turner.  The mayor points out he was initially told it could take up to six months to remove the trash but he says that's unacceptable.
   
The $52 million spent in overtime for police and firefighters since Harvey hit, will be fully reimbursed by FEMA.