Bring Your Own Toilet Paper to Harris County Courts

We knew Harris County had a big budget shortfall. I heard from a good source yesterday that one way Harris County has cut expenses is by not having janitorial services in their buildings during the day. This includes the Harris County courts. So, all day long, you have the public using the restrooms, using up toilet paper, throwing up, making a mess, and being generally unsanitary and gross, without anyone cleaning up the mess. One judge is bringing his own TP to work.

This stinks.

I don't think they cut janitorial services at Houston Municipal Courts, but they found a new twist to their old scam, disguised as a budget cut. They already had packed courtrooms, where everyone but a couple of people had an attorney. Person after person was given the advice to plea no contest or guilty and pay a fine, in order to avoid jury trial. It was like printing money for the City. Now, they print money even faster by not allowing police officers to appear in court until after 1 PM. So, they are making people wait, and who wants to do that. So, now they have you where they want you, and they want you to pay your big fine and leave.

This stinks, as well, but at least you don't have to carry toilet paper with you to 1400 Lubbock.