HOUSTON ADDS CAR RENTAL TO HOTEL TAX FOR PARK CONSTRUCTION

          The cost of renting a car in Harris County, TX, will
     increase 5% on October 1 after a tax was imposed Wednesday
     to help finance construction of Houston's new ballpark,
     according to John Williams of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE.  The
     newly created Harris County/Houston Sports Authority imposed
     the tax one week after imposing a 2% The rental car tax was
     set "after board members got their first look at the latest
     design for a proposed retractable-roof baseball park the
     authority is expected to start building later this year." 
     Authority members and project architects "promised" that the
     stadium "will come in at no more" than $250M and open by
     April 1, 2000 (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/18).