CITIES WITHOUT STADIUM AUTHORITIES FOR $500, ALEX

     Houston Mayor Bob Lanier asked TX state legislators to
create a regional sports authority which would have the power to
use tax dollars to construct sports facilities, according to the
HOUSTON CHRONICLE.  Lanier's comments came during the last of
four public hearings for a subcommittee of the TX House Committee
on Business & Industry.  The Mayor, who admitted chances of a
potential sports authority with sales taxing authority are
"slim," said he hopes the Legislature would consider the use of
rental car, bed and incremental taxes to help subsidize almost
two-thirds of the $625M needed to build new facilities and
improve the Astrodome.  Lanier:  "It would be helpful to have a
sports authority that has some ongoing presence, some
institutional memory [with] ...a large a base as possible for
financing."  State Rep. Kyle Janek, who chaired the hearing, said
legislators would support a proposal allowing Houston-area voters
to decide if they want to impose additional taxes on themselves
(John Williams, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 6/28).