Mayor John Whitmire is set to ask City Council to approve Houston's first ever 'trash' service fee, and will do so when he proposes the new budget at City Hall.
But experts say the $5 a month charge is not the real problem. The issue is the city's $174 million dollar budget deficit.
"The numbers are the numbers, and when you're facing a massive deficit like this and we've known this was going to come, it's been projected for years" said Charles Blain, president of Houston based Urban Reform.
Not only is Whitmire fighting to fix the budget, he is also fighting fellow Democrats who are trying to blame him, for the mess he inherited.
"And now here we are with what former mayor Sylvester Turner left over, which was a significant expense, and at some point that money comes due" Blain told KTRH, "I think the criticism of where the state of the budget is is real."
And so is the growing feud between Mayor Whitmire, and City Controller, Chris Hollins.
"It's a little extra heated this time, and the controller's office really doesn't get attention for much else" noted Blain, "So, I think he's going to take every chance that he can get to really put the blame at Whitmire's feet, and obviously the rumor about him wanting to run against Whitmire, is still out there."
It's worth noting that the projected $174 million dollar budget deficit is the largest in Houston's history, and the trash fee is expected to be included in the budget proposal, which will make it harder to vote against.