Vara v. City of Houston

J. CURTISS BROWN, Chief Justice.

Rudolph C. Vara and seven other named plaintiffs (appellants) brought this class action on behalf of approximately 55,000 residents of the City of Houston (the City), all of whom had signed a petition to initiate a city ordinance to disannex a portion of the City referred to as the Clear Lake City area. Appellants sought a writ of mandamus to compel the City, its mayor, city council, and secretary (appellees) to either pass the disannexation ordinance without alteration or to submit the proposal to the electorate. The trial court, after a hearing, denied the…