Monthly Archives: January 2011

Interview with David Feldman

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The main focus in Houston over the next few months will be Council expansion and redistricting. One of the people who will do the heavy lifting on this is City Attorney David Feldman. If you haven’t watched this video from … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Kicking Grandma to the street

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Another feature of the Republican budget. Hundreds of nursing homes, including dozens in Dallas-Fort Worth, may close if lawmakers cut Medicaid as leaders propose, industry officials said Thursday. Since last week, GOP leaders have introduced budgets in both chambers that … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Castro gets involved with school politics

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This will be interesting to watch. Mayor Julián Castro will take an active role in local school board elections and superintendent appointments, he said in an interview Saturday outside SA2020’s final community workshop, one in which education was heralded as … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dallas County’s elections administrator resigns

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I spotted this story in the DMN the other day. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has called a meeting of an obscure commission charged with appointing a county elections chief, raising the suspicion that it’s an attempt to oust longtime … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Weekend link dump for January 30

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Personally, I think A Very Special Episode Of Blossom would make an awesome band name, but maybe that’s just me. If only Little Red Riding Hood had had Creed on her iPod, she could have avoided all that trouble. “Doctor! … Continue reading →

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Coming soon to an empty lot near me

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Some neighborhood news from Swamplot. Details on the 6-story mixed-use building being planned for the corner of Studewood and 11th 1/2 St. in the Heights will be announced “very soon,” a representative of the new property owner promises Swamplot. […] … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

What the funding cuts to public education will mean to your school district

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Read this and see. Summary of HB 1 (Public Education Reductions) The House introduced its initial version of the General Appropriations Act (House Bill 1) for the 2012-13 biennium on Wednesday, January 19. While it is the first draft of … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Harris County braces for state budget cuts

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

More joy to look forward to. Proposed state budget cuts could cost Harris County government nearly $50 million a year, according to a legislative analyst’s rough estimates, rolling back or eliminating state allowances for dozens of programs that include mental … Continue reading →

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District representation in Austin

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I have to admit, it hadn’t occurred to me that there were any large cities in Texas that didn’t have City Council districts, but Austin is such a place, at least for now. Mayor Lee Leffingwell will soon propose sweeping … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Let’s have a little talk about tweetle beetles

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I give you Dr. Seuss’ “Fox in Socks”, read by someone who can read it a lot faster than I can: She goes so fast I can’t really swear that she’s actually reading what’s on the pages in question. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Eversole’s trial set for February 22

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Indicted County Commissioner Jerry Eversole got his wish for a speedy trial. Eversole’s jury trial is scheduled for Feb. 22. Thursday’s ruling by U.S. District Judge David Hittner is mixed news for the Eversole camp. Eversole’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, said … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Happy talk about Texas employment

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

2010 was a better year for employment in Texas than 2009 was. Texas employers expanded payrolls by 20,000 jobs in December, the third straight month the state has gained jobs, according to data released Friday by the Texas Workforce Commission. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The cost to cities of being anti-immigrant

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Center for American Progress has a new report out called The High Price of Local Immigration Enforcement that tracks how much various anti-immigrant ordinances in cities like Hazelton, PA, and Farmers Branch have cost them. Most of those costs … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Where the SUPERTRAINs should be built

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Via Infrastructurist, a group called America 2050 recently put out a report on high-speed rail corridors with the greatest potential to attract ridership in each of the nation’s megaregions. The full report is here, and the section on Texas and … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: The top 500, part 11

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on with the songs in my collection from the Rolling Stone Top 500 list. 1. Train In Vain – Annie Lennox (#292, orig. The Clash) 2. Heart of Gold – Neil Young (#297) 3. Like A Prayer – Madonna … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Effect of exempting schools and churches on drainage fee would be small

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the drainage fee that will be collected to fund street and sewage repairs through the project formerly known as Renew Houston is intended to apply to all property that isn’t specifically exempted by state law, such as … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The firings will continue until services improve

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County has only just begun to fire people. The protective net county government weaves under 4 million people — jailing crooks, inoculating residents against disease, investigating child abuse and treating the mentally ill – would fray noticeably under spending … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

You know that old story about the frog and the scorpion?

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From Speak South Texas, possibly the most ludicrous bemoaning of the Pitts budget of them all: South Texas Republicans are voicing their opposition and concern to the proposed cuts. Valley Republican Aaron Peña was among the first, telling KURV Radio’s Daily Report with Colonel … Continue reading →

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If it weren’t for Obama, we wouldn’t be having this conversation

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. John Zerwas writes an op-ed extolling the virtues of the health insurance exchange bill he’s filed. While it is no secret that I oppose the federal health care reform bill, if we don’t act now to create the Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

If you thought voter ID was bad…

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Wait till you see what comes next. State Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, has made national headlines for his “birther” bill that would require a candidate for president or vice president of the U.S. to show proof of natural-born citizenship to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Still more on magnet schools

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

So what do we know about HISD’s magnet schools and that consultant’s report that recommended some hefty changes to them? Well, other than the consultants themselves, no one likes the report very much. The message was clear at Lamar High … Continue reading →

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Ames Jones jumps in, Williams to follow

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t really think Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones has much of a chance in the race to replace KBH in the Senate. She was a fairly nondescript State Rep who got appointed to the RRC by Rick Perry then … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More on mental health

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Stephen Schnee, the executive director of MHMRA of Harris County, and Octavio N. Martinez, Jr, the executive director of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health and a clinical professor in the School of Social Work at The University of Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dynamo Stadium groundbreaking delayed

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Groundbreaking for Dynamo Stadium was originally scheduled for this Saturday the 29th, but due to a delay with City Council it has been put off till next week. Because the city council has not yet voted on the Tax Increment … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of January 24

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance congratulates the Packers and the Steelers as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Have gun, can vote

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

During the long debate over voter ID in the Senate, the Democrats proposed many amendments, most of which were defeated on straight party lines. Here, via the Chron, is one of the very few that passed: 18. Hinojosa – Accept … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A very early look at 2011 fundraising

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

A couple of weeks ago I took an early look at the 2011 city elections, but there was a key ingredient missing in that analysis: Money. The fundraising season for city candidates, which has been closed since last January, will … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The national folks notice Texas’ budget situation

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You’ve probably seen this by now, but just in case you haven’t, here it is. Texas Gov. Rick Perry likes to tell Washington to stop meddling in state affairs. He vocally opposed the Obama administration’s 2009 stimulus program to spur … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

You must obey these laws, but not those laws

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a Chronicle story profiling EPA regional administrator Al Armendariz: That the EPA is picking on Texas, a favorite refrain of the politicians, is an “unfortunate characterization” because the agency works with the state on many issues, ranging from oil … Continue reading →

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Cuts here mean hikes there

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The only problem with this AP story is the headline, “Texas budget cuts may shift burden to locals”. There’s no “may” about it – the Pitts budget would absolutely shift a huge burden to local governments. Cuts set off a … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Voter ID 2011

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The debate is going on in the Senate today over voter ID – it will be taken up by the House later, after committee hearings that are sure to be a freak show. You can follow the ins and outs … Continue reading →

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The Ainbinder traffic impact analysis for the Height Wal-Mart

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

When last we discussed the Heights Wal-Mart development, we were awaiting a traffic impact analysis (TIA) on the roads around the site, which was to be done on behalf of Ainbinder, the developer of the project. For your perusal, here … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Higher enrollment, fewer resources

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I just have one question about this. At a time of record enrollment in Texas’ colleges and universities, a state budget proposal released this week would see these institutions suffer a 7.6 percent funding cut from the last biennial budget. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Can we please get back to the basics?

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The ongoing saga of the Texas Forensic Science Commission: Adding an unexpected twist to its investigation of the science used to convict and execute Cameron Todd Willingham for arson murder, the Texas Forensic Science Commission voted Friday to seek an … Continue reading →

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