Monthly Archives: May 2011

Possible challenger in At Large #5

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

CM Jolanda Jones gets her first announced opponent for At Large #5, but it comes with an asterisk. Physician Joe Edmonds announced today his candidacy for City Council At-Large Position 5, currently occupied by Councilwoman Jolanda Jones. “I feel there … Continue reading →

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Sorry, yacht owners

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Your champion has failed you. Rep. John Davis, R- Houston, said he’s given up for this session on capping the sales tax for big yachts to try to compete with Florida’s more favorable tax laws. But Davis said he’s still … Continue reading →

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Grand Parkway protest

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Misplaced priorities: $4.8 billion to advance SH-99 while US-290 commuters sit in traffic Coalition to protest Grand Parkway as poster child of all that’s wrong with Texas transportation policy (Houston, TX) – As TxDOT hosts the final … Continue reading →

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Lege officially punts on Congressional redistricting

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

If you had told me at the beginning of the session that this would happen, I would not have believed you. The chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, just confirmed to LegeLand that it won’t happen this … Continue reading →

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Still no school finance plan

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Tonight’s the night for something to happen if it’s going to, because legislatively speaking there is no tomorrow. The 2012-13 state budget agreed to by House and Senate negotiators provides school districts $4 billion less than what they are owed … Continue reading →

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Where we stand on redistricting

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

With final passage of SB31 and HB150, the Senate and House redistricting bills, the Lege has done three of its four redistricting-related tasks. There’s still a pretty big one not yet done, however, and it’s not looking like they’ll get … Continue reading →

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It’s always been about controlling women

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Sadly, there’s nothing new about this. Senate Finance Committee Chair Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, said Monday afternoon that budget negotiators will likely adopt a 2012-13 family planning budget that is “pretty close” to the House’s proposal — $37 million for low-income … Continue reading →

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Sugar Land prison to be closed

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. Lawmakers trying to settle on the state’s budget for the next two years have agreed to shutter a 102-year-old state prison in Sugar Land. Under the proposal adopted this week by negotiators from both chambers of the Legislature, … Continue reading →

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Time for the annual “We’re in for a busy hurricane season” forecast

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And indeed, forecasters say we are in for another active year, as was the case last year. Here’s SciGuy with some discussion. [S]easonal forecasters did a pretty good job of calling last year’s extraordinarily active season. So while there’s no … Continue reading →

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Senate Dems say they will block “sanctuary cities” bill

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is exactly what they should be doing. The twelve Democrats in the Texas Senate signed a letter that they delivered today to their colleagues, vowing to oppose the sanctuary cities bill — a move that could, but not necessarily, … Continue reading →

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Obama and Texas 2012

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Jonathan Chait notes that recently the Obama re-election team has said it will put money into Texas, and observes that this is part of a bigger strategy. In the narrow analysis, Texas is a deeply Republican state. Obama lost it … Continue reading →

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HISD does its redistricting

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t get much easier than this. Houston ISD trustees today approved a preliminary plan to redistrict their positions in response to changing demographics. The plan, now available for public comment, generated no controversy among the Houston Independent School District board … Continue reading →

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School finance still to be done

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We may have a budget deal, but what we still don’t have is a school finance plan. The Senate’s long-stalled plan to apportion a $4 billion reduction in school aid had been suddenly resurrected, passed and zipped over to the … Continue reading →

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How would you spend $350 million of TxDOT’s money?

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

David Crossley would like to know. Let’s say you found $350 million to do a great transportation project for the Houston region. Would you use it to build a 400-foot-wide, 15-mile-long segment of brand-new highway across the Katy Prairie wetlands … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for May 22

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

If you can read this, then I guess the world didn’t come to an end yesterday. Good thing, too, because it’s Art Car Parade Day in Houston. Woo hoo! By the way, rapture or no, you still have to turn … Continue reading →

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The city’s 2012 budget

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Cuts, deferred payments, and more cuts. Mayor Annise Parker, facing what she described as the toughest fiscal environment in more than 20 years, on Thursday proposed a $1.8 billion budget that calls for laying off 747 employees, closing pools and … Continue reading →

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House approves Senate redistricting map

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Three down, one to go. The Texas House today gave preliminary approval to the Senate redistricting map that would give Travis County four state senators. The sponsor of Senate Bill 31, Rep. Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton, pushed to pass the map … Continue reading →

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Galveston’s comeback

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I wish the city of Galveston all the best with this. Community leaders here, concerned that 50 years of steady population loss could transform what was once one of Texas’ great cities into a hollowed-out tourist resort, are scrambling to … Continue reading →

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Trauma centers feel the pinch, too

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Like everything else in the state, trauma centers at hospitals will see their funding get cut, and they are warning about the consequences. The officials from Memorial Hermann, Ben Taub and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston came … Continue reading →

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How little do the Republicans care about women’s health?

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

They don’t care at all. An innovative women’s health initiative is heading toward oblivion over a legislative impasse between abortion rights opponents and supporters even though the program has nothing to do with abortions. Unless renewed by law, the 5-year-old … Continue reading →

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House passes statewide smoking ban

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One of the many amendments that was successfully added to SB1811 Friday night was by Rep. Myra Crownover to finally implement a statewide smoking ban. The close vote, 73-66, came during debate on the enormous budget-related bill, Senate Bill 1811. … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: The other way to cover an iconic tune

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to doing it in your own style, the other way to kill on a cover song is, well, to just kill it. Like how Cathy Richardson channels Grace Slick in her rendition of “White Rabbit”: Richardson is touring … Continue reading →

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More on the budget deal

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Statesman: The agreement is hinged on the House passing a so-called fiscal matters bill, Senate Bill 1811, that would free up money to help pay for the $3 billion in additional spending to which the House negotiators agreed. … Continue reading →

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Budget deal reached

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One less reason for a special session. Assuming nothing else goes wrong, and Rick Perry doesn’t veto it out of whatever sense of grandeur and vanity drives him. House Speaker Joe Straus indicated legislative negotiators have reached an agreement on … Continue reading →

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Great moments in understatement

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Rob Eissler, the author of the repeatedly postponed HB400, the bill that distributes the $7.8 billion in public education cuts to individual school districts, says what may be my favorite thing this session: Lawmakers who philosophically endorse reduced … Continue reading →

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The racetracks have given up on gambling for this session

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a clear answer for those of you who may have been holding out some hope for an expansion of gambling. Retama Park officials have all but lost hope that lawmakers will act before the end of the regular legislative … Continue reading →

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Freetail to come to Houston

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Cool! After months of professional evaluation and fan speculation, Freetail Brewing Co. is happy to announce it has chosen downtown Houston as the site of its second location. On November 2, 2010, Freetail Founder & CEO Scott Metzger announced the … Continue reading →

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“Sanctuary cities” bill lives again

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is why no bill is truly dead until sine die. In another surprise move by the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security committee, Chairman Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, made a motion to reconsider a vote the committee took Wednesday that … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Songs of the Century, part 2

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing with songs in my collection from the Songs of the Century as compiled by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. 1. Take The ‘A’ Train – Duke Ellington (#17) 2. God Bless America … Continue reading →

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Still going after Doggett

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Scott Stroud suggests there’s a new ploy by Republicans in the works to get rid of Rep. Lloyd Doggett. Congressman Lamar Smith, the Republican charged with redrawing Texas’ congressional districts, has floated a map that would transform Doggett’s district into … Continue reading →

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More on the new Council districts

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

For just about everything you could want to know about the new Council districts, go read Greg. Population and registered voter data, 2009 election returns, a look at how the districts have changed and may change in the future, it’s … Continue reading →

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County hires jailers to save money

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County Commissioners Court has finally admitted that having an adequate number of jailers is more cost-effective than paying for scads of overtime. Just as Sheriff Garcia has been saying all along. Sheriff Adrian Garcia’s payroll was a contentious issue … Continue reading →

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Is there still a chance gambling legislation can pass the Senate?

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

All signs still point to “no” if you ask me, but gambling legislation never goes quietly so it might look otherwise on the surface. The quiet formation of a special Texas Senate subcommittee to consider a controversial casino gambling resolution … Continue reading →

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Council officially approves new redistricting map

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Let the filings begin! The Houston City Council approved a new political map for the city on Wednesday that expands the council by two seats and gives Houston’s burgeoning Latino population what community leaders see as its best opportunity to … Continue reading →

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