Monthly Archives: January 2012

January finance reports: City of Houston

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, I know, there are no city of Houston elections this year. (Not yet, anyway.) But the candidates and officeholders have to file reports anyway, covering the period from their last report through the end of the year. That period … Continue reading →

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Texas files suit to preclear voter ID

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

They’re a mighty busy bunch at the OAG these days. The Texas attorney general’s office today filed suit against U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice to have the state’s controversial voter ID law implemented without further … Continue reading →

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Castro gets some homework

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Joaquin Castro isn’t even a member of Congress yet and already his future colleagues are leaning on him. Democrats are so confident that U.S. House candidate Joaquin Castro will capture a traditionally Democratic seat in San Antonio next November that … Continue reading →

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Trying to save the April 3 primary date

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The race is on to get new maps in hand in time to keep the April 3 primary date, since all the options for after that date are distinctly unpalatable in one way or another. On Friday, the State of … Continue reading →

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National single payer health care conference in Houston this weekend

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Healthcare-NOW! National Single Payer Strategy Conference in Houston  WHAT: Over 120 Representatives from 25 states and 52 organizations meet in Houston to plan strategies to advance a single payer national health insurance plan in the USA. The … Continue reading →

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Interview with Erica Lee

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Erica Lee is one of three candidates running for Harris County Department of Education, Position 6, Precinct 1 – yes, that would be the Roy Morales seat. She’s got a pretty impressive resume for the position, having been a classroom … Continue reading →

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City reaches settlement with ATS

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still trying to figure out what it means. It will cost the city of Houston at least $4.8 million to get out of its contract for red-light cameras, according to a lawsuit settlement headed to the City Council on … Continue reading →

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The last Presidential poll involving Rick Perry you’re ever likely to need

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, I know, there’s some talk that he might try again in 2016. Bring it, I say. In the meantime, PPP shows what might have been in Texas. Our poll of the state last weekend found Perry leading Obama just … Continue reading →

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More thinking about growth

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Since I’ve been carping about not enough talk about growth as a long-term financial management strategy for the city, I am compelled to note this op-ed in the Chron by newly elected HCC Trustee Carroll Robinson and Todd Clark, who … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for January 22

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Enjoy that penultimate weekend of football while you still can. I have long thought that what the world needs is more pee-powered electronics. I don’t recall there being anything about this in the Bible. That naughty e-book you just downloaded … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 4 Comments

Meet your minor parties

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

PoliTex lists some of the non-standard political parties that hope to put a Presidential candidate (and some others in a couple of cases) on the ballot this year. They range from the good old fashioned Socialists to the (possibly illegally-named) … Continue reading →

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Comcast SportsNet Houston

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This would be cool. The NBC Sports Group is seeking about $2 million in state and local support to bring a major production studio and 135 jobs to downtown Houston. The operation would be for Comcast SportsNet Houston, a new … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Casinos expanding nationally

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have no idea what the political or budgetary climate will be like for the gambling industry here in Texas when the Lege next convenes in 2013, but they have been gaining a lot of ground elsewhere in the country. … Continue reading →

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The Tour de Houston 2012

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re not into long distance running, perhaps you might like to go on a long bike ride around town? If so, you will be glad to hear that the Tour de Houston is coming back after a year’s absence. … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: A New England

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Song #85 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “A New England”, originally by Billy Bragg and covered by Kirsty MacColl. Here’s the original: I’m not the world’s biggest fan of one-dude-with-a-guitar music, but Bragg has a sound that … Continue reading →

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Lampson on the DCCC’s list

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s just like old times again. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, launching its bid to win back the House majority, has unveiled its list of top 2012 recruits. DCCC Chairman Steve Israel announced 18 candidates on Wednesday who are being … Continue reading →

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We’re #9!

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Number Nine on The Street’s list of “10 Cities Poised For Greatness In 2012”. Which places us one behind Austin, and one ahead of…Rochester, NY? Whatever. Here’s what they say about our fair city. Houston Throughout the economic crisis, Houston … Continue reading →

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

Single member Council district dispute in Boerne

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve noted several stories about single member Council districts in various Texas cities over the years. They often involve litigation, so these battles can have implications beyond the borders of the locality in question, but I just find the questions … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: What was that lyric again?

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Another actual random ten, with a theme that occurred to me as I was compiling it. 1. Óró Sé do Bheath Abhaile – SixMileBridge 2. Broadway – Stew 3. (Making The Run To) Gladewater – Michelle Shocked 4. Snakedance – … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged | 1 Comment

SCOTUS issues ruling on redistricting

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As you’ve undoubtedly heard by now, the Supreme Court has officially thrown out the interim maps that were drawn by the San Antonio court, in a unanimous decision handed down this morning. What does this mean? I’m going to start … Continue reading →

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January finance reports: Harris County

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

January is a very busy month for campaign finance reports, since they are due for all levels of government. I’ve been busy updating the 2012 Primary Election pages for Harris County and elsewhere in Texas with reports as I can … Continue reading →

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

Our drought is no longer “exceptional”

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The good news is that for the first time since last March, no part of Harris County is in an “exceptional” drought. The bad news is that now we’re either in an “extreme” drought or a “severe” drought, depending on … Continue reading →

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Military spending is government spending

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

President Obama recently announced a change in direction for US military strategy in the wake of exiting Iraq, one that will involve some reductions in spending. Much pearl clutching and chin stroking followed. But ongoing tinkering with the nation’s defense … Continue reading →

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Thinking outside the box on the city’s finances

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve seen the ideas generated by the Long Term Financial Management Task Force, which I thought lacked a certain amount of breadth to its perspective. Here’s a taste of what else might be out there to think about. Good Jobs … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Don’t say “We won’t have Rick Perry to kick around any more” just yet

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

By now everybody knows that Rick Perry has suspended his Presidential campaign and endorsed Newt Gingrich as his preferred not-Romney. The news of this was on the TV screen in the lobby of my office building as I entered this … Continue reading →

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Lykos appears before the grand jury

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

And that’s all we know about it. Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos testified Tuesday in a grand jury investigation of the Houston Police Department’s controversial mobile DWI testing vehicles. Because grand jury subpoenas and testimony are secret, it is … Continue reading →

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How gassy are we?

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’m talking about greenhouse gases, of course. And the answer is, now you can find out for yourself. The greenhouse gas wars are about to heat up again in Texas. Next month, a federal court hears oral arguments in lawsuits … Continue reading →

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Area job growth in 2012

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve seen a prediction for job growth in Texas for this year, now here’s some soothsaying about job growth in the Houston area for the year. The Greater Houston Partnership predicts the Houston area will add 84,600 jobs this year. … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of January 16

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King as it brings you this week’s roundup. Off the Kuff takes a look at Democratic primary races as they now stand in Harris County and elsewhere in Texas. … Continue reading →

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Interview with Diane Trautman

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Also running for Harris County Department of Education, Position 3 At Large is Diane Trautman, who was the Democratic candidate for Tax Assessor in the last two cycles. Trautman has had a long career in education, as a teacher, principal, … Continue reading →

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Sullivan says he’ll step down if he wins primary

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

He’s hoping to defuse a campaign issue. Houston City Councilman Mike Sullivan will submit his resignation in July if he wins the Republican nomination for Harris County tax assessor-collector in April’s primary, he said. The resignation would not be effective … Continue reading →

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Job growth in 2012

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Depending on how you look at it, there’s good news, or fair-to-middling news for the Texas job market next year. Texas job growth in 2012 will reach about 2 percent for the third consecutive year, Federal Reserve Senior Economist Keith … Continue reading →

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DC preclearance trial, Day One

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

While we wait for the Supreme Court to give us some indication of what happens next with our elections – they did not issue an opinion this week – the preclearance trial at the DC federal court got underway. State … Continue reading →

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Another day in the sun for Wentworth

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The longer that the redistricting litigation drags on, the more opportunities there will be for stories to be written about State Sen. Jeff Wentworth and his bipartisan redistricting commission proposal. State Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, has been a longtime … Continue reading →

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