Tag Archives: Adrian Garcia

Bus service in new places

Posted on December 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This is a good first step, which I hope begets a second step. Harris County has extended bus service to Channelview, Cloverleaf and Sheldon, using $3.8 million in Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery money to jump-start the new routes. Service started … Continue reading →

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Cagle and Radack break quorum

Posted on October 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

They did it. Two Harris County Commissioners Court members skipped Tuesday’s meeting to prevent the Democratic majority from voting on a property tax rate hike that would increase revenue by 8 percent. Republican commissioners Steve Radack and Jack Cagle were … Continue reading →

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Will Radack and Cagle break quorum to stop a tax rate hike?

Posted on October 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll find out today. Harris County Commissioners Court has scheduled a vote Tuesday to hike property taxes by 8 percent, though the two Republican members can thwart the plan by simply skipping the vote. A quirk in the Texas Government … Continue reading →

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KHOU/HPM poll: Turner 37, Buzbee 20, King 10

Posted on September 26, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We must be getting into the serious part of Houston Election Season, because we have our first public poll of the Mayor’s race. Mayor Sylvester Turner leads trial lawyer and businessman Tony Buzbee by 17 points, according to a KHOU/Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Quorum question

Posted on September 20, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Who knew? A quirk in Texas law could allow the two Republicans on Harris County Commissioners Court, despite being in the minority, to prevent the three Democrats from enacting a proposed property tax increase. Typically, three court members constitute a quorum, … Continue reading →

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

Commissioners Court gets more aggressive on environmental enforcement

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted to hire 61 employees across three departments in a bid to significantly boost Harris County’s ability to respond to environmental emergencies after finding numerous shortcomings in its efforts to manage three chemical fires near … Continue reading →

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Checking in on the Mayor’s race

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Remember the Mayor’s race? Yeah, that. “The candidates have been running for months but were focused on fundraising and defining their message,” said Nancy Sims, a Houston political analyst. “Labor Day is when people tune into the election.” The stretch-run … Continue reading →

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More ways to improve access to voting

Posted on September 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

In Harris County: Inmates of the Harris County Jail may soon be able to vote. Harris County leaders have approved a study on setting up a polling location at the jail as early as this November. The County Clerk’s and … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court approves bail lawsuit settlement

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent. Harris County Commissioners Court approved a historic settlement Tuesday fixing a bail system a federal judge found unconstitutional and ushering in a new era for criminal justice in one of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas. The deal resulted from … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Once more with more prosecutors

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This time, it might work. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office is asking county commissioners once again for more prosecutors to handle fallout from the botched Houston drug raid that left a Pecan Park couple dead earlier this year. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

HGAC makes its pledge to TxDOT for I-45

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of pushback, but not enough to change the outcome. Local transportation officials now have skin in the game when it comes to widening Interstate 45 north of downtown Houston, approving on Friday a $100 million commitment for the project … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Final bail settlement reached

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We are coming to the end of a very long road. A long-awaited settlement in Harris County’s historic bail lawsuit won tentative approval Friday from all parties, setting up a possible end to a contentious system that kept poor people … Continue reading →

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Still no more prosecutors

Posted on June 28, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I remain fascinated by this dynamic. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday rejected District Attorney Kim Ogg’s request for more staff to handle fallout from the Houston Police Department’s botched Pecan Park drug raid, the second time this year commissioners … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

By the way, Commissioners Court updated the county’s nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policies

Posted on June 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. The Commissioners Court voted 3-2 along party lines to [add sexual orientation and gender identity to the county’s nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policies]. County Judge Lina Hidalgo, along with Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia — all Democrats — voted … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Another view of pollution enforcement

Posted on May 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The state has its role, but it’s not all on them. Almost two months before a massive chemical fire erupted in Deer Park, sending a dark plume of smoke over much of Harris County, Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia asked … Continue reading →

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Bail lawsuit settlement outline taking shape

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We should have a final version in a couple of weeks. A proposed settlement in the landmark Harris County bail lawsuit would significantly change how the county treats poor defendants in misdemeanor cases by providing free social and transportation services … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Was the McLeod replacement too hasty?

Posted on April 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Eh, I dunno. Republican members of Harris County Commissioners Court criticized their Democratic colleagues for quickly approving a new civil court judge at Tuesday’s meeting who had not been vetted by the full body. The three Democrats voted to appoint … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court replaces Judge McLeod

Posted on April 11, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunate, but understandable. A divided Harris County Commissioners Court declined to give County Court At Law Judge Bill McLeod a reprieve Tuesday after he inadvertently resigned last week, opting instead to appoint a replacement. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said … Continue reading →

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January 2019 campaign finance reports: Harris County

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

One last set of finance reports I want to look at, from Harris County officials. I’m dividing them into a few groups: Lina Hidalgo, County Judge Diane Trautman, County Clerk Dylan Osborne, County Treasurer Marilyn Burgess, District Clerk Kim Ogg, … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court rejects Ogg’s request for more prosecutors

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I fully expected that Commissioners Court going from 4-1 Republican to 3-2 Democratic after the last election would signal big changes in how business was done in Harris County, but I didn’t expect this to be the first milestone on … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Trying again to primary Cuellar

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck. It’s not going to be easy. A grass-roots Democratic group that helped power the upset victory of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has identified a Texas Democrat as its first target ahead of the 2020 congressional primaries — but … Continue reading →

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The Harris County GOP has not hit bottom yet

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I have four thing to say about this. Drubbed. Shellacked. Whooped. Walloped. Routed. However you want to describe November’s midterm election, it was disastrous for Harris County Republicans. They were swept from the remaining countywide posts they held — the other shoe … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Precinct analysis: Beto in the city

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Last week I got an email from Christopher Busby, who is a regular commenter here. He had previously asked about doing an analysis of Beto O’Rourke’s performance in Houston by City Council district. I told him that the canvass data … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Cagle and Garcia hire Morman and Shaw

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. Jack Morman, who was defeated for re-election as Harris County Precinct 2 commissioner in November, will remain on the county’s payroll in January as an employee of Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle, a fellow Republican. Morman, who … Continue reading →

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Lina Hidalgo gets the national press treatment

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

You need to get past the first couple of paragraphs, but overall a decent piece. Even in defeat, Beto O’Rourke did a big favor to fellow Democrats all over Texas. A couple hundred thousand young people who might otherwise have … Continue reading →

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On straight tickets and other votes

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I have and will continue to have more to say about straight ticket votes. Part of me is reluctant to talk about this stuff, because I feel like we’ve reached a point where straight ticket votes are seen as less … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Harris County certifies the 2018 vote

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We have a winner: Today Commissioners Court certified the election results and I have officially been elected Harris County Commissioner for Precinct 2. It is the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of Precinct 2 as County Commissioner. … Continue reading →

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There better be a bail lawsuit settlement

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, duh. The Democratic sweep of Harris County leadership posts in the midterm election could prompt a settlement in the protracted legal dispute over how judges handle bail for poor people arrested for petty offenses, according to statements made … Continue reading →

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Hidalgo gets started

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

If you weren’t paying attention to County Judge-elect Lina Hidalgo before, you are now. Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, the lone Democrat currently on the court, said Hidalgo is a quick study who will settle into the role quickly. “She’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Initial reactions: Harris County

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s start with the obvious. Harris County Democrats rode a surge in voter turnout to a decisive victory on Tuesday, unseating several countywide Republican officials, including longtime County Judge Ed Emmett, and sweeping all 59 judicial races. Emmett, who courted … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Omnibus election report

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s after midnight, I’ve mostly posted stuff on my long-dormant Twitter account (@kuff), and I will have many, many thoughts in the coming days. For now, a brief recap. – As you know, neither Beto nor any other Dem won … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: County time

Posted on October 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron circles back to the county races they didn’t get to the first time around, and for reasons I cannot fathom, they still love them some Orlando Sanchez. The race for Harris County treasurer always seems to raise the … Continue reading →

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Interview with Adrian Garcia

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We finish our tour of Harris County candidates with one of the most successful Democrats in county politics, Adrian Garcia. You know his story, from HPD to Houston City Council to being the top votegetter in the county in the … Continue reading →

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July 2018 finance reports: Harris County candidates

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s take a look at where we stand with the candidates for county office. January report info is here. On we go: County Judge Ed Emmett Lina Hidalgo Commissioner, Precinct 2 Jack Morman Adrian Garcia Commissioner, Precinct 4 Jack Cagle … Continue reading →

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