Category Archives: Local politics

Mayor Turner lowers tax rate hike amount

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure we’re all glad to see this. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday said the temporary property tax rate hike he has proposed would be cut in half after federal officials approved his request to increase reimbursement for the city’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Harris County may do Harvey bonds

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Turns out Harvey recovery will cost money. Who knew? A majority of the Harris County Commissioners Court on Wednesday said they would support a large bond issue, perhaps upwards of $1 billion, and a tax increase to pay for it. … Continue reading →

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

Council to hold hearings on proposed tax rate increase

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s your chance to be heard. Houston City Council set the ball rolling Wednesday on Mayor Sylvester Turner’s proposed 8.9 percent tax rate hike to help fund Houston’s recovery from Hurricane Harvey, in what would be the first hike from … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Mayor seeks one-year tax hike for Harvey cleanup

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This stuff isn’t going to pay for itself, you know. Mayor Sylvester Turner will ask City Council to approve an 8.9 percent hike in the city’s tax rate this fall to help Houston recover from Tropical Storm Harvey, in what … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Mayor Turner requests study of Confederate statues

Posted on August 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox. Mayor Sylvester Turner has asked top staff members to study whether statues related to the Confederacy should be removed from city property. The mayor commented about the statues Tuesday at a City Council meeting after members of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 36 Comments

OutSmart talks to Kim Ogg

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another good read about our new DA, one that goes into her personal background in some depth. John Wright: Your father, Jack Ogg, was a longtime Texas state legislator, and your late mother was well-known for her charity work. What … Continue reading →

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

EcoHub sues over OneBin failure

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

All right. Continuing the saga that has unfolded at City Hall — in which City Council members have said a deal with one company “smelled,” and in which another company, EcoHub, claims Mayor Sylvester Turner snubbed him out of the … Continue reading →

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Firefighters complain about petition counting process

Posted on August 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, good Lord. Houston firefighters are accusing Mayor Sylvester Turner of standing between them and a voter-approved pay raise by failing to ensure a petition they submitted last month is certified in time to appear on the November ballot. Turner … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Public Works Director Sreerama is out

Posted on July 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, a Friday afternoon special: Statement by Mayor Sylvester Turner on city Public Works and Engineering director “Karun Sreerama has accomplished much in Houston as a businessman and involved citizen. I am sure he will continue to be … Continue reading →

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

Stanart pushes back on election security claims

Posted on July 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Our County Clerk is not happy with recent stories about the potential for vulnerability in our election systems. Despite reports from federal intelligence agencies and media outlets of Russia’s widespread targeting of state and local elections around the country and … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Was the Harris County election system hacked?

Posted on July 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Wouldn’t you like to know? Despite widespread alarm over the breadth of Russian cyber attacks on state and local election systems last year, including revelations of Dallas County being targeted, Harris County officials are refusing to say whether hackers similarly … Continue reading →

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Rebidding reycling

Posted on July 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Do-over! Pummeled by procurement concerns on a 20-year curbside recycling contract, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Friday he will seek a new round of proposals from the four final bidders. Turner had met with small groups of City Council members Thursday … Continue reading →

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Recycling deal gets a rough reception at Council

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Feisty. Houston City Council members blasted a proposed 20-year recycling deal Tuesday, questioning the $48 million price tag, the process by which the winning bidder was chosen and Turner administration officials’ reluctance to share information about the deal. The proposal … Continue reading →

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More on the firefighters’ pay parity proposal

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s that full Chron story I mentioned yesterday: Houston firefighters delivered over 32,000 signatures to City Hall on Monday in support of asking voters in November to mandate parity in pay between firefighter and police officer ranks, a maneuver that … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Firefighters turn in their petitions

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them, but boy is this thing a train wreck. Houston firefighters delivered over 32,000 signatures to City Hall Monday in support of putting a ballot initiative on the November election mandating parity in pay between firefighter and police-officer … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Harris County will not enter SB4 litigation

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunate. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday decided not to join a lawsuit against the state’s controversial sanctuary cities law. A motion made by Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis to move to join the lawsuit died after it failed to … Continue reading →

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Mayor will take revenue cap referendum off the 2017 ballot

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not gonna lie, I’m disappointed by this. Mayor Sylvester Turner abruptly reversed course Wednesday on his plan to ask voters to repeal Houston’s revenue cap this fall, saying it now is “unlikely” he will ask for its removal. The politically … Continue reading →

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How much will the county get repaid for Super Bowl activities?

Posted on July 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Quite possibly not very much, as it turns out. After the New England Patriots stunned the Atlanta Falcons with a storybook comeback in Super Bowl LI, after the crowds drained away and the national spotlight left Houston, Harris County officials … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Firefighters’ lawsuit over pension reform law tossed

Posted on July 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There it goes. A state district judge on Friday dismissed Houston firefighters’ lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the city’s pension reform package, removing a potential barrier to the city’s efforts to solve a 16-year fiscal crisis. State District Judge Patricia … Continue reading →

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

Mayor introduces new recycling deal

Posted on July 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There’s some stuff to like in this, and there are also questions to be answered. The city would send all 65,000 tons of bottles, cans and boxes its citizens recycle each year to a new processing facility to be built … Continue reading →

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Firefighters sue city over contract negotiations

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

These are busy days for the HPFFA. Houston’s fire union sued the city Wednesday alleging Mayor Sylvester Turner’s administration failed to act in good faith during contract negotiations, exacerbating tensions between firefighters and City Hall. The lawsuit filed in state … Continue reading →

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

Ellis seeks Harris County entry into SB4 litigation

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, an email from Commissioner Ellis: Despite strong opposition from law enforcement officials, faith leaders, local governments, civil rights organizations, constituents, and advocacy groups, Senate Bill 4 (SB4), the “show-me-your-papers” legislation, has been signed into law. The new … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ellis shakes things up

Posted on June 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. It’s what he should be doing. When former state Sen. Rodney Ellis launched his campaign to succeed the late El Franco Lee as Precinct 1 commissioner last year, he said he would shake up Harris County government. He’s kept … Continue reading →

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

Houston officially gets in the SB4 litigation business

Posted on June 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well done. Houston City Council voted Wednesday to sue the state over its new “sanctuary cities” law, joining Texas’ three other largest cities in challenging the controversial measure. Council voted 10-6 to join San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, El Paso County … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Public testimony on SB4

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It was heated, as you might expect. Scores of residents urged City Council on Tuesday to challenge the state’s “sanctuary cities” ban, speaking during more than five hours of public testimony on the eve of council’s vote on whether to … Continue reading →

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Council may vote on joining SB4 litigation tomorrow

Posted on June 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It will happen, though perhaps not tomorrow. Houston City Council is poised to vote [this] Wednesday on whether to join litigation challenging the constitutionality of Texas’ new “sanctuary cities” law, days before the case’s preliminary hearing in San Antonio. The … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

We need better fire inspections

Posted on June 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not good. The Houston Fire Department division responsible for ensuring building safety keeps inadequate records, does not examine buildings on a regular schedule and inflated its inspection numbers, all while exceeding its overtime budget, according to an audit released by … Continue reading →

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Do we really have to have a pension bond vote?

Posted on June 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So as we know, the Houston pension reform bill that passed contains a provision that requires a vote on the pension obligation bonds that Mayor Turner intends to float as a down payment. Pension obligation bonds have been floated in … Continue reading →

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

Council passes the 2017-18 budget

Posted on June 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

With a bit of drama along the way. City Council voted to boost funding for a controversial program that helps district council members tackle neighborhood projects Wednesday, even as it approved an annual budget from which one police cadet class … Continue reading →

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When might Houston file a lawsuit over SB4?

Posted on June 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Unclear at this time. Responding to calls for Houston to take a tougher stance on immigration legislation, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Tuesday he still is reviewing a controversial state law passed this month that allows police to ask people their … Continue reading →

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

On to the revenue cap

Posted on May 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

With one major accomplishment (basically) finished, Mayor Turner moves on to the next major challenge facing him. “This is the most consequential campaign of the mayor’s career,” University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus said. “These things are more complicated … Continue reading →

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Houston pension reform bill passes

Posted on May 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s done. The Texas House on Wednesday approved the controversial Senate version of a bill that aims to overhaul Houston’s failing pension funds — over the passionate objections of current and former firefighters. Senate Bill 2190, which passed in a … Continue reading →

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Bill King wants you to lower his property taxes

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s not what he says in this op-ed, but it is the effect of what he’s arguing for, even if he’s not honest enough to come out and say it. Let’s start with the basic point that despite King’s disingenuous … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Mayor Turner’s second budget

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about what you’d expect. With pension reform in sight, Mayor Sylvester Turner on Tuesday proposed a combination of departmental cuts, one-time fixes, deferred payments and a dip into city reserves to close next year’s $123 million budget gap. Turner … Continue reading →

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