Category Archives: Local politics

Selecting a successor for El Franco Lee: What I’m looking for

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Building on what we discussed last time, what am I, as one of maybe 100 people who has the privilege of selecting a Democratic nominee to take El Franco Lee’s place on the November ballot – and most likely, on … Continue reading →

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

Selecting a successor for El Franco Lee: Process and questions

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, sent by Carroll Robinson. The Issue During the past few days, there has been a great deal of speculation about the legal process for selecting someone to replace the late Commissioner El Franco Lee on the November … Continue reading →

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

Lee’s campaign finances

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Among other things, Commissioner El Franco Lee leaves behind a lot of money in his campaign finance account. When Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee died unexpectedly Sunday, he left friends and allies in mourning, political hopefuls jockeying for his … Continue reading →

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

On succeeding El Franco Lee

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t rush anyone. Within hours of longtime Commissioner El Franco Lee’s sudden death Sunday, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett received calls from three people vying for his seat. Emmett, who alone must appoint a temporary successor, said he will not … Continue reading →

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

RIP, El Franco Lee

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The longest-serving and first African-American Harris County Commissioner passed away suddenly on Sunday. El Franco Lee, Harris County’s first African-American commissioner and a popular mainstay in the political community, died Sunday morning of a heart attack. He was 66. The … Continue reading →

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

Mayor Turner sworn in

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The new era begins. Lauding Houston as a city where, “when you dream big, big things can happen,” Mayor Sylvester Turner delivered his inaugural address Monday morning at a packed Jones Hall downtown. Turner also announced his first policy plan, … Continue reading →

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

City-county relations should continue to be good

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Glad to hear it. Prospects for increased city-county cooperation are looking up, Houston Mayor-elect Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett say, forecasting further thawing of the historically contentious relationship between the jurisdictions. Turner spoke with Emmett and Harris … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Mayor Annise Parker

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We are in the last few days of the administration of Mayor Annise Parker. Having served three terms each as Council member and Controller, she is finishing up eighteen years as an elected official in the city of Houston. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The incumbents’ advantage

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Is it about to become that much harder to vote incumbent city officials out of office? The already difficult task of ousting incumbent Houston officeholders likely has become even tougher. City elected officials now have an extended runway to accumulate … Continue reading →

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

More HERO public information requests

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The bullying continues. Does President Barack Obama regularly drop a line to Houston City Council members? Probably not, but we could soon find out, thanks to a public records request that opponents of the city’s equal rights ordinance, known as … Continue reading →

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

Harris County keeps considering vote centers

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Perhaps one of these days they will move forward on this. Seeking to making voting easier on Election Day, Harris County officials are considering shifting to a system that would allow voters to cast ballots at any county polling place … Continue reading →

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

Houston Zoo reverses its stance on allowing in guns

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This was a surprise. The Houston Zoo has reinstalled a series of signs that prohibit the carry of firearms into the gates of the family-friendly attraction almost three months after being forced to take them down at threat of legal … Continue reading →

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

HCC versus Dave Wilson, the continuing story

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a fight over legal fees. Dave Wilson has long been a thorn in the side of Houston Community College trustees. That hasn’t changed now that he’s one of them. Wilson, a controversial figure long before he was elected to … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HCC versus Dave Wilson, the continuing story

Mayor will seek texting-while-driving ban

Posted on November 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

One more agenda item before it’s all over. It’s not the first time Houston officials have broached the issue; Mayor Annise Parker has long lobbied to impose a Texaswide texting-while-driving ban. But months after another legislative session with no action, … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

A new HERO will be up to the next Mayor

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As it should be, whether we like it or not. Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who championed the city’s ill-fated equal rights ordinance, HERO, said she no longer plans to try to revive it before leaving office at the end of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A new HERO will be up to the next Mayor

No idling

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, from last week: Mayor Annise Parker and Houston City Council today approved two significant ordinances that will improve Houston’s quality of life and protect public health: an anti-idling ordinance for motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight … Continue reading →

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

Keeping an eye on Katy ISD

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This could be interesting. Some of the details of George Scott’s “shadow school board” are still that – shadowy. But as the conservative blogger has assembled a group to meet regularly to reach its own conclusions about the business of … Continue reading →

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

Harris Health wants more people to enroll in Obamacare

Posted on September 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Who can blame them? Harris County’s public health care agency, responding to a budget crisis, will eliminate more than 19,000 people next year from eligibility for free or nearly free services, hoping most of these patients will obtain coverage through … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris Health wants more people to enroll in Obamacare

Getting back into the marriage game

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It was too good to stay away. Two Harris County justices of the peace have resumed officiating weddings this week after a brief hiatus in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on marriage equality. Judges Russ Ridgway … Continue reading →

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

Packing heat at the zoo

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, this won’t cause any controversy. Houston Zoo officials have been forced to remove long-standing “no guns” signage from the city-owned property after a prominent gun rights attorney filed a complaint, marking the first visible local example of a new … Continue reading →

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

Yet another report on pensions

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Yippie. Some city leaders have spent years standing in the town square, hollering themselves hoarse that Houston’s financial footing is unstable, that huge pension costs threaten the city’s future ability to police the streets, pick up trash and maintain parks. … Continue reading →

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

Students against Dave Wilson

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

OUT SA, the website for out students and allies at Houston Community College, reviews a litany of Dave Wilson’s recent activities and discusses what can be done about them. Mr. Wilson has created a hostile environment for LGBT students, staff, … Continue reading →

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

Change to term limits may be on the November ballot as well

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Mayor Annise Parker’s proposal would wait until 2020 to lengthen City Council members, the mayor and and controller’s terms; while Councilman Jerry Davis is proposing a staggered roll-out starting in 2016. Supporters say the 2020 plan … Continue reading →

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

BP settlement cash

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. The city of Houston, Harris County and Metro netted $23 million in compensation from BP for revenue they could not collect in the wake of the company’s 2010 Gulf oil spill, officials announced Thursday. Houston will pocket about $12.2 … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on BP settlement cash

Auditing HCDE

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see about this. Later this summer, state auditors are expected to release their final report on the Harris County Department of Education. They’ve been examining the agency since last December. Superintendent James Colbert told lawmakers about it at a … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Auditing HCDE

Parker wants a vote on lifting the revenue cap

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So do I. Mayor Annise Parker plans to press City Council this month to reconsider loosening a decade-old revenue cap for public safety spending as talk of a looming budget deficit and possible service cuts grows more ominous around the … Continue reading →

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

Dave Wilson will never go away

Posted on July 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

What’s that definition of insanity again? Opponents of Houston’s equal rights ordinance have once again submitted petitions calling for a voter referendum to put a gender identity issue on the ballot in November, but the mayor says it’s not going … Continue reading →

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

TOP calls for changes in construction incentives

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Prime Property: Members of the Texas Organizing Project stood with signs across from a 40-story building under construction at Preston and Milam just off the park on downtown’s north side. The group was hoping to draw attention to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on TOP calls for changes in construction incentives

Circling back to city finances

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. This time, [City Finance Director Kelly] Dowe insists, the $126 million deficit he projects for the budget year that starts next summer is not going to disappear, as past projected shortfalls have. … Continue reading →

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

Sales tax revenues take a dip

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t freak out just yet, but do be a little worried. Houston’s 53-month consecutive span of year-over-year sales tax revenue gains has come to an end, five months into an energy slump analysts said could dent the city’s economic numbers … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sales tax revenues take a dip

What now for road projects?

Posted on June 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

What do we do with road projects that were going to use ReBuild Houston funds now that the Supreme Court has ruled the 2010 referendum to have been illegal? A necklace of neighborhood streets encircling Hudnell’s home is among the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What now for road projects?

No more LGBT liaison at the Sheriff’s office

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So according to the Houston Press, it would seem our new Sheriff is not exactly comfortable with gay people. First, he told to his surprise at a Republican club meeting that the HCSO website has a small rainbow flag tucked … Continue reading →

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

On regulating city lobbyists

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Still a work in progress, it would seem. Four years after Mayor Annise Parker’s administration tightened Houston’s lobbying rules and pledged to enforce them, not a single person or firm has been cited despite records showing that many lobbyists have … Continue reading →

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

Questioning the new Sheriff’s staff

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

That didn’t take long. Among Ron Hickman’s initial moves as sheriff was filling each of his first eight command posts with white males, a choice critics said shows a lack of vision in a jurisdiction as diverse as Harris County. … Continue reading →

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