Category Archives: Local politics

Don’t look for a meet-and-confer bill in the Lege this year

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Buried in this story about the city and the county preparing to play defense during the legislative session is this update on the state of relations between the city and the firefighters. In her first two sessions, Houston Mayor Annise … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Don’t look for a meet-and-confer bill in the Lege this year

By the way, Dave Wilson also hates transgender people

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, no surprise, right? What’s more, he puts his money where his mouth is. Now, anti-LGBT activist Dave Wilson is circulating another petition that would place a charter amendment on the ballot to repeal trans protections in both HERO … Continue reading →

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

Feldman’s parting memo

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Outgoing City Attorney David Feldman shares his thoughts on the state of the city’s campaign finance rules as he makes his exit. City Hall began its attempt to use a federal court ruling declaring its own election rule unconstitutional to … Continue reading →

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

Still no consensus on how to deal with the criminal justice complex

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

And it’s back to the Mayor. Pushed by Mayor Annise Parker to decide whether Houston’s aging police and courts buildings should get patchwork repairs or be fully replaced, with both options carrying staggering price tags, City Council members instead opted … Continue reading →

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

Donna Edmunson

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Mayor Annise Parker has selected Donna Edmundson to be the new city attorney. Upon confirmation by City Council, Edmundson will become the first woman to hold the position. She has nearly 30 years of experience with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Donna Edmunson

The next generation of leaders

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The future looks good. A new generation of black activist leadership in Houston has emerged from the protests over the officer-involved deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York. At one point during a town … Continue reading →

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

Don’t forget about Pasadena

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still a lawsuit in the works regarding their 2013 redistricting referendum that switched their Council from an eight-member all-district makeup to six districts and two At large seats, all at the behest of Mayor Johnny Isbell. Pasadena is preparing … Continue reading →

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

Three signs of possible trouble ahead

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

#1 – Watch out for falling oil prices. The bedrock supporting Houston’s economy will shift in 2015, and while these tremors will not bring disaster, they will bring changes that some will find painful. The collapse of oil prices in … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Three signs of possible trouble ahead

It pays to go green

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a simple enough formula – reduce energy usage, save money. As Houston leaders push the counter-intuitive notion that the world’s energy capital can go green, and pledge ever-lower emissions goals for municipal operations, installing energy-efficient lighting and low-flow toilets … Continue reading →

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

RIP, Bob Lanier

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Houston’s iconic Mayor of the 1990s has passed away. Bob Lanier, a 6-foot-4 cowboy boot-wearing, sports-crazy political sharpshooter who rose from modest beginnings in blue-collar Baytown to become one of Houston’s biggest developers and most influential mayors, died Saturday. He … Continue reading →

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

Feldman resigns

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker loses a key member of her team going into her final year as Mayor. City Attorney David Feldman on Friday announced that he plans to resign next month, citing, among other reasons, that he could better defend the … Continue reading →

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

Valero’s special deal

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sorry, I just can’t get behind this. Companies routinely relocate to the city or state that lures them with the best tax break, but Valero wants Houston City Council to give its eastside refinery the same treatment without having … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Valero’s special deal

Repair or replace?

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Consider this an object lesson in the cost of deferring maintenance. A new Houston police headquarters and courthouse complex, discussed for decades, could reach a key turning point this week as Mayor Annise Parker seeks to force City Council members … Continue reading →

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

City deficit not as big as feared

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This is a nice surprise. A huge budget deficit looming at City Hall – which has spurred talk of layoffs, service cuts, new fees and higher taxes – has been cut in half, relieving some pressure to scramble together a … Continue reading →

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

Searching the couch cushions for loose change

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

That’s basically what this is. To say the city of Houston is working to cut a looming $120 million budget deficit one color copy at a time would not be accurate. It’s more like millions of color copies. Cellphones no … Continue reading →

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

Charter review gets set

Posted on December 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Campos: This Thursday, December 4 the City Council’s Ad Hoc Charter Review committee will meet and several members of Council want the following in BOLD discussed. I have added a few devil’s advocate observations. BTW: All members of City … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Charter review gets set

Henry Martinez named as interim Constable

Posted on November 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations. A 23-year veteran of the Houston Community College police department will succeed the disgraced Victor Trevino as constable in Precinct Six, county officials announced Monday, elevating a Latino officer who promises to have no aspirations to become a Latino … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Henry Martinez named as interim Constable

Red light cameras: The final insult

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Awesome. In settling the lawsuit with camera vendor American Traffic Solutions, whose contract was supposed to run through 2014, the city agreed to pay the Arizona-based company $4.8 million. The city had $2.3 million in red-light ticket revenue on hand … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Red light cameras: The final insult

Parker orders withdrawal of pastor subpoenas

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They got what they wanted. With local pastors standing with her, Mayor Annise Parker has told the City Legal Department to withdraw the subpoenas filed against five local pastors who have identified themselves as the leaders of the petition drive … Continue reading →

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

Lies are worse than missteps

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

But you know what we’re going to hear more about. Conservative outrage over the Parker administration’s admittedly bungled subpoena of five pastors’ sermons last week marked just the latest episode in a messy political saga surrounding the city’s equal rights … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lies are worse than missteps

Council approves meaningless tax cut

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Such awful policy. The Houston City Council unanimously passed a nominal property tax cut Tuesday afternoon, the first rate reduction in five years, as the city for the first time runs into a revenue cap imposed by voters a decade … Continue reading →

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

Gary Elkins thumbs his nose at local payday lending ordinances

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Such a fine example he sets. As a member of the Texas House of Representatives, Houston Republican Gary Elkins helps make laws. As a businessman, he is an owner of a chain of payday lending stores accused of breaking them. … Continue reading →

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

RIP, J. Kent Adams

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

J. Kent Adams, one of Harris County’s Justices of the Peace, passed away over the weekend. Judge J. Kent Adams, who presided over one of the Houston area’s busiest justice of the peace courts for 13 years, died Saturday morning … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on RIP, J. Kent Adams

The outrage machine is fully engaged

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how long they can keep it up. A legal battle between the city of Houston and religious leaders has erupted into a national debate this week about religious liberty and freedom of speech, even as Mayor Annise Parker … Continue reading →

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

Subpoenaing sermons

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure about this. Houston’s embattled equal rights ordinance took another legal turn this week when it surfaced that city attorneys, in an unusual step, subpoenaed sermons given by local pastors who oppose the law and are tied to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Smoking ban extended to pedestrian plazas

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m okay with this. Main Street Square is now a smoke-free zone following the City Council’s decision Wednesday to expand Houston’s smoking ban to pedestrian plazas, marking the latest effort from the Parker administration to curb lighting up in public … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Smoking ban extended to pedestrian plazas

Mayors against climate change

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the Think Globally, Act Locally department. Mayor Annise Parker briefly took center stage Monday in the campaign against climate change by pledging to make America’s energy capital a laboratory for experimentation and action. Frustrated with the congressional response to … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mayors against climate change

Firefighter pension board makes an offer to the city

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This was unexpected. The trustees of Houston’s firefighter pension, who for years have fought the mere mention of changes to benefits as Houston’s enormous pension burden has continued to grow, now are shopping a compromise proposal. Fire pension leaders say … Continue reading →

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

Empower Texans to spread its virus to Houston

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Try not to get infected. Empower Texans said Sunday it will open a political outpost in Houston, a signal that the conservative political action committee may emerge as a player in upcoming municipal elections. […] On Friday, Empower’s fiscal policy … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Empower Texans to spread its virus to Houston

The revenue cap has already hit

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Lovely. Houstonians will see their first property tax rate cut in five years as the city runs up against a revenue cap imposed by voters a decade ago. The modest rollback works out to $12.27 a year for the owner … Continue reading →

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

Greg Enos drops another bombshell

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Greg Enos, the chief catalyst in getting Judge Denise Pratt ousted from the 311th Family Court, now documents bad behavior by Pratt’s successor on that bench, Alicia Franklin. I truly like Alicia Franklin personally and I do not want to … Continue reading →

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

Parker proposes new firefighter pension plan

Posted on August 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see about this. With the city of Houston facing huge and rising pension costs, Mayor Annise Parker on Thursday unveiled a proposal to put new firefighters in a separate, less generous plan that would do away with expensive automatic … Continue reading →

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

Houston municipal employees may see health insurance costs get hiked again

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s one of many possible proposals for closing the upcoming budget shortfall. A key option, [Mayor annise] Parker has said, is to increase the share of health care costs employees pay. The city now pays three-fourths, and employees pay one-fourth. … Continue reading →

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

At an impasse

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t look like there will be any new collective bargaining agreement between the city and the firefighters this year. Houston’s firefighters union declared an impasse with the city over a new labor contract, which a union negotiator called a “slap … Continue reading →

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