Category Archives: Local politics

County’s voting machines get new home

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s hope for no more fires. Harris County is buying a building to house voting machines and other equipment that will replace a warehouse destroyed by fire last August. The $4.35 million purchase of a facility on Todd Road near … Continue reading →

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A closer look at the proposed County Commissioner precincts

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Casey does some analysis of the proposed Harris County redistricting map and notes some concerns about the way Precinct 2 was drawn. The total population of the proposed new precinct is 57 percent Hispanic and 31 percent Anglo. But … Continue reading →

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DA gets Jones case

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

What sound does a hot potato make when it gets passed to someone else? The Harris County District Attorney has been asked to review for possible criminal prosecution allegations that Councilwoman Jolanda Jones used city resources to support her private … Continue reading →

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Emmett goes after Raycraft

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This will be fun to watch. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, spurred by revelations about former finance chief Edwin Harrison’s business practices and personal conduct, is calling for Harrison’s boss — longtime budget director Dick Raycraft — to produce a … Continue reading →

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Meet the Harris County redistricting map

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

On the agenda yesterday at Commissioners Court – the long-awaited redistricting plan for County Commissioner precincts. The proposal would bring significant changes to several precinct boundaries, seeking to make the populations in the four commissioners’ precincts roughly equal, as required … Continue reading →

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The long-term recycling deal

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I noticed this when it was posted last week but didn’t give it much thought at the time. There’s a 20-year no-bid contract on today’s City Council agenda. That’s legal because it’s an amendment to an existing contract, not a … Continue reading →

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Jones files her own complaint

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Okay. Houston City Councilwoman Jolanda Jones, the subject of a city inspector general investigation, has filed a Texas State Bar grievance against City Attorney David Feldman. Jones’s spokeswoman, Kelly Cripe, would not provide a copy of the grievance, but she … Continue reading →

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From the “Work smarter, not harder” files

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

So far, deep cuts in local budgets not yet led to equivalent reductions in service levels. The city of Houston just cut spending by $100 million in the budget that begins next month. The average Houstonian may have to look … Continue reading →

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Time for another “What to do with the Astrodome?” study

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s been two years since we had one of these. The Astrodome’s next incarnation — planetarium? hotel? heap of dynamited rubble? – will be the subject of yet another study ordered up by Harris County Commissioners Court this week. What … Continue reading →

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City passes its budget

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It wasn’t much different than the Mayor’s original proposal. The overall spending plan totals $4 billion, including $1.8 billion from the tax- and fee-supported general fund. The remaining $2.2 billion involves the city’s enterprise funds, such as the airport and … Continue reading →

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Redistricting on Commissioners Court agenda

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Well, not quite, but if you look on Page 15 of the June 21 Court agenda you will see an item that says “Request for approval of an order adopting priorities and principles for redistricting of the four Harris County … Continue reading →

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HFD ratifies deal with city

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It was a close vote, but the deal they reached in March was ratified. Union members passed the contract by a 1,560 to 1,391 vote. The deal saves 236 firefighters from layoffs in 2012, but concessions include a two-year pay … Continue reading →

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More on the red light camera ruling

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I said before that what happens next with the red light camera ruling is a political decision. Here’s how that’s shaping up. City Attorney Dave Feldman said Friday’s ruling will force the city to choose from canceling the contract with … Continue reading →

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Hoang’s turn before the OIG

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We have another Council member under the looking glass. Councilman Al Hoang is the subject of a city Office of Inspector General investigation over allegations that he submitted fraudulent signatures to the city in a petition to change the name … Continue reading →

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Judge rules red light camera referendum was invalid

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Boom. A Houston federal judge today invalidated last November’s referendum that ended the red-light camera program, a ruling that has sent city leaders back to square one. U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes ruled the city can not reverse an ordinance … Continue reading →

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CM Hoang accused of forging names on petition signatures

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is just bizarre. In the heart of Asia Town in southwest Houston, some homeowners in the Turtlewood Square subdivision say they’ve been robbed. They were not robbed of their belongings, but rather their good names. “Definitely homeowners [are] scared, … Continue reading →

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Jones and Sullivan name their delegates

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, CM Jolanda Jones gets to pick a fellow Council member to represent her in the meeting on Monday to determine if any formal action will be taken against her. Yesterday, she picked CM Brad Bradford to be … Continue reading →

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New drainage fee structure announced

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Mayor’s office. Mayor Annise Parker today instructed the director of the Houston Department of Public Works and Engineering to adjust drainage fees for every property owner required to pay the fee. The adjustment will be accomplished by reducing … Continue reading →

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CM Jones speaks about the OIG report

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

She didn’t say much, however. Councilwoman Jolanda Jones said Monday she believes she “will have acted within the acceptable standards of conduct” once all the facts are out concerning an Office of Inspector General investigation that found she used city … Continue reading →

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Sullivan files complaint against Jones

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And the process gets started. A day after declaring he would not do so, Houston City Councilman Mike Sullivan filed a complaint against Councilwoman Jolanda Jones, seeking possible discipline following the release of an Office of Inspector General report that … Continue reading →

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Inspector General cites CM Jones

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Ouch. Houston City Councilwoman Jolanda Jones used city employees to help run her personal law practice and instructed her staff not to meet with investigators looking into her alleged misconduct, the city’s inspector general has determined. For three of the … Continue reading →

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The Empty Lot Primary

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is an awesome idea. A political consultant is launching a Web site aimed shaming political candidates into limiting the posting of signs to addresses where the residents actually endorse their candidacies. Greg Wythe’s emptylotprimary.tumblr.com invites people to submit photos of campaign signs … Continue reading →

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Eight, not five

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker says that initial estimates of how much the average homeowner would pay for the new drainage fee were understated. Mayor Annise Parker acknowledged Tuesday that her administration erred in telling voters that the average homeowner’s monthly Proposition 1 … Continue reading →

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HCC redistricting update

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The last of the HCC public meetings on redistricting is tonight at 7 at HCC – Northeast College (map here), so those of you that are into that sort of thing should make plans to attend. There is now a … Continue reading →

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You may say to yourself “Well, how did I get here?”

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

What’s missing from this story? The city of Houston’s budget crisis that has resulted in 747 employees getting pink slips last month and likely will close pools and community centers did not happen overnight. It has been brewing for the … Continue reading →

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Deal to sell Center Street recycling center delayed

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to the Convention Center deal, the proposed sale of the Center Street recycling facility for $2 million was also on Council’s agenda for Wednesday. Two years ago the city had planned to sell the center and relocate it … Continue reading →

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Council approves deal to spin off Convention Center

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Houston First, which merges the city’s Convention and Entertainment Facilities Department and the Houston Convention Center Hotel Corporation, which runs the Hilton Americas. The corporation will not have to come to the council to get expenses approved. The unionized … Continue reading →

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The Mayor and the firefighters

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Despite the tone of this, I wouldn’t make too much of it. While looking for tens of millions of dollars through a combination of cuts, deferrals, savings and fee hikes, Mayor Annise Parker repeatedly has identified the Houston Fire Department … Continue reading →

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HCC redistricting

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Turns out that the HCC Trustees have done some work on redistricting for themselves. Their meeting agenda for May 19 lists “Resolution Accepting Draft Plans for Redistricting of HCCS Board of Trustees Districts and Confirming Public Hearings” as the fourth … Continue reading →

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More on that Rebuild Houston push poll

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Remember that push poll on Rebuild Houston? The results are out and they’re pretty much what you’d expect. A state district judge could decide this week whether to hold a trial on the validity of November’s election in which voters … Continue reading →

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The city’s 2012 budget

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Cuts, deferred payments, and more cuts. Mayor Annise Parker, facing what she described as the toughest fiscal environment in more than 20 years, on Thursday proposed a $1.8 billion budget that calls for laying off 747 employees, closing pools and … Continue reading →

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Council officially approves new redistricting map

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Let the filings begin! The Houston City Council approved a new political map for the city on Wednesday that expands the council by two seats and gives Houston’s burgeoning Latino population what community leaders see as its best opportunity to … Continue reading →

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Firefighters avoid layoffs

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The city and the firefighters’ union reach an agreement on the deadline for sending layoff notices to cut HFD’s budget by $17.7 million but not require any layoffs. The agreement’s components include program cuts and fees for services that are … Continue reading →

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More city layoffs

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

How high will it get? More than 600 city employees have received layoff notices this month as the city sheds payroll in a budget crisis. The count is mounting daily as city leaders orchestrate a department-by-department approach to telling their … Continue reading →

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