Monthly Archives: April 2011

Council will vote on SafeClear changes

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Back in March, the city announced that it would be removing most of the subsidies for SafeClear as a cost-saving measure. The details have now been finalized and will be ready for Council action in June. Roadside services, such as … Continue reading →

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San Antonio’s extended term limits

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This year for the first time, most candidates on the ballot for San Antonio city offices are not subject to the old term limits law. San Antonio [once] had some of the nation’s strictest term limits for City Council — … Continue reading →

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Now that’s what I call people power

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

What a neat idea. When University of North Texas students work out at Pohl Recreational Center, they will be saving the environment as well as working off those extra end-of-semester calories. UNT has installed the ReRev renewable energy system on … Continue reading →

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Soda tax

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There are three things you can say about a soda tax for Texas: 1. It would raise some revenue. 2. It would make people drink less soda, which would likely have some modest health benefit. 3. It ain’t gonna happen. … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: The 90s

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The 90s. Grunge. Dot coms. “I did not have sex with that woman”. You remember, right? It wasn’t that long ago. 1. Suicide Blonde – INXS (1990) 2. Something To Talk About – Bonnie Raitt (1991) 3. I Touch Myself … Continue reading →

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The last hearings on Council redistricting

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of action, and lots of alternatives, at the two Council meetings on Wednesday. Hispanic civic leaders on Wednesday presented an alternative redistricting map for the Houston City Council that creates a third district on the city’s southwest side where … Continue reading →

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Senate Finance Committee passes its budget

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The fight over the Rainy Day Fund is now officially on. A $176.5 billion budget for the 2012-13 biennium — 5.9 percent smaller than the current budget but almost $12 billion larger than the version passed earlier by the House … Continue reading →

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A win for the microbrewers

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Woo hoo! Craft beer brewers came to the Capitol this session with a number of bills giving them greater latitude in getting their beers to customers. [Thursday], the House gave an early OK to one of those bills, allowing breweries … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court rehears Open Beaches case

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure it’ll be any different this time around, but at least there’s a chance. The Texas Supreme Court appeared closely divided Tuesday during a second round of arguments in a turf battle over who controls the beach after a … Continue reading →

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Feeling the Love

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good news for at least one previously endangered school in HISD. Four elementary schools in the Houston Independent School District could close under a proposal Superintendent Terry Grier revealed this morning. Under the plan, which the school board must approve, … Continue reading →

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Is it time to fix school finance?

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s pretty much always time to fix school finance, since school finance is always broken, so here goes the Senate. Maybe. State Senate leaders want to end the much-despised public education funding system by 2017, although they disagree on how … Continue reading →

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Discovery Green, America’s coolest park

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From CultureMap: Travel + Leisure searched around the country for the best, the most exciting and the coolest city parks for their April issue, and Central Park didn’t make the cut — but Houston’s Discovery Green did. Just three years old — and … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , | 5 Comments

News flash: Rick Perry fails to tell the truth

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m as shocked as you are. Contrary to his public statements distancing himself from a brewing controversy in higher education, Gov. Rick Perry continually pressed his appointees to university boards of regents to promptly adopt “reforms” that critics say are … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of April 18

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance sincerely hopes that the wildfires in West Texas will soon be controlled as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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One Heights, two districts

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As we head into the last of the public meetings on City Council redistricting, we are reminded that you can’t always get what you want from the process. A proposed redistricting map that separates historic neighborhoods in the Houston Heights … Continue reading →

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House approves a little more money, Senate readies its budget

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Just a little. Texas House budget-writers voted Monday to free up an additional $3 billion for key state services through such moves as speeding up tax collections, delaying payments and suspending the back-to-school sales tax holiday. The bills next go … Continue reading →

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Jail privatization

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Does anyone really think that privatizing the Harris County Jail would be a good idea? The suggestion comes from Commissioner Steve Radack, who said the item is a way for the county to examine all ways of cutting costs as … Continue reading →

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Prior bad acts

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about this. In what critics say could be a “seismic change” in state criminal law, the Texas Senate tentatively approved a bill that would allow jurors in sexual assault cases to hear testimony about similar allegations against … Continue reading →

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Redistricting committee votes out State House map

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Politics: By a vote of 11 to 5, the House Redistricting Committee approved a plan redrawing the Texas House map that, according to its sponsor, committee chairman Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton, creates a total of 30 minority opportunity districts. The … Continue reading →

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Texas Monthly interview with Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, who is being recruited to run for the Senate in Texas, did an interview with Texas Monthly in 2008 that’s worth your time to read. The interview was published after his book “Wiser In Battle”, which … Continue reading →

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House approves SBOE map

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One down, three to go. A new map for the 15-member Texas State Board of Education became the first redistricting proposal to make its way through the Texas House Thursday afternoon, winning approval on a vote of 99-45. State Rep. … Continue reading →

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Messing with Doggett

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure the Republicans would love to draw Lloyd Doggett out of existence if they can. The question is whether they can do it without causing other problems elsewhere. Republicans have tried to oust Doggett before by drawing a district … Continue reading →

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Solomons State House map 2.0

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Go to http://gis1.tlc.state.tx.us/ and check out Plan H134 for a revised State House map from House Redistricting Chair Burt Solomons. Here’s the Harris County view: Still 24 districts, with either Rep. Scott Hochberg or Rep. Hubert Vo on the outside … Continue reading →

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FCC approves KTRU sale

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s official now. The Federal Communications Commission on Friday approved the controversial sale of Rice University’s radio station, KTRU, to the University of Houston. The decision comes after a group called the Friends of KTRU filed a petition and three … Continue reading →

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RIP, Joe Roach

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Former Houston City Council member Joe Roach has passed away at the age of 49. A Clear Lake-area Republican, Roach — a one-time chief prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office — leaped onto the local political scene by … Continue reading →

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Here comes the Senate budget

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We know that the Senate budget will spend more money than the House budget, not that this is a high bar to clear. We know that the Senate has searched high and low for the funds to support the higher … Continue reading →

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Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In case you haven’t heard, national Democrats may have found a Senate candidate for next year. Democrats appear to have recruited retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez to run for the U.S. Senate in Texas, setting the stage for the party … Continue reading →

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Amazon not gone yet

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. Amid its fight with the state over collecting tax on online sales, Amazon.com had said it would close its distribution center in Irving this week, resulting in the loss of 119 jobs. As of Wednesday, … Continue reading →

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I can’t drive 75

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

If the Lege has its way, in addition to being able to drive 85 on the Interstates, you will also be able to drive 75 on some other highways. Legislation that would eliminate lower nighttime speed limits in Texas, allow … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for April 17

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Happy Palm Sunday! Royal weddings? There’s an app for that. The economist’s case for having more kids. We’ll stick with two, thanks. Don’t get phished. The next time your high-speed Internet service goes out, read this and realize that it … Continue reading →

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The State of the City 2011

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting a little better, but we’re still not close to being in good times. The city of Houston’s budget deficit for the coming fiscal year has been whittled to roughly $80 million from $130 million, Mayor Annise Parker said … Continue reading →

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Senate Education Committee passes furlough bill

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is still better than layoffs, but not by much. School districts would be able to reduce salaries and furlough teachers for up to six days – with layoffs used only as a last resort – under a compromise bill … Continue reading →

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Texas asks for some of Florida’s rejected high speed rail funds

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is hoping to snag a portion of Florida’s unwanted high-speed rail money. TxDOT, which submitted its application to the Federal Railroad Administration this week, is hoping to secure nearly $43 million of the … Continue reading →

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West Texas

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Not many people want to live in West Texas any more. The 2010 Census confirmed what anyone passing through the scrublands of West Texas already knew: People are leaving, and no one is taking their place, even with oil at … Continue reading →

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