Monthly Archives: August 2011

Two views of county government

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There was an interesting quasi-point/counterpoint in the Sunday op-eds between County Judge Ed Emmett and County Attorney Vince Ryan. I say “quasi” because it’s not really clear they were debating each other, but they were both talking about county government … Continue reading →

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

Commissioners Court approves its redistricting plan, DOJ approves city’s plan

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Greg and Stace attended today’s Commissioners Court meeting, where to nobody’s surprise the slightly-less-but-still-retrogressive new redistricting plan was unanimously approved. And why shouldn’t it be? It took care of the main, if not the sole, purpose of the task, which … Continue reading →

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

A closer look at finance reports: Spending on consultants

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Now that we’ve looked at who gives to candidates in Houston, let’s take a look at what those candidates spend their money on. Broadly speaking, your main forms of expenditures include overhead (rent, food, office supplies, transportation, webhosting, etc), advertising, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Where’s the response for this?

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This was bigger than Rick Perry’s Prayerpalooza in terms of attendance. It should have been bigger in terms of news interest as well. Some families camped out for hours to gain admittance into the Houston’s first-ever, citywide back-to-school event at … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Don’t forget Texas’ debt

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Now that Perry’s Prayerpalooza is behind us and we breathlessly await his Presidential decision, keep this op-ed by former State Rep. Jim Dunnam in mind whenever you hear Perry pontificate about the national debt. Before Rick Perry became governor, Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Greanias’ return

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Metro CEO George Greanias is back on the job after serving a week’s suspension for viewing adult websites on his laptop while connected to Metro’s WiFi network. Since the surprising announcement 10 days ago, Greanias has been publicly silent, spending … Continue reading →

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Who has filed so far

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the first day of the filing season for Houston Mayor, Controller, and City Council. The filing period runs through September 7. You can see the list of official filers here; as of this moment, it’s Ellen Cohen in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with CM James Rodriguez

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

CM James Rodriguez is running for his third term in District I. He was Chief of Staff for his predecessor, Rep. Carol Alvarado, so he has actually been serving the district a lot longer than that. Rodriguez has been in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Some questions about the airport deal

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron stumped for the Terminal B expansion deal on Friday. Under the proposal by United, which merged with Continental this year, the Chicago-based airline would spend $686 million to expand and renovate Terminal B. The city is being asked … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Taking aim at the Voting Rights Act

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In responding to a petition by State Rep. Marc Veasey and State Sen. Wendy Davis to intervene against the state in its lawsuit to get the federal court to pre-clear the new maps, the Attorney General responded by saying that … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Bailing out the bail bondsmen

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not often that the District Clerk makes front page headlines, but ours did late last week. Harris County District Clerk Chris Daniel has not collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in court costs since taking office in January because, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Weekend link dump for August 7

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Congressional Republicans love dirty fuels more than they claim to revere the military. It’s easier to negotiate with North Korea these days than it is with Congressional Republicans. I want this woman to be my lawyer. Great, now I have … Continue reading →

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Chron story on Harris County redistricting

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

County Commissioners are shocked and dismayed to learn that there are people who would question their ability to do whatever they want to do. The county released an amended map on Friday, having gathered community input on the initial map … Continue reading →

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

Former CM Pam Holm to run for HD136

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

So says Robert Miller. Pam Holm, who represented District G on the Houston City Council from 2004 through 2009, has decided to run to replace Speaker Beverly Woolley in Texas HD 136. Ms. Holm was a prolific fundraiser the three … Continue reading →

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Austin ISD rehiring some teachers

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

A little bit of good news. The Austin school board voted Monday to abandon plans to expand class sizes to save money, reverting to the ideal student-teacher ratio of 22-to-1 for classes in kindergarten through the fourth grade and prompting … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

No high school games on the Longhorn Network

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

For now, anyway. The Big 12’s athletic directors unanimously agreed to a moratorium on high school content delivered on institutional or conference media platforms for a minimum of one year, the league announced in a release Monday. League athletic directors … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Saturday still photo break: May the Force be with you

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We have some family in town, and today Audrey and I took them to the Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit at the Health Museum. It was a combination of models and costumes from the “Star Wars” movies, with … Continue reading →

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City wins again on Rebuild Houston lawsuit

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, shortly after the Renew Houston proposition passed last fall, the usual suspects led by Paul Bettencourt filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the result on the grounds that they believed the voters were too stupid to know … Continue reading →

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

Trader Joe’s to the Alabama Bookstop?

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. Trader Joe’s is eyeing the old Alabama Theatre on Shepherd and West Alabama, according to a source familiar with the situation. Earlier this year, the grocer said it planned to open stores in Houston and Dallas. Specific locations were … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Film incentives

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Stuff like this always fascinates me. In a legislative session marked by a slew of high-profile budget cuts, Texas lawmakers opted to continue offering [film and TV production] incentives, but they reduced the amount available by 50 percent. They approved … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

No MLB or NFL for SA any time soon

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

San Antonio is many things, but a Major League Baseball or NFL city is isn’t, and won’t be any time soon. Those are the findings of California-based Premier Partnerships, which recently submitted the results of a six-month feasibility study commissioned … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lawsuit filed against Harris County redistricting

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Hot off the presses, here’s a release from CM Ed Gonzalez: Today, Council Member Ed Gonzalez joined as a plaintiff in a lawsuit versus Harris County over the proposed Commissioners Court redistricting map. “The proposed map cracks communities of interests … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Friday random ten: Songs of the Century, part 10

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The penultimate list from the Songs of the Century as compiled by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. 1. Reach Out, I’ll Be There – The Four Tops (#266) 2. Walk This Way – … Continue reading →

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Sylvia for Something

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

So many rumors, so little time. Among those voicing support for the alternative [County Commissioners] map was Sylvia Garcia, who was Precinct 2 commissioner from 2002 until this year. Garcia’s loss – by 2,310 votes – to Republican newcomer Jack … Continue reading →

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

Don’t hold your breath waiting for the GOP to fix immigration

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I confess that I only glanced at this op-ed by local immigration attorney Charles Foster about how the Republican Party can lead the way on immigration reform, but thankfully Greg was there to do a little deconstruction. I just want … Continue reading →

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Food deserts in Houston

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

If you listened to the interview I did with CM Stephen Costello, you would have heard him talk about “food deserts” in Houston, which is a problem to which he has turned his attention. This Chron story goes into some … Continue reading →

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You get the policies you voted for

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I hate to sound like a broken record, but these people need to quit complaining about getting what they voted for. Midland County officials are appealing to the state for reconsideration after it stripped $1.2 million in funding from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The alternative Commissioners Court map

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Opponents of the proposed County Commissioners map have presented their version in the last public hearing on county redistricting. Democrat Sylvia Garcia was Precinct 2 commissioner from 2002 until this year, having lost to Republican Jack Morman in last November’s … Continue reading →

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

Responding to The Response

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I almost forgot that Rick Perry’s Prayerpalooza, also known as The Response, is this weekend. Fortunately, some other folks are more on the ball than I am about this. On Tuesday, more than 50 Houston-area religious and community leaders disseminated … Continue reading →

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Lampson looking at options

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Former US Rep. Nick Lampson has said he’s thinking about running in the newly-drawn and now open CD14, but that’s not the only option he’s pondering. Lampson said in an interview that he’s received a great deal of encouragement since … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of August 1

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliane would like you to know that it has never held the full faith and credit of the United States hostage as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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RIP, Bubba Smith

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Football great and actor Bubba Smith has passed away. Bubba Smith, an outsize presence in the National Football League who went on to a prolific career in television and the movies, was found dead on Wednesday at his home in … Continue reading →

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Look at me! Look at meeeeee!

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I have one thing to say about this. With three months until election day, attorney Benjamin Hall still hasn’t declared whether he’s running against Mayor Annise Parker. “I have not taken myself out of the contest,” Hall told me late … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Interview with CM Oliver Pennington

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

CM Oliver Pennington was elected in 2009 as the Council member for District G. Pennington was a partner at the law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski, where he specialized in various aspects of municipal law. He’s also a graduate of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments