Tag Archives: Commissioners Court

Vote centers advance

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The other big story from Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting. Harris County Clerk Diane Trautman’s plan to shift to countywide voting centers inched forward this week when Commissioners Court unanimously agreed to file an application with the secretary of state asking … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court rejects Ogg’s request for more prosecutors

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I fully expected that Commissioners Court going from 4-1 Republican to 3-2 Democratic after the last election would signal big changes in how business was done in Harris County, but I didn’t expect this to be the first milestone on … Continue reading →

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RIP, Cassandra Hollemon

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Sad news. Cassandra Hollemon took the bench in a sweep of Black Girl Magic, becoming part of the historic moment when 19 African-American women in Harris County won spots overseeing some of the busiest courtrooms in Texas. In the weeks … Continue reading →

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How many prosecutors do we need?

Posted on February 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Opinions differ, but it’s a big question in Harris County right now. Hanover is one of many prosecutors Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said are overburdened — the reason she has asked Commissioners Court for a budget that would … Continue reading →

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Does the Astrodome redevelopment need air conditioning?

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I hadn’t thought about this, to be honest. As work continues on the initial stages of preparing the Astrodome for its new life as a parking and events venue, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo raised questions last week about the … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Fort Bend

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Did you know that Fort Bend County went blue in 2018 as well? Of course you did. Let’s take a closer look at how that happened. Dist Cruz Beto Dikeman Cruz% Beto% Dike% ====================================================== HD26 32,451 33,532 406 48.88% 50.51% … Continue reading →

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Will we address the unincorporated problem?

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron proposes an agenda item for the Lege. Unincorporated Harris County The challenges of unincorporated Harris County are nothing new. For decades neighborhoods have sprouted up in the vast prairie west of Houston without any formal municipal governmental structure. … Continue reading →

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Now we talk about vote centers

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Good. New Harris County Clerk Diane Trautman on Tuesday [proposed] to Commissioners Court a non-precinct based countywide polling system, where voters can cast ballots at the locations most convenient to them. “Life gets in the way; you’ve got to pick … Continue reading →

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Appeal of bail injunction dropped

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Elections have consequences, and thank goodness for it. Less than a week after the new jurists were sworn into office, Harris County’s misdemeanor judges on Monday withdrew their appeal in the landmark lawsuit over local bail practices that a federal … Continue reading →

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Rep. Justin Rodriguez resigns to take County Commissioner job

Posted on January 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We will need that special election. State Rep. Justin Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, is leaving the Legislature to become a Bexar County commissioner. The county’s judge, Nelson Wolff, appointed Rodriguez on Friday to replace Paul Elizondo, the longtime commissioner who died … Continue reading →

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We may soon need another legislative special election

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

In Bexar County. State Rep. Justin Rodriguez is expected to fill the vacant Commissioners Court seat of political icon Paul Elizondo, a major local power broker and a veteran of the commission for more than 30 years who died last … Continue reading →

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The Harris County GOP has not hit bottom yet

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I have four thing to say about this. Drubbed. Shellacked. Whooped. Walloped. Routed. However you want to describe November’s midterm election, it was disastrous for Harris County Republicans. They were swept from the remaining countywide posts they held — the other shoe … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Of course we could have done more on flood mitigation before now

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron: Harris County faces challenge, opportunity managing $2.5B flood bond program. I want to focus on this bit. Jim Blackburn, co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education, and Evacuation from Disasters Center at Rice University, estimates the bond … Continue reading →

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Cagle and Garcia hire Morman and Shaw

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. Jack Morman, who was defeated for re-election as Harris County Precinct 2 commissioner in November, will remain on the county’s payroll in January as an employee of Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle, a fellow Republican. Morman, who … Continue reading →

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Lina Hidalgo gets the national press treatment

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

You need to get past the first couple of paragraphs, but overall a decent piece. Even in defeat, Beto O’Rourke did a big favor to fellow Democrats all over Texas. A couple hundred thousand young people who might otherwise have … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Use that mandate in Harris County

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Jay Aiyer pens an agenda for Harris County and its Democratic government. First and foremost, flood mitigation has to be at the top of any list. Harris County has taken good initial steps to improve flood control infrastructure, and the … Continue reading →

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On straight tickets and other votes

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I have and will continue to have more to say about straight ticket votes. Part of me is reluctant to talk about this stuff, because I feel like we’ve reached a point where straight ticket votes are seen as less … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Precinct analysis: Beto does Harris County

Posted on November 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

He won pretty much everywhere you looked. So let’s look at the numbers: Dist Cruz Beto Dike Cruz% Beto% Trump% Clint% ============================================================= CD02 132,390 129,160 2,047 50.22% 49.00% 52.38% 43.05% CD07 112,078 129,781 1,843 45.99% 53.25% 47.11% 48.47% CD08 17,552 … Continue reading →

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Harris County certifies the 2018 vote

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We have a winner: Today Commissioners Court certified the election results and I have officially been elected Harris County Commissioner for Precinct 2. It is the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of Precinct 2 as County Commissioner. … Continue reading →

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The Fort Bend blue wave

Posted on November 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s not forget that what happened in Harris County happened in Fort Bend, too. Across the state, the “blue wave” that had long been a dream of the Democratic Party faithful failed to materialize in Tuesday’s midterm elections, with Republicans … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Emmett’s farewell

Posted on November 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I wish him the best with whatever comes next. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett on Tuesday did not rule out returning to public service after he gives up the gavel in January, but made clear he first would return to … Continue reading →

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There better be a bail lawsuit settlement

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, duh. The Democratic sweep of Harris County leadership posts in the midterm election could prompt a settlement in the protracted legal dispute over how judges handle bail for poor people arrested for petty offenses, according to statements made … Continue reading →

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Hidalgo gets started

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

If you weren’t paying attention to County Judge-elect Lina Hidalgo before, you are now. Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, the lone Democrat currently on the court, said Hidalgo is a quick study who will settle into the role quickly. “She’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Trautman talks new voting machines

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

As is usually the case, finding the funding will be the key. The newly elected Harris County clerk plans to phase out the county’s eSlate voting machines, which have occasionally caused problems for voters. Diane Trautman, who beat the incumbent … Continue reading →

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Initial reactions: Harris County

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s start with the obvious. Harris County Democrats rode a surge in voter turnout to a decisive victory on Tuesday, unseating several countywide Republican officials, including longtime County Judge Ed Emmett, and sweeping all 59 judicial races. Emmett, who courted … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Metro’s post-Culberson future

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

You might not be aware of this, but famously anti-Metro Congressman John Culberson lost his bid for re-election on Tuesday. What might that mean for Metro? In one of the more stunning defeats of incumbent Republicans on Tuesday night, Lizzie … Continue reading →

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Omnibus election report

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s after midnight, I’ve mostly posted stuff on my long-dormant Twitter account (@kuff), and I will have many, many thoughts in the coming days. For now, a brief recap. – As you know, neither Beto nor any other Dem won … Continue reading →

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Harris County makes its robot brothel ban official

Posted on October 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We can all sleep more soundly now. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday unanimously adopted new rules to prevent so-called “robot brothels” from opening and more strictly regulate sexually oriented businesses in unincorporated areas. The county already had been revising … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: County time

Posted on October 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron circles back to the county races they didn’t get to the first time around, and for reasons I cannot fathom, they still love them some Orlando Sanchez. The race for Harris County treasurer always seems to raise the … Continue reading →

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Harris County to follow suit on robot brothels

Posted on October 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

If it’s good for Houston, or not good for Houston, I suppose… Harris County commissioners are prepared to ban so-called robot brothels, just as Houston did last week. Harris County already bans live sex acts at any place of business. … Continue reading →

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Interview with Adrian Garcia

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We finish our tour of Harris County candidates with one of the most successful Democrats in county politics, Adrian Garcia. You know his story, from HPD to Houston City Council to being the top votegetter in the county in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Who’s ready for a new flood plain map?

Posted on October 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s coming, but don’t hold your breath waiting for it. More than a year after Hurricane Harvey showed the Houston area’s floodplain maps were outdated and inaccurate, Harris County is prepared to begin the years-long process of drawing new maps. … Continue reading →

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Dallas County gets the Harris County treatment in its bail lawsuit

Posted on September 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We have a precedent, even if everything is still a work in progress. Taking a cue from the rulings on Harris County’s bail-setting practices, a U.S. district judge in Dallas issued a temporary order Thursday evening saying the county’s post-arrest … Continue reading →

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You know, there is a cheaper way to do this

Posted on September 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Why are we still outsourcing inmates? County commissioners next week will consider a proposal to outsource inmates to the Fort Bend County Jail, which would allow Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez to slow — but not stop — the flow … Continue reading →

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