Tag Archives: Houston City Council

May 5 election results

Posted on May 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Martha Castex-Tatum is your winner of the District K special election. She dominated in Harris County with over 65% of the vote, and while she finished below fifty percent in Fort Bend County, she had more than enough votes to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Today is May Election Day

Posted on May 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Saturday, May 5, 2018 is Election Day for voters in Houston Council Member District K. Voters will determine who will fill the vacancy in the southwest Council District. Polling locations will be open from 7 am to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Today is May Election Day

Firefighters have their signatures

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

On to the next act in this drama. A petition Houston firefighters submitted last summer seeking pay parity with police contains enough valid signatures to trigger a referendum election, City Secretary Anna Russell reported to Mayor Sylvester Turner and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 35 Comments

Early voting ends for May 5 elections

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Go vote Saturday if you haven’t voted yet. Voters across southwest Houston will head to the polls Saturday to vote on a replacement for late District K Houston City Councilman Larry Green who died unexpectedly from a drug overdose in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Early voting ends for May 5 elections

Early voting for the May 5 elections begins today

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: EARLY VOTING BEGINS FOR HOUSTON COUNCIL DISTRICT K  Local jurisdictions, including schools, emergency, and utility districts, also holding May 5 Elections Houston, TX –Early Voting for the May 5, 2018 City of Houston Council Member District K Special Election begins Monday, April … Continue reading →

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

Endorsement watch: District K special election

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes its choice in the District K special election. Larry Blackmon, 68, has spent decades serving on various boards and advisory committees under the leadership of three Houston mayors. Martha Castex-Tatum, 48, is the director of constituent services … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Aisha Savoy

Posted on April 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, I have published a series of interviews with candidates in the special election for Houston City Council District K, to fill the vacancy left by the untimely death of CM Larry Green. As you also know, sometimes … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Pat Frazier

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We wrap up our interview series in District K with Pat Frazier, who is the one person in this race that has run for this seat before, back in 2011. Frazier is an educator and community activist with a long … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Pat Frazier

Interview with Elisabeth Johnson

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Elisabeth Johnson has a long background in politics and community activism, having worked on the Bill White for Governor campaign in 2010 as a field organizer in Dallas and with the Texas Organizing Project and Working America to help pass … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Larry Blackmon

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We return now to the interviews for the special election in District K. Most of the nine candidates in this race are first-timers, but two are not. Larry Blackmon is one of those two, having run in the open At … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Interview with Martha Castex-Tatum

Posted on April 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We continue on with interviews in the District K special election, to succeed the late Council Member Larry Green. Today we have Martha Castex-Tatum, who has served in CM Green’s office as the Director of Constituent Services since 2015. She … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Lawrence McGaffie

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We continue with interviews in the special election for District K to succeed the late CM Larry Green. Today I am talking with Lawrence McGaffie, an ordained minister and Army veteran who is the founder of the Inspire the Lead, … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Anthony Freddie

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the special election to succeed the late Council Member Larry Green in District K is on May 5. Early voting for this election begins April 23, which is to say two weeks from now. In those two … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Council approves new floodplain regulations

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve been waiting for this. Starting this fall, all new homes built in Houston’s floodplains must be elevated higher off the ground after a contentious debate and narrow vote by City Council on Wednesday to adopt the Bayou City’s first … Continue reading →

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

The field is set in District K

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the District K special election webpage, and now that the filing deadline has passed and the list of candidates has been updated, here are your contenders for this seat: Candidate Contact Information in alphabetical order Larry Blackmon | 6167 Ludington, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

District K special election update

Posted on March 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From Durrel Douglas: In a late night Facebook Live video, prominent Houston activist Ashton P. Woods bowed out of the race to replace former City Councilman Larry Green who passed unexpectedly in early March. Woods says he will back a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

January 2018 finance reports: City of Houston

Posted on March 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We didn’t have any city of Houston elections in 2017, and while we ought to have some charter amendments on the ballot in 2018 we won’t be voting for people till next year. Still, everyone has to file campaign finance … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on January 2018 finance reports: City of Houston

What are the elections of interest this May?

Posted on March 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That’s a question I’m asking as well as one I’m trying to answer. Normally, there are no elections in May of any kind of year for Houston folks, though there are some for parts of Harris County and surrounding areas. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Special election set for District K

Posted on March 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Mark your calendars. Voters in southwest Houston will select a replacement for the late City Councilman Larry Green in a May 5 special election, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Wednesday. Green, who was found dead at his home Tuesday morning, remains … Continue reading →

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

RIP, CM Larry Green

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Very sad news. Houston City Councilman Larry Green was found dead at his home late Tuesday morning, prompting an outpouring of sadness from City Hall to the southwest Houston district he represented for more than six years. The cause of … Continue reading →

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

The latest report on city finances

Posted on February 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

A little light reading for you. Even after Mayor Sylvester Turner’s landmark pension reforms, the city of Houston is on pace to spend $1 billion more than it will take in over the coming decade, and must cut spending and … Continue reading →

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

SaberCats Stadium

Posted on February 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Houston’s new pro rugby team will soon have a home. The city’s burgeoning rugby community is poised to have a new home after City Council inked a $3.2 million deal Wednesday that paves the way for the Houston SaberCats to … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Mayor proposes new floodplain development rules

Posted on January 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good idea. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday proposed tightening development rules to strengthen Houston’s defenses against flooding, the city’s first concrete step to change building practices since Hurricane Harvey inundated hundreds of thousands of homes last August. Turner’s proposed changes … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council approves new recycling deal

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Huzzah! Houston residents are set to have their used glass and plastic bags picked up for recycling at curbside, but not until next year. The 20-year, $37 million agreement City Council approved Wednesday is the product of two years of wrangling over recycling and … Continue reading →

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

And then there were nine

Posted on January 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

One Democratic gubernatorial hopeful is now off the ballot. Demetria Smith, a Democrat who had hoped to challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the 2018 gubernatorial race, has been determined ineligible to run. Smith, who attended a San Angelo forum … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on And then there were nine

Looking ahead to 2019

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, yes, I know. We’ve barely begun the 2018 cycle. Who in their right mind is thinking about 2019? I plead guilty to political insanity, but the beginning of the year is always the best time to look forward, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The elections we may get in 2018

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We know there are going to be a lot of contested elections up and down the ballot in 2018, both primaries and the November general, for state, county, and federal office. There are also at least four possible elections I … Continue reading →

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

Recycling deal held up again

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll take Unexpected Effects of Hurricane Harvey for $200, Alex. A 20-year, $37 million recycling deal for Houston is in limbo after City Controller Chris Brown said his office was not prepared to sign off on the proposal, citing concerns … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Recycling deal held up again

RIP, Peter Brown

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A dedicated public servant and a heck of a nice guy. Former Houston city councilman, mayoral candidate and civic leader Peter Brown has died, his family said Tuesday. Brown, an architect and urban planner, was 81. “A loving father, committed … Continue reading →

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

Is this development really necessary?

Posted on November 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, the optics of this sure are lousy. The Houston City Council has indefinitely postponed a proposal to build hundreds of homes in a west Houston floodplain amid questions about whether city leaders’ actions would match their rhetoric about mitigating … Continue reading →

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

City buys out some flooded homes

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Expect to see more of this. Houston City Council on Wednesday approved funding nearly 60 home buyouts across three flood-prone neighborhoods, the first such step from City Hall in recent memory. The city typically leaves buyouts to the Harris County … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on City buys out some flooded homes

Chron overview of the HISD races

Posted on October 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not much, but it is what it is. As Houston ISD faces a possible state takeover, a $106 million budget shortfall and millions of dollars in needed repairs from Hurricane Harvey, six of its board’s nine seats are up … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council passes dumb forced tax cut

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is where we are. City Council rejected Mayor Sylvester Turner’s proposal to leave Houston’s tax rate unchanged from last year Wednesday, instead approving a tiny rate cut to comply with the voter-imposed cap on property tax revenues. Turner had … Continue reading →

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

Another property tax rate dustup

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this: Mayor Sylvester Turner plans to ask city council on Wednesday to sidestep the voter-imposed revenue cap by approving the same property tax rate as last year. According to City Controller Chris Brown, … Continue reading →

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