Tag Archives: Houston

Chron overview of Controller’s race

Posted on October 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s an interesting race. On paper, City Controller Ron Green would appear to have been ripe for a bevy of challengers in November. The city’s elected financial watchdog owes tens of thousands of dollars to the IRS, was criticized for … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For Calvert

Posted on October 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron’s second endorsement on Friday, and what should be their last for the regular election, was for Rogene Calvert in At Large #3. Experience is valuable on Houston City Council. Council members often spend their first two-year term learning … Continue reading →

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Demagnetized

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Some unhappy changes are about to occur at Houston schools. HISD officials unveiled a plan Thursday to cut funding and end bus rides next year for transfer students at 20 struggling magnet schools, tackling a politically tough topic that has … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For Christie

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses freshman CM Jack Christie in At Large #5. At-Large council members act as a sort of minister without portfolio. While district council members focus on constituent issues, at-large members can set their own agendas. The previous incumbent … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of At Large #2

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron looks at one of the most competitive races involving an incumbent on the ballot this year. A minister, architect and city accountant are vying to unseat Councilman Andrew C. Burks Jr. from the Position 2 at-large seat on … Continue reading →

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Where things stand going into early voting

Posted on October 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A few impressions of the state of the races as we head into early voting. Mayor – The thing that I will be looking for as initial results get posted at 7 PM on November 5 is how the gaggle … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Brad and Graci

Posted on October 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Another endorsement twofer from the Chron, this time an incumbent and an open seat. First up, the Chron endorses CM Brad Bradford for a third term. The duties of an at-large council member are not as specific as those of … Continue reading →

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Interview with Lana Edwards

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, District D is a very big field with twelve candidates running to succeed CM Wanda Adams. I published interviews with five of the candidates a few weeks ago. I don’t always reach out to all candidates in … Continue reading →

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Chron profiles the Mayor

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Sunday Chron has an expansive profile of Mayor Parker. In a system where term limits cap elected officials at six years, City Hall veterans joke that new council members spend their first year finding the bathrooms and their sixth … Continue reading →

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Interview with Ben Hall

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

In the era of term limits, we usually only get contested Mayoral races in the open years. Lee Brown faced a strong challenge from Orlando Sanchez and Chris Bell in 2001, prevailing in a runoff. Many people expected Mayor Parker … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of At Large #3

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron’s look at the At Large #3 race. Citywide races demand more money and name recognition for candidates to be successful, unlike district seats where neighborhood familiarity can matter more. Perhaps the candidate with the best mix of … Continue reading →

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Bag ban update

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Having survived legislative meddling, bag bans are back on the agenda in Texas cities. Six months after Austin’s ban on most disposable plastic and paper bags took effect at checkout counters across the city, political fights are raging in Laredo and Dallas … Continue reading →

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Interview with Mayor Annise Parker

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Early voting for the 2013 elections begins next week, and so my interviews for this election season are coming to an end. I will have two interviews with HCC Trustee candidates next week, plus a little bit more, and that … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of District D

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron tries to wrap its arms around the District D race, talking to all 12 candidates. Since I have interviewed six of them – an interview with Lana Edwards will run on Wednesday – I will just quote from … Continue reading →

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Complete Streets coming

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is good to see. Houston, long ruled by the automobile, will give more consideration to the needs of pedestrians and cyclists in designing its streets and neighborhoods. Mayor Annise Parker on Thursday said she is drafting, with public works … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of District B

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

CM Jerry Davis has three opponents in his first re-election. Since I’ve interviewed CM Davis and one opponent, Kathy Blueford Daniels, here’s what the article says about the other two hopefuls. Each candidate claims to have the best vision and … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For the Mayor

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Mayor Parker for a third term. During Annise Parker’s first term, Houston was stuck in a drought. The global economy was in an economic downturn. And City Hall had to prune a budget suffering from wilting revenues. … Continue reading →

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HISD board approves 3-cent tax increase

Posted on October 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It was a close vote. Property owners in the Houston Independent School District will see their tax bills rise after trustees Thursday narrowly approved the first tax rate increase for operations in a dozen years. The board voted 4-3 to … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Twofer number two

Posted on October 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Another pair of endorsements from the Chron, again one obvious and one that required more thought. First, the easy one. Centered along the Westpark Tollway toward the city’s far west edges, District F is Houston’s international district. When people from … Continue reading →

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Can we get a charter review?

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Council Member C.O. Bradford and HCC Trustee Carroll Robinson would like one. Houston needs a Charter Review Commission to review, update and propose recommendations to the voters to modernize our charter, the structure and operations of city government, with specific … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Our first twofer

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has two endorsements today, one that was easy and one that was likely more challenging. First, the easy one. In four years as an at-large city councilman, Stephen Costello has gradually become a “go to” guy on two … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Pennington

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses CM Oliver Pennington for a third term. For the past four years, District G has been ably represented by attorney Oliver Pennington. We recommend a vote for Pennington to continue his service at city hall. Pennington, a … Continue reading →

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30 Day fundraising reports are coming in

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

For the Mayor’s race at least, they’re a lot like the July reports. Even as top mayoral challenger Ben Hall ramped up his campaign in recent months, launching several television ads, Mayor Annise Parker continued to outpace him in fundraising, … Continue reading →

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Next wave of recycling bins approved

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From last week: City Council on Wednesday OK’d funding to complete efforts to double the number of 96-gallon green recycling bins parked at city curbs, but it is unclear which 70,000 homes will be next to receive the service. […] … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Jerry Davis

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Jerry Davis in District B. In his first term in office, council member Jerry Davis launched a pilot project to deploy surveillance cameras to catch illegal dumpers. He and his staff personally went into neighborhoods to mow … Continue reading →

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Interview with Bill Frazer

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

City Controllers have generally had it easy in re-election efforts. No sitting City Controller has had an opponent since Sylvia Garcia knocked off Lloyd Kelley in 1997. Until now, that is, as Bill Frazer filed to oppose Controller Ronald Green. … Continue reading →

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Hall’s tax troubles, again

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This isn’t new news, but it’s getting a lot more play now. Top mayoral challenger Ben Hall agreed to pay the IRS more than $680,000 in back taxes and penalties earlier this year, court documents show. On Jan. 16, less … Continue reading →

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Interview with City Controller Ronald Green

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We move now from the Houston City Council races to the executive offices, beginning with two-term City Controller Ronald Green. Like his predecessor in the office, Mayor Annise Parker, Green served three terms as an At Large City Council member … Continue reading →

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Ike floodgate update

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Call it Ike Dike 2.0 if you want. Five years after Hurricane Ike devastated the upper Texas coast, a group of Houston scientists presented details Tuesday about a proposed gate to protect the Houston Ship Channel and much of the … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: A change for Controller

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Bill Frazer to be Houston Controller. At a time of looming pension obligations, we need someone who isn’t there to make friends, but to make sure that our house is in order. Bill Frazer is the man … Continue reading →

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Have you gotten your text from the Ben Hall campaign?

Posted on October 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Ben Hall campaign sent out this press release on Tuesday: The Ben Hall for Mayor campaign has launched a new initiative to reach Houston voters and communicate with them on a platform where they already spend a lot of … Continue reading →

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On affordable housing in Houston

Posted on October 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. More Houstonians are spending a higher percentage of their incomes on housing, a new study from Rice University’s Shell Center for Sustainability shows. The report’s key finding revealed that half of Houston’s City Council districts do not meet the … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Robinson in D

Posted on October 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes a somewhat surprising choice in District D. An open seat in Houston City Council District D has drawn an even dozen aspirants to succeed the term-limited Wanda Adams. In both quality and number, this field speaks well … Continue reading →

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Interview with Wanda Adams

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, longtime District IX Trustee Larry Marshall decided not to run for re-election this year. Three candidates are running to succeed him, one of whom is term-limited City Council Member Wanda Adams. Adams is serving her third term … Continue reading →

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