Tag Archives: Houston City Council

There will be no city elections this November

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the early version of the story. I’ll add a link to the full story in the morning. The Texas Supreme Court on Monday denied plantiffs’ attempts to expedite their case challenging the [2015 term limits referendum] ballot language that … Continue reading →

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Rebidding reycling

Posted on July 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Do-over! Pummeled by procurement concerns on a 20-year curbside recycling contract, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Friday he will seek a new round of proposals from the four final bidders. Turner had met with small groups of City Council members Thursday … Continue reading →

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Recycling deal gets a rough reception at Council

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Feisty. Houston City Council members blasted a proposed 20-year recycling deal Tuesday, questioning the $48 million price tag, the process by which the winning bidder was chosen and Turner administration officials’ reluctance to share information about the deal. The proposal … Continue reading →

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More on the firefighters’ pay parity proposal

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s that full Chron story I mentioned yesterday: Houston firefighters delivered over 32,000 signatures to City Hall on Monday in support of asking voters in November to mandate parity in pay between firefighter and police officer ranks, a maneuver that … Continue reading →

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Firefighters turn in their petitions

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them, but boy is this thing a train wreck. Houston firefighters delivered over 32,000 signatures to City Hall Monday in support of putting a ballot initiative on the November election mandating parity in pay between firefighter and police-officer … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Here come the LGBT candidates

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Keep your eyes on these folks. At least four Houstonians are among the numerous LGBTQ Texans eyeing campaigns in 2018 and 2019. One of the Houston candidates has formally announced, and three others are strongly considering runs. “People are fed … Continue reading →

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Firefighters petition for a raise

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Houston firefighters are launching a campaign to place on item on the November ballot asking voters to mandate parity in pay between corresponding firefighter and police-officer ranks. The petition drive to amend the city charter, slated to launch Saturday … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

Mayor will take revenue cap referendum off the 2017 ballot

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not gonna lie, I’m disappointed by this. Mayor Sylvester Turner abruptly reversed course Wednesday on his plan to ask voters to repeal Houston’s revenue cap this fall, saying it now is “unlikely” he will ask for its removal. The politically … Continue reading →

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Mayor introduces new recycling deal

Posted on July 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There’s some stuff to like in this, and there are also questions to be answered. The city would send all 65,000 tons of bottles, cans and boxes its citizens recycle each year to a new processing facility to be built … Continue reading →

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Firefighters sue city over contract negotiations

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

These are busy days for the HPFFA. Houston’s fire union sued the city Wednesday alleging Mayor Sylvester Turner’s administration failed to act in good faith during contract negotiations, exacerbating tensions between firefighters and City Hall. The lawsuit filed in state … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Smarter streets

Posted on June 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They’re coming soon to Houston. Houston City Council on Wednesday will consider a $33.6 million contract – partially funded by a $10 million federal grant – to add hundreds of traffic-tracking devices across the city so officials can receive better … Continue reading →

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Houston officially gets in the SB4 litigation business

Posted on June 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well done. Houston City Council voted Wednesday to sue the state over its new “sanctuary cities” law, joining Texas’ three other largest cities in challenging the controversial measure. Council voted 10-6 to join San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, El Paso County … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

When might the Supreme Court speak on the Houston term limits lawsuit?

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So as you know there is an ongoing lawsuit over the language used in the 2015 referendum that altered the city’s term limits ordinance. It was filed shortly after the election, with the city winning the first round in district … Continue reading →

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Public testimony on SB4

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It was heated, as you might expect. Scores of residents urged City Council on Tuesday to challenge the state’s “sanctuary cities” ban, speaking during more than five hours of public testimony on the eve of council’s vote on whether to … Continue reading →

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Council may vote on joining SB4 litigation tomorrow

Posted on June 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It will happen, though perhaps not tomorrow. Houston City Council is poised to vote [this] Wednesday on whether to join litigation challenging the constitutionality of Texas’ new “sanctuary cities” law, days before the case’s preliminary hearing in San Antonio. The … Continue reading →

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Houston will get involved in the SB4 fight later this month

Posted on June 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Very good to hear. Mayor Sylvester Turner plans to ask City Council to vote this month on joining lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of Texas’ new “sanctuary cities” law, ending months of equivocation on the controversial immigration enforcement measure. If City … Continue reading →

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Do we really have to have a pension bond vote?

Posted on June 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So as we know, the Houston pension reform bill that passed contains a provision that requires a vote on the pension obligation bonds that Mayor Turner intends to float as a down payment. Pension obligation bonds have been floated in … Continue reading →

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Council passes the 2017-18 budget

Posted on June 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

With a bit of drama along the way. City Council voted to boost funding for a controversial program that helps district council members tackle neighborhood projects Wednesday, even as it approved an annual budget from which one police cadet class … Continue reading →

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The new panhandling ordinance

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This happened last week; I didn’t have a chance to really look at it before now. Residents who impede the use of a Houston roadway, or block a sidewalk or building entrance could be charged with a misdemeanor under an … Continue reading →

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Bike plan finally gets approved

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Long time coming. Houston has a bike plan. Though there’s no clear plan to pay for it and ongoing concerns with exactly where the planned trails and lanes will be located, City Council approved the bike plan on Wednesday morning. … Continue reading →

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Bike plan vote delayed

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

What’s another two weeks? Houston’s long-term plan for improving bicycle routes around town will wait a couple more weeks after a handful of elected officials voiced various concerns. City Council members Greg Travis, Michael Kubosh, Steve Le, Mike Knox and … Continue reading →

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January 2017 campaign finance reports: Houston officeholders

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Normally, at this time I would be scanning through Houston candidate campaign finance reports, to see where incumbents stand at the start of the season. Of course, barring near-term court action there is no season for Houston municipal officeholders this … Continue reading →

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ReBuild re-vote?

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It could come to that, but it’s not clear to me that it has to. The funding scheme for ReBuild Houston, the city’s street and drainage repair initiative, remains in limbo after a state appeals court agreed Thursday that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A look ahead to Houston’s 2017 elections

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I want to return to something in that story about Mayor Turner’s 2017 agenda, which was near the bottom but which is a very big deal for the coming year: A lawsuit over the ballot language used last year to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Council approves Uber deal

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I’d forgotten about this. Uber will remain operating in Houston at least through the Super Bowl, after City Council approved changes to the city’s paid ride rules ironed out between the popular ride-hailing service and Mayor Sylvester Turner. Council members, … Continue reading →

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Next B-Cycle expansion approved

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Expansion of Houston’s bike sharing system is pretty much in high gear after City Council on Wednesday signed off on a $4.1 million plan to roughly triple the number of bikes and kiosks. With the agreement in place, local … Continue reading →

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Acevedo and Pena confirmed by Council

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

They’re officially official now. City Council unanimously confirmed Art Acevedo and Samuel Peña as Houston’s new police and fire chiefs Wednesday, clearing the way for the mayoral appointees to take office. Acevedo, Austin’s former police chief, is poised to take … Continue reading →

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Time once again to discuss Latino political participation

Posted on December 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s jump right in. The long wait continues for Houston and Harris County residents eager for a steep uptick in elected Latino representation. Hispanic residents last year were 42 percent of the county population, up from 23 percent in 1990, … Continue reading →

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Smoke-free Houston, ten years later

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: It’s been 50 years since the release of the Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health and the harmful consequences from the use of tobacco. 2016 marks the 10th year of the adoption of Ordinance No. 2006-1054 … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Council ratifies Turner’s pension plan

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: On a 16-1 vote, Houston City Council has endorsed Mayor Sylvester Turner’s historic package of pension reforms. The vote clears the way for the City to move forward in partnership with the pension systems to seek legislative … Continue reading →

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Pension deal approved by firefighters

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a big deal, though it’s hardly a done deal yet. For the first time ever, the Houston firefighters’ pension board agreed Monday to accept benefit cuts for current workers and retirees, potentially paving the way for a solution to … Continue reading →

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Council approves city cab-hailing app development

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Here it comes. Houston residents soon will be able to hail a city cab via smartphone app, after City Council signed off on a plan Wednesday to consolidate dispatching in a single program. The Arro app, already operating in New … Continue reading →

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Renaming Dowling Street

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The process has to change before the name can be changed. For years, Third Ward residents have had to roll with the changes in their community, often having to live with decisions made in the corridors of power at City … Continue reading →

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Now let’s take on the revenue cap

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

With the pension issue settled, this can be the next big item on Mayor Turner’s to-do list. Mayor Sylvester Turner plans to ask city voters next fall to do away with a decade-old cap on city revenues, but for now … Continue reading →

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