Tag Archives: Houston City Council

Still seeking a downtown connection for the high speed rail line

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I’m hoping one gets found. Texas Central Partners, the private firm proposing the Houston-to-Dallas line, briefed a city council committee Monday, telling officials they remain on track to break ground in late 2017. “That might slide into early 2018,” said … Continue reading →

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More on the Uber ultimatum

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Initial reaction is not terribly receptive. Ride-hailing giant Uber threatened Wednesday to stop operating in Houston unless city leaders amend local regulations the company said are making it tough for them to recruit drivers. The ultimatum, the latest skirmish in … Continue reading →

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Council approves body camera storage funds

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. City Council voted Wednesday to spend $1 million to buy servers and other equipment to store video collected by city police officers equipped with body cameras. The vote, passed with relatively little fuss following months of sometimes-contentious public debate, … Continue reading →

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Kill that trash subsidy

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Works for me. Mayor Sylvester Turner, working to close a $160 million budget deficit, has proposed scrapping payments that scores of Houston neighborhoods served by private trash haulers receive to help offset the cost of their waste contracts. The idea … Continue reading →

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On drainage and flooding

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Two items of interest from Gray Matters, both on the subject of the week. First, from Cynthia Hand Neely and Ed Browne of Residents Against Flooding: Man-made, preventable flooding has surged dirty, sewage-ridden water through Houston living rooms three times … Continue reading →

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Fundraising for the next city election cycle has begun

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Whether you realized it or not. Last year’s court ruling undoing Houston’s fundraising ban during non-election seasons means that the city’s contribution cycles reset immediately after last year’s general and runoff elections, according to the city, instead of in early … Continue reading →

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Have I mentioned lately that the revenue cap is stupid public policy?

Posted on April 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Because it is. Sales taxes are Houston’s second-largest source of revenue for the general fund, which pays for most core services. Just as concerning for city officials, however, was more news about the city’s largest general fund revenue source: property … Continue reading →

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Mayor Turner releases transition team report

Posted on April 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, a glimpse of what to expect in the near to medium future from Mayor Turner. Mayor Sylvester Turner has released a 17-page report that details the work of his transition team chaired by businessman and long-time civic … Continue reading →

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Recycling officially re-upped

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

That new recycling agreement with Waste Management was on Council’s agenda yesterday. Here’s a reminder of what it was about. Originally, Houston was to ink a four-year deal with Waste Management, paying a $95-per-ton processing fee, a nearly 50 percent … Continue reading →

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More speed bumps coming

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Like ’em or not. Houston officials are speeding up the process of slowing down residential street traffic. A laborious process to improve traffic and safety by installing traffic calming devices such as speed humps is radically streamlined in a new … Continue reading →

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Now what for recycling?

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sure hope there’s a plan. Houston’s curbside recycling program is in limbo after Mayor Sylvester Turner and City Council rejected a new contract with Waste Management on Wednesday, prompting concern among residents and environmental activists about a potential lapse in … Continue reading →

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Recycling contract impasse

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Uh, oh. The city of Houston’s curbside recycling program could be put on hold after negotiations between Waste Management and Mayor Sylvester Turner’s office reached an apparent impasse over a new contract Tuesday. Though Turner said he remains committed to … Continue reading →

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RIP, One Bin For All

Posted on February 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It had a good run, but at the very least the timing was all wrong. The One Bin For All program would let Houstonians throw all trash in the same bin, to be separated for recycling later. The hope was … Continue reading →

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It’s hard out here on a recycler, part 4

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It was a bad year last year. Recycling continues to hurt Waste Management’s bottom line, as low oil prices and low commodity prices have made that a challenging business for at least the past year. The Houston company on Thursday … Continue reading →

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Questioning CM Le’s residency

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This sort of thing is practically a tradition in District F. Houston City Councilman Steve Le last month became the fourth man to represent District F in the last seven years, and the third to face questions over whether he … Continue reading →

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Layoffs are coming

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s gonna suck, though hopefully not as hard as last time. Mayor Sylvester Turner said Wednesday that a still undetermined number of city employees will be laid off in the coming months, making his first formal acknowledgment that Houston’s projected … Continue reading →

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More questions about body cameras and video accessibility

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Still sorting it all out. Months after statewide body camera legislation took effect and the Houston Police Department outlined its policies regarding the devices, local criminal justice watchdogs worry that some video from high-profile incidents may never see the light … Continue reading →

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HPD Chief McClelland to retire

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Mayor Sylvester Turner today announced that he has accepted the retirement of Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland, effective February 26, 2016. McClelland was sworn in as a police officer in September 1977. He rose through the ranks … Continue reading →

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Resign to run has kicked in for Council members

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Another change that our new term limits law has wrought. Houston elected officials who become a candidate for another elected office are now automatically required to resign their current seat, uncharted territory for city officeholders who previously had not been … Continue reading →

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Selecting a successor for El Franco Lee: Process and questions

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, sent by Carroll Robinson. The Issue During the past few days, there has been a great deal of speculation about the legal process for selecting someone to replace the late Commissioner El Franco Lee on the November … Continue reading →

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Mayor Turner sworn in

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The new era begins. Lauding Houston as a city where, “when you dream big, big things can happen,” Mayor Sylvester Turner delivered his inaugural address Monday morning at a packed Jones Hall downtown. Turner also announced his first policy plan, … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: At Large #5 runoff

Posted on December 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Our last Council runoff review: Dist Christie Moses ====================== A 8,729 3,657 B 3,273 11,539 C 17,743 8,757 D 5,285 13,847 E 16,652 4,324 F 4,108 2,747 G 23,150 4,954 H 4,230 4,405 I 3,716 3,611 J 3,149 1,985 K … Continue reading →

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The incumbents’ advantage

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Is it about to become that much harder to vote incumbent city officials out of office? The already difficult task of ousting incumbent Houston officeholders likely has become even tougher. City elected officials now have an extended runway to accumulate … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: At Large #4 runoff

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here we have the least competitive runoff of the six that were citywide. Dist Edwards Morales ======================= A 6,322 6,153 B 14,660 1,761 C 17,813 10,238 D 18,341 2,882 E 7,688 13,231 F 4,046 3,080 G 11,996 15,203 H 5,610 … Continue reading →

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More HERO public information requests

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The bullying continues. Does President Barack Obama regularly drop a line to Houston City Council members? Probably not, but we could soon find out, thanks to a public records request that opponents of the city’s equal rights ordinance, known as … Continue reading →

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Runoff precinct analysis: At Large #2

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Now for a race that’s both a little easier and a little harder to understand, in At Large #2: Dist Robinson Davis ====================== A 6,193 5,825 B 7,698 7,508 C 18,432 8,938 D 9,941 9,840 E 8,762 11,677 F 3,557 … Continue reading →

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Turner’s Council

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So what kind of City Council will Mayor-elect Sylvester Turner have to work with? In addition to Turner replacing term-limited Mayor Annise Parker, the council also will gain five new faces, four thanks to term limits and one who defeated … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: At Large #1 runoff

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s move on to the At Large races. Here’s how the vote went in At Large #1: Dist Knox Provost ===================== A 8,758 4,042 B 2,518 13,058 C 14,925 12,240 D 3,692 16,877 E 16,406 4,735 F 4,040 2,871 G … Continue reading →

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Is Bill King a sign of a trend?

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Probably not. Doesn’t mean that other candidates like him can’t do well, however. Bill King’s near-upset over Sylvester Turner in the Houston mayoral runoff stoked the hopes of some Republicans that the party soon could break Democrats’ 34-year hold on … Continue reading →

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Other runoff results

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the rest of the winners from yesterday: Controller: Chris Brown At Large #1: Mike Knox At Large #2: CM David Robinson At Large #4: Amanda Edwards At Large #5: CM Jack Christie District F: Steve Le District H: … Continue reading →

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Today is Runoff Day

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Runoff Election Day is Saturday, Dec. 12 for citizens registered to vote within the legal boundaries of the City of Houston and Houston ISD Trustee District II and III. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to … Continue reading →

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Overview of the open Council seat runoffs

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Kind of late in the cycle given the number of lesser known candidates in these races, and not nearly complete, but here it is anyway. In addition to the first open mayor’s race in six years, Houstonians can expect to … Continue reading →

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More candidates for Sheriff

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’re up to four now. Lt. Jeff Stauber confirmed Thursday he is running for Harris County sheriff. “It’s the job that I always wanted. There’s no doubt that I could lead this agency,” Stauber said. Now a lieutenant assigned to … Continue reading →

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Council members complain about open records requests

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, please. Councilmen Michael Kubosh and Dave Martin on Tuesday blasted a records request from a D.C.-based nonprofit to those council members who voted against the Houston equal rights ordinance, known as HERO, last year. The Campaign for Accountability’s request … Continue reading →

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