Tag Archives: Annise Parker

Meet the Houston Regional Forensic Science Center

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker has revealed her vision for an independent regional crime lab. Mayor Annise Parker proposed on Wednesday taking control of the city’s crime lab away from the police department and handing it to an independent seven-member board with expertise … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Non-discrimination ballot referendum coming

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been waiting for this. Activists are preparing a petition to put a referendum on Houston’s November ballot, calling for a ban on discrimination against gays and permission for the city to grant health insurance benefits to the unmarried partners … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Reliant drainage deal?

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Will wonders never cease? There may be a resolution to the spat over whether the county has to pay the city drainage fee imposed on Reliant Park – an annual bill of $353,000. Tuesday’s Commissioners Court agenda includes an item … Continue reading →

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Council agrees to red light camera settlement

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

At long last. City Council approved a payout of at least $4.8 million Wednesday to settle a lawsuit and take down Houston’s controversial red-light cameras, finally ending a legal battle that began after voters banned the devices in a referendum … Continue reading →

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Huts for the homeless?

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I like the sound of this. At-Large Position 5 Councilman Jack Christie used Wednesday’s pop-off to pitch an idea to his colleagues: huts for the homeless. Christie distributed a printout describing small huts built by a group called Mad Housers … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Help me, Long-Range Financial Management Task Force! You’re our only hope!

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Having some Jedi mind tricks available to deal with this probably wouldn’t hurt. About one out of every 11 dollars in this year’s city budget goes to cover pension costs. The $165 million the city plans to send to its … Continue reading →

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

Debt collection is harder than it looks

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Last year around this time, the city announced it was “getting tough on users of its services who have racked up nearly $1 billion in unpaid fines and fees, unveiling an aggressive collection program that is expected to make frequent … Continue reading →

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Matagorda smog

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I feel like there are some pieces missing in this discussion. The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking to add Matagorda County to the list of Texas’ smog violators because Gulf breezes that blow through the area send air pollution toward … Continue reading →

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No action on red light camera settlement yet

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Houston City Council voted to wait two weeks before deciding whether or not to accept the settlement agreement with camera vendor ATS. The City Council on Wednesday delayed approval of a $4.8 million settlement with its red-light camera vendor amid … Continue reading →

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Parker joins other mayors in push for marriage equality

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Good for her. Good for all of them. Houston Mayor Annise Parker seized the vanguard of a drive by 78 mayors Friday to win the equal rights of marriage for gay couples, donning a national leadership role that contrasts sharply … Continue reading →

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January finance reports: City of Houston

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, I know, there are no city of Houston elections this year. (Not yet, anyway.) But the candidates and officeholders have to file reports anyway, covering the period from their last report through the end of the year. That period … Continue reading →

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City reaches settlement with ATS

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still trying to figure out what it means. It will cost the city of Houston at least $4.8 million to get out of its contract for red-light cameras, according to a lawsuit settlement headed to the City Council on … Continue reading →

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The Tour de Houston 2012

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re not into long distance running, perhaps you might like to go on a long bike ride around town? If so, you will be glad to hear that the Tour de Houston is coming back after a year’s absence. … Continue reading →

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

County approves building new forensics lab

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Institute of Forensic Sciences is getting a new home. Commissioners Court on Tuesday gave staff the go-ahead to finalize a land deal with the Texas Medical Center that would give the county 2.79 acres at the northeast corner of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Brown v Rodriguez

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been wondering how new Council Member Helena Brown’s style will play at Council meetings. I didn’t have to wait long to find out. Councilwoman Helena Brown and Councilman James Rodriguez squared off publicly Wednesday in the kind of bare-knuckled … Continue reading →

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More on the crime lab and the city jail

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here we have some more information about Mayor Parker’s plans for the crime lab, though it’s still not really clear where this is going. Parker wants to make the lab independent of HPD and the city, overseen instead by a … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Inauguration Day 2012

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Tuesday was Inauguration Day for Mayor Annise Parker, City Controller Ronald Green, and all 16 members of Houston City Council. Annise D. Parker began her second term as mayor of Houston on Monday with a commitment to bring more jobs … Continue reading →

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Crime lab update

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

One way or another, Mayor Parker says we will have a new crime lab in 2012. After years of scandal, the police department will no longer run Houston’s crime lab, Mayor Annise Parker said Wednesday. The promise is among the … Continue reading →

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Runoff precinct analysis, At Large #5

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the numbers for the At Large #5 runoff between CM-elect Jack Christie and CM Jolanda Jones. As this was a rematch from 2009, I’m putting the 2011 numbers alongside the 2009 numbers, again with the caveat that they’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Adjusting to the new Council

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is kind of a fluff story about the new Council – apparently, having two more seats at the table could cause some problems – but I couldn’t pass this up: “This infusion, effectively of new blood – of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Don’t draw broad conclusions from muddled evidence

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I have a number of issues with the analysis presented in this Chron story about what happened in the runoffs and What It All Means. The results illustrate a continuation of a national trend of anger and frustration toward government … Continue reading →

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Runoff overview: District A

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t remember there being a Chron overview story for the District A regular election, but now that it’s in overtime we get an overview story about the race between CM Brenda Stardig and challenger Helen Brown. Better late than … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Saggy pants

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not much of a candidate forum attender, but I wish I had gone to this one. Half-a-dozen candidates in runoff City Council elections each made his or her case as champion of the downtrodden before a mostly black and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Precinct analysis: The 2011 Mayor’s race

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I finally have a draft canvass of the 2011 Harris County vote. You know what that means. Here’s the breakdown in the Council districts for the Mayor’s race: Dist Simms Ullman Wilson Herrera Parker O’Connor ===================================================== A 4.41% 1.28% 16.31% … Continue reading →

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County will seek legislation to evade drainage fee payment for Reliant

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Harris County Commissioners Court today voted unanimously to instruct the County Attorney and the Legislative Relations office to work with the Texas Legislature to adjust current law to compel the City of Houston to collect and immediately remit … Continue reading →

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More thoughts on the Mayoral election

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I think there are two key things to keep in mind when contemplating Tuesday’s election results in Houston and what they may mean for 2013. First and foremost, I believe you have to see the Mayor’s percentage of the vote, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

2011 Houston results

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s go through the races… – Mayor Parker won with a shade under 51%, with none of her opponents cracking 15% on their own. Obviously, this is not a position a Mayor with no serious opposition wants to be in, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Your annual reminder that every vote matters

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

HISD Trustee, District III results, with 38 of 38 precincts reporting: Manuel Rodriguez 2,401 50.25% Ramiro Fonseca 2,377 49.75% There were 653 undervotes in this race, and turnout in the district was 11.61%. Fonseca carried Election Day by 78 votes, … Continue reading →

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More on the county going after city sales tax revenue

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And on we go. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday will decide whether to seek legislation to capture city of Houston sales taxes generated at county facilities, including Reliant Park. Commissioner Steve Radack floated the idea at the court’s last … Continue reading →

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Eight day finance reports, part II

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Finishing what I started… – Fernando Herrera‘s report appeared on Tuesday. He raised $15,835, spent $27,185, and has $242.87 on hand. There were several expenditures on signs and a couple for “Advertising” that didn’t give me much of a clue … Continue reading →

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Eight day reports, part 1

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The eight day finance reports started getting posted on the city’s campaign finance page yesterday. I’m still working through putting them on my 2011 Election page, but here are a few highlights so far: – Next to Mayor Parker, the … Continue reading →

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On cities and counties

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m really getting tired of all this BS. Smarting from a $353,000 bill for the Reliant complex under the city of Houston’s new drainage fee, Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday discussed seeking legislation to let it keep city sales … Continue reading →

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Kroger gets its 380

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Despite neighborhood opposition, City Council has approved a 380 agreement for the proposed Kroger on Studemont at I-10. District H Councilman Ed Gonzalez, who represents the area around the proposed store and who championed the 380 agreement, insisted the deal … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of the Mayor’s race

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

For the Sunday that is the last day before the start of early voting, the Chron brings us their overview of the Mayor’s race. And a theme we’ve seen expressed once or twice before. Political analysts predict Mayor Annise Parker … Continue reading →

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