Tag Archives: Annise Parker

City asks Metro for Harrisburg underpass

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: Houston Mayor and METRO Seek Common Ground on East End Line Resolution of Harrisburg/Hughes Streets Over/Under Question Becomes a Milestone The city of Houston has concluded there is “strong sentiment” within the East End community for an … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Those darned propositions

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Houston voters can be forgiven if they feel a bit confused. They voted down red-light cameras, but the cameras are on. They may have heard the mayor say that voting for a … Continue reading →

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

We’re #9!

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The ninth greenest metro area, at least in terms of “green” jobs, according to a Brookings study. Houston’s “clean” or “green” economy is ranked 9th among the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas, according to a new report from the Brookings … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on We’re #9!

DA gets Jones case

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

What sound does a hot potato make when it gets passed to someone else? The Harris County District Attorney has been asked to review for possible criminal prosecution allegations that Councilwoman Jolanda Jones used city resources to support her private … Continue reading →

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

Finance reports and the Mayor’s race

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Finance report updates: David Robinson has filed his corrected report, which includes the $53,095.57 cash on hand total that was omitted in the original. There were no other changes made. Mayoral candidate Kevin Simms has now filed his report. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The anti-gay stuff has already started

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

For the most part, we didn’t see any nasty homophobia in the 2009 Mayoral election until the runoff, at which point it oozed out from several locations. This time around, the gay bashers aren’t wasting any time. First, usual suspect … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

More campaign finance reports for July

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Following up on the earlier post, here are some more highlights from the July campaign finance reports for City of Houston elections. All reports can be found on my 2011 Election page. – Since I dinged Al Hoang for not … Continue reading →

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

The long-term recycling deal

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I noticed this when it was posted last week but didn’t give it much thought at the time. There’s a 20-year no-bid contract on today’s City Council agenda. That’s legal because it’s an amendment to an existing contract, not a … Continue reading →

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

No appeal for now of red light camera ruling

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The city will have to wait until the remaining issues in the red light camera lawsuit are resolved before it can appeal the judge’s ruling. A federal judge ruled Friday that the city of Houston may not appeal his ruling … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

More on the red light camera return

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story about the reinstatement of the red light cameras. A couple of points that need to be made: Wednesday’s announcement provoked the full fury of Paul Kubosh, a lawyer who helped lead the petition drive to get … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Red light cameras to be turned back on

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

For now, at least. The city of Houston will turn its red-light cameras back on today, Mayor Annise Parker announced after this morning’s City Council meeting. According to a statement from the mayor’s office, tickets will be issued after a … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 27 Comments

City passes its budget

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It wasn’t much different than the Mayor’s original proposal. The overall spending plan totals $4 billion, including $1.8 billion from the tax- and fee-supported general fund. The remaining $2.2 billion involves the city’s enterprise funds, such as the airport and … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on City passes its budget

Response from the city on the red light camera ruling

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Previously, I wrote that I had asked the city about the possibility of appealing the ruling in the red light camera lawsuit. I received the following response from the Mayor’s office yesterday: This was what’s known as an interlocutory order … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

ATS wants a decision on the cameras

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is just a mess. An Arizona firm says if City Hall agrees, it can turn Houston’s contentious red-light camera system back on by Aug. 1, eight months after voters rejected the surveillance operation in an election. American Traffic Solutions … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

HFD ratifies deal with city

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It was a close vote, but the deal they reached in March was ratified. Union members passed the contract by a 1,560 to 1,391 vote. The deal saves 236 firefighters from layoffs in 2012, but concessions include a two-year pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HFD ratifies deal with city

More on the red light camera ruling

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I said before that what happens next with the red light camera ruling is a political decision. Here’s how that’s shaping up. City Attorney Dave Feldman said Friday’s ruling will force the city to choose from canceling the contract with … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Hoang’s turn before the OIG

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We have another Council member under the looking glass. Councilman Al Hoang is the subject of a city Office of Inspector General investigation over allegations that he submitted fraudulent signatures to the city in a petition to change the name … Continue reading →

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

Judge rules red light camera referendum was invalid

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Boom. A Houston federal judge today invalidated last November’s referendum that ended the red-light camera program, a ruling that has sent city leaders back to square one. U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes ruled the city can not reverse an ordinance … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

CM Hoang accused of forging names on petition signatures

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is just bizarre. In the heart of Asia Town in southwest Houston, some homeowners in the Turtlewood Square subdivision say they’ve been robbed. They were not robbed of their belongings, but rather their good names. “Definitely homeowners [are] scared, … Continue reading →

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

Jones and Sullivan name their delegates

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, CM Jolanda Jones gets to pick a fellow Council member to represent her in the meeting on Monday to determine if any formal action will be taken against her. Yesterday, she picked CM Brad Bradford to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Jones and Sullivan name their delegates

New drainage fee structure announced

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Mayor’s office. Mayor Annise Parker today instructed the director of the Houston Department of Public Works and Engineering to adjust drainage fees for every property owner required to pay the fee. The adjustment will be accomplished by reducing … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on New drainage fee structure announced

CM Jones speaks about the OIG report

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

She didn’t say much, however. Councilwoman Jolanda Jones said Monday she believes she “will have acted within the acceptable standards of conduct” once all the facts are out concerning an Office of Inspector General investigation that found she used city … Continue reading →

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

East End community meeting to consider Harrisburg grade separation

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: East End community meeting to consider Harrisburg grade separation Wednesday, June 15 Union Pacific’s East Belt rail subdivision is one of the busiest in the city, carrying more than 30 freight trains a day through Houston’s East … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sullivan files complaint against Jones

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And the process gets started. A day after declaring he would not do so, Houston City Councilman Mike Sullivan filed a complaint against Councilwoman Jolanda Jones, seeking possible discipline following the release of an Office of Inspector General report that … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Empty Lot Primary

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is an awesome idea. A political consultant is launching a Web site aimed shaming political candidates into limiting the posting of signs to addresses where the residents actually endorse their candidacies. Greg Wythe’s emptylotprimary.tumblr.com invites people to submit photos of campaign signs … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Empty Lot Primary

Eight, not five

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker says that initial estimates of how much the average homeowner would pay for the new drainage fee were understated. Mayor Annise Parker acknowledged Tuesday that her administration erred in telling voters that the average homeowner’s monthly Proposition 1 … Continue reading →

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

You may say to yourself “Well, how did I get here?”

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

What’s missing from this story? The city of Houston’s budget crisis that has resulted in 747 employees getting pink slips last month and likely will close pools and community centers did not happen overnight. It has been brewing for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on You may say to yourself “Well, how did I get here?”

Council approves deal to spin off Convention Center

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Houston First, which merges the city’s Convention and Entertainment Facilities Department and the Houston Convention Center Hotel Corporation, which runs the Hilton Americas. The corporation will not have to come to the council to get expenses approved. The unionized … Continue reading →

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

The Mayor and the firefighters

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Despite the tone of this, I wouldn’t make too much of it. While looking for tens of millions of dollars through a combination of cuts, deferrals, savings and fee hikes, Mayor Annise Parker repeatedly has identified the Houston Fire Department … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Mayor and the firefighters

More on that Rebuild Houston push poll

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Remember that push poll on Rebuild Houston? The results are out and they’re pretty much what you’d expect. A state district judge could decide this week whether to hold a trial on the validity of November’s election in which voters … Continue reading →

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

The city’s 2012 budget

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Cuts, deferred payments, and more cuts. Mayor Annise Parker, facing what she described as the toughest fiscal environment in more than 20 years, on Thursday proposed a $1.8 billion budget that calls for laying off 747 employees, closing pools and … Continue reading →

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

Firefighters avoid layoffs

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The city and the firefighters’ union reach an agreement on the deadline for sending layoff notices to cut HFD’s budget by $17.7 million but not require any layoffs. The agreement’s components include program cuts and fees for services that are … Continue reading →

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

More city layoffs

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

How high will it get? More than 600 city employees have received layoff notices this month as the city sheds payroll in a budget crisis. The count is mounting daily as city leaders orchestrate a department-by-department approach to telling their … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More city layoffs

Apparently we do have an opponent for the Mayor

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Deputy Fire Chief Fernando Herrera, who had previously said he was 95% sure he wasn’t running for Mayor, has now decided that he will in fact run for Mayor. Houston Fire Department Deputy Chief Fernando Herrera plans to formally announce … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments