Tag Archives: Commissioners Court

Emmett calls for “elections czar”

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett thinks we could use a dedicated elections supervisor. Proponents of an elections czar say an appointee would be insulated from accusations and lawsuits alleging partisanship in carrying out the duties of the office. In late … Continue reading →

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Public defender office gets OK from Commissioners Court

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Harris County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to start a public defender office on an experimental basis, as long as the state covers the $4.4 million cost for the first year. The unanimous vote authorizes the county to apply … Continue reading →

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

Why these term limits?

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

David Mincberg has an op-ed about the city’s term limits law that makes some interesting points but doesn’t quite get at the issue of whether the system we actually have now is the best way to meet the goals of … Continue reading →

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Another step forward for a public defender’s office

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure exactly what this entails, but it’s good to see progress. Harris County plans to launch a limited public defender office in October if it receives a $4.4 million state grant. The office would start with 30 people … Continue reading →

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Some of my best friends are white people

Posted on April 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been trying to figure out this new group for Caucasian Sheriff’s deputies. I’ve had the good fortune to have worked for an organization that takes diversity and inclusiveness seriously. They had a number of employee-created networking groups that were … Continue reading →

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Once again mulling the fate of the Astrodome

Posted on April 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Am I the only one who noticed the omission in this story about the current state of the Astrodome? Debt and interest payments will amount to more than $2.4 million this year, according to a payment schedule for the higher … Continue reading →

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Fixing overtime

Posted on April 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Sunday Chron had a cover story about overtime expenses in the Sheriff’s department. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office spent $32.6 million on overtime in Sheriff Adrian Garcia’s first year as the county’s top lawman, $22.6 million of it at … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court to vote Tuesday on Dynamo Stadium deal

Posted on April 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

One presumes that since they were the holdup on this, the fact that they’re finally bringing it to a vote means it will go through. “I expressed concern (weeks ago) when we started getting this kind of Christmas tree built … Continue reading →

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Council approves Dynamo Stadium deal

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Two down, one to go. The Houston City Council unanimously approved an agreement this morning that is expected to pave the way for a new professional sports stadium for the Houston Dynamo and the Texas Southern University football team. Although … Continue reading →

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First steps in dealing with jail overcrowding

Posted on April 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

They’re baby steps, but they’re in the right direction. The first of 20 county inmates to get their sentences reduced by two-thirds for completing job training will get out of jail Monday. The experiment marks Sheriff Adrian Garcia’s first tentative … Continue reading →

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Sports Authority to become Dynamo Stadium landlord

Posted on March 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

One of the items on the to-do list after the city and county struck a deal on Dynamo Stadium was for the team to negotiate a lease for the stadium. The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority was proposed as the landlord, … Continue reading →

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Here comes the county budget

Posted on March 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Considering how gloom-and-doomy the reports have been, this is downright sunny. Commissioners Court today will consider a $1.4 billion budget that cuts spending by about 3.2 percent from the fiscal year that ended on Feb. 28. The spending blueprint does … Continue reading →

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Here comes the Sports Authority

Posted on March 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Ready or not, here they are to ride to the rescue. The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority agreed Monday to talk to city and county officials about its possible involvement in a soccer stadium for the Houston Dynamo. The authority will … Continue reading →

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Sports Authority to the rescue?

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

After many months in limbo, there may finally be a way forward for Dynamo Stadium, though it’s a somewhat convoluted path. The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority board is scheduled on Monday to discuss becoming the landlord for a professional soccer … Continue reading →

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A county budget threefer

Posted on February 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Three items of interest in the news that relate to the Harris County budget. – Contemplating cremation Commissioners Court this morning discussed possibly changing to a cremate-first policy at Harris County’s public cemetery. A report from the cemetery director projects … Continue reading →

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Radack’s Hill gets set to debut

Posted on February 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Anybody feel like doing a little soapbox derby racing? If so, County Commissioner Steve Radack has got what you need. Radack’s crew is putting the finishing touches on a $2.3 million soapbox derby park. The first races are scheduled for … Continue reading →

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No replacements named for vacant County Court benches

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Commissioners Court declined to name replacements at this time for two County Criminal Court benches that are currently vacant. Judge Reagan Helm resigned last week. Judge Donald Jackson also resigned in December after being sentenced to 30 days in jail … Continue reading →

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East Enders appeal to El Franco

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the main holdup with the proposed East End location for Dynamo Stadium is that County Commissioner El Franco Lee, in whose precinct the stadium site mostly sits, has not indicated that he intends to put the issue … Continue reading →

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Harris County rejoins Texas High Speed Rail group

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County is once again a part of the Texas High Speed Rail and Transportation Corporation after Commissioners Court voted to start paying its dues again. Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole put high-speed rail on Tuesday’s agenda, saying Harris County … Continue reading →

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“There’s no such thing as a project like this without public money”

Posted on February 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Dynamo President Oliver Luck throws a little cold water on the claims that a Westpark Stadium could be built exclusively with private funding. “We have not been presented a plan by the Midway Companies,” Luck said. “I can’t say whether … Continue reading →

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County Court Judge Reagan Helm steps down

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron: Harris County criminal Court-at-Law Judge Reagan Helm resigned this week, more than six months after a judicial intervention in which he agreed to retire because was he suffering from dementia, according to the administrative judge over the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Dynamo contemplate their options

Posted on January 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Is the future of Dynamo Stadium on Westpark? Could be. Dynamo President Oliver Luck is in talks with a developer about building a soccer stadium on private land about a mile south of the Galleria. The Dynamo have not abandoned … Continue reading →

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Overview of the Tax Assessor primary

Posted on January 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’re a bit more than three weeks out from the start of early voting, so it’s time for some overviews of the contested primaries on the ballot. Here’s the first one, for the Republican race between County Tax Assessor Leo … Continue reading →

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Wilson remains off the ballot

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

For now, anyway. The 14th Court of Appeals in Houston has denied a request for a place on the March Democratic primary ballot from [Dave Wilson]. […] Wilson filed a writ of mandamus last week seeking to be placed on … Continue reading →

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Eversole opposes Wilson

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In his appeal to stay on the ballot after HCDP Chair removed him for not putting in a valid residential address, Dave Wilson contended that only County Commissioner Jerry Eversole, as his opponent on the ballot, has standing to challenge … Continue reading →

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Dynamo fans rally for the stadium

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

There was a rally by Houston Dynamo fans over the weekend in support of getting the stadium deal done. Hair Balls and the Chron’s Glenn Davis have coverage. From what I can see, it looks to me like the ralliers … Continue reading →

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Trying to spend less on the jails

Posted on January 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, Harris County has a budget shortfall, and in recent years has seen spending on the Sheriff’s department, driven largely be the costs of the overcrowded jails, exceed its budgeted amount by millions. For the upcoming fiscal year, … Continue reading →

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Wilson appeals being booted from the ballot

Posted on January 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As expected, renowned homophobe and attention whore Dave Wilson has filed suit to fight being booted from the Democratic Party ballot for County Commissioner. [HCDP Chair Gerry] Birnberg declared he would not certify Wilson for the ballot because he reported … Continue reading →

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No more EZ Tag parking at the airport

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As you probably knew, if you had an EZ Tag in your car you could use it to pay for parking at IAH. But not any more, as Commissioners Court will shut it down. The program provides special lines at … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

On a side note regarding Commissioners Court

Posted on January 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Just a quick point to note regarding Commissioners Court and its various perks. In a few months, we’re going to hear from Mayor White’s term limits commission regarding suggested alterations to Houston’s term limits law. When we do, we’ll be … Continue reading →

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From the “It’s good to be the czar” files

Posted on January 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Every few years we get an article like this one about how the sweetest gig in the state is being a Harris County Commissioner. Commissioners may have the safest jobs in Harris County politics. No incumbent has lost an election … Continue reading →

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There’s a fix for that

Posted on January 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, Harris County has a budget shortfall of its own to deal with. So the fact that the Sheriff’s Office is spending more than it was allotted is drawing some scrutiny. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is projected … Continue reading →

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Judge Jackson resigns

Posted on December 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County Criminal Court At Law Judge Donald Jackson, who was recently convicted of misdemeanor official oppression, has resigned his bench, effective Thursday. Given his conviction, I’d say this counts as no surprise. Jackson was one of many judges up … Continue reading →

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County pays off last bill related to Ibarra brothers lawsuit

Posted on December 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Merry Christmas. Harris County Commissioners Court agreed [Tuesday] to pay the last of what has amounted to more than $4 million in bills related to a lawsuit brought by two men who said they were wrongfully arrested after one of … Continue reading →

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