Tag Archives: Houston City Council

Interview with James Horwitz

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

My last planned interview for City Council At Large races is with James Horwitz, who filed a few days before the deadline in At Large #5 against CM Jack Christie. Horwitz is an attorney, the owner of his own firm, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with James Horwitz

Interview with Issa Dadoush

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Filing to run just before the deadline against CM Bradford in At Large #4 is Issa Dadoush. Dadoush spent a number of years in city government, serving as the Director of General Services Department for six years under Mayor Bill … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Going after the dumpers

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Glad to see this. City Council District B will be the site of a pilot program in which five surveillance video cameras have been placed in undisclosed locations, [Mayor Annise] Parker announced. The cameras will be monitored in real time … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with CM Bradford

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This week we venture back to the At Large Council races, as there were a couple of late filers that brought opponents to previously unchallenged incumbents. One of those incumbents is Council Member C. O. “Brad” Bradford, now in his … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Chron overview of District A

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It must be getting close to the start of Election Season, because the first of the Chronicle’s local race overviews has been published. Since winning a seat on the Houston City Council two years ago, Helena Brown has become known … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Interview with Ben Mendez

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

My third and at least for now final interview in District I is with Ben Mendez. I’ve sent two emails to Leticia Ablaza and left two voice mail messages to arrange an interview, but as of this writing we have … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Robert Gallegos

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Next up in District I is Robert Gallegos. Gallegos works for the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, having previously been a Community Liaison for then-County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia. Before his stint in government service, he spent 25 years in Logistics Sales … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Graci Garces

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The final open District Council seat is in District I, where CM James Rodriguez is termed out. Four candidates vie to succeed him, including one from 2011. The first candidate for review here is Graci Garces. Garces is the Chief … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Interview with Georgia Provost

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m wrapping up the week of District D candidate interviews today. There are a lot more candidates than the five I will have visited with, but there are only so many hours in the day, and I do the best … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Georgia Provost

Time for a real NDO in Houston

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Bring it on. Last week, San Antonio passed an ordinance protecting gay and transgendered residents and veterans from discrimination. Houston Mayor Annise Parker says that vote “upped the ante” and that Houston should follow suit. “It is absolutely something we … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Assata Richards

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on in District D we have a conversation with Assata Richards. A single mother at the age of 17, Richards graduated high school and with the help of the Houston Urban League’s Education Department and the Young Mothers Residential … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Assata Richards

Interview with Anthony Robinson

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’ve followed the news at all in Texas over the past decade or so you’re familiar with the large number of convicted inmates who have been subsequently freed after being exonerated by DNA evidence. That’s the story of District … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Christina Sanders

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Next up in District D is Christina Sanders. Sanders is a political and civic activist, and community organizer. She is the state director of the Texas League of Young Voters Education Fund, an affiliate of the League of Young Voters … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Christina Sanders

Interview with Dwight Boykins

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We move now to District D, which is open with the term-limited end of CM Wanda Adams’ tenure. It’s easily the biggest field for any race, with 12 declared candidates. I’m not going to be able to interview them all, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How city candidates have voted in past primaries

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is great to see. The Harris County Democratic Party does not endorse candidates in the non-partisan City of Houston elections; however, in an effort to keep you informed as to which candidates are Democrats and which are not, we … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

City and county make a deal on airport toll road revenues

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good. After two years of negotiations, the Houston City Council approved an agreement Wednesday that provides toll revenue from the airport connector to the city for the first time – 24.5 percent, to be precise. Officials at Harris County, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on City and county make a deal on airport toll road revenues

Interview with Michael Kubosh

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We circle back one last time to At Large #3, with Michael Kubosh. Kubosh is a bail bondsman and political activist. He ran for the State Senate as a Democrat against Dan Patrick in 2006, but is best known for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Hiram Clarke TIRZ

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I think this will be a good thing. The Houston City Council and the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court approved a plan this month to boost development in Houston’s southwest corner with the creation of a tax increment reinvestment zone. … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Hiram Clarke TIRZ

Interview with Kathy Daniels

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Challenging CM Jerry Davis in District B is Kathy Daniels. Daniels, who had also run in B in 2011, is a retired postal worker whose family has deep roots in the neighborhood. Like CM Davis, she has lost a family … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Kathy Daniels

Uber in Dallas

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A possible preview of things to come, courtesy of our neighbors to the north. Uber pulled into Dallas in one year ago, offering residents a ride with a few taps of an app. Drunk or stuck or just not sure … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Uber in Dallas

Interview with CM Jerry Davis

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We move now to District B, where CM Jerry Davis is in his first term. Davis is the CEO of the non-profit Making It Better, which works to improve literacy, leadership, and life skills for disadvantaged children. He is also … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Uber debate

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

In case you missed it over the weekend, the Chron’s op-ed pages featured a point/counterpoint on Uber and its push to enter the Houston market, which would require changes to various city ordinances. Here’s the pro-Uber piece: Imagine it’s Friday … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Uber debate

Interview with Brenda Stardig

Posted on August 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

My last candidate interview for District A is a fitting bookend for the first one. Brenda Stardig was elected to District A in 2009, leading the pack in November and cruising in the subsequent runoff. It’s fair to say that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Interview with Ronald Hale

Posted on August 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The third challenger to CM Helena Brown in District A is Ronald Hale. Hale is a private security consultant, currently the Director at NZ Control Specialists. His biography page says that he has maintained a blog since last year, though … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Ronald Hale

Interview with Amy Peck

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Two of the candidates that are running against CM Helena Brown in District A have run for this seat before. One of them is Amy Peck, who ran for District A when it was last open in 2009; here’s the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Amy Peck

The 2013 lineup

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

So many candidates. More than 60 candidates have filed to run for city of Houston elective office this fall, many of them rushing in before the 5 p.m. Monday deadline. […] Atop the ballot, [Mayor Annise] Parker is challenged by … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The 2013 lineup

Interview with Mike Knox

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There are four candidates seeking to oust first term CM Helena Brown in District A. The first one I spoke to is Mike Knox. Knox is a former HPD officer who helped create HPD’s first divisional gang unit. He later … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Mike Knox

Interview with CM Helena Brown

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We now enter the realm of district Council races, where in addition to two open seats there are two incumbents that face credible challenges. One of those incumbents is first term District A Council Member Helena Brown. If you’ve been … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

Rape kit backlog eliminated

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

More good news. For the first time in its history, the Houston Police Department doesn’t have a backlog of rape kits that haven’t been tested. The backlog, which at one point totalled 6,600 untested rape kits, was eliminated by sending … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Roy Morales

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As of my last At Large #3 interview, I reported that I had not yet been able to make arrangements with either Michael Kubosh or Roy Morales. I’m pleased to say now that both interviews have been completed; I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with CM Stephen Costello

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

At Large #1 incumbent CM Stephen Costello is running for his third term. While most new Council members spend their first term learning the ropes and staying more in the background, CM Costello made an immediate splash by spearheading the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with CM Stephen Costello

Interview with David Robinson

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Running against CM Burks in At Large #2 is David Robinson, which makes this a rematch of sorts from 2011, as both men ran in AL2 that year, though Robinson did not make the runoff. I had suggested a long … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with David Robinson

Interview with CM Andrew Burks

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There are so far three races in which an incumbent Council member faces at least one credible opponent. The first is in At Large #2, where CM Andrew Burks is in his first term. As you know, CM Burks has … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Endorsement watch: GLBT Caucus and HSYD

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We are entering the part of the election cycle where groups are making their endorsements. One of the first out of the box is the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, which held its endorsement meeting on Saturday night. Here’s their press … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments