Tag Archives: Houston City Council

Brown’s staff departures

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Normally there’s nothing terribly newsworthy about a couple of Council staffers moving on, but there’s never been anything normal about CM Helena Brown’s office. Councilwoman Helena Brown’s two highest-ranking staff members have resigned less than four months into her two-year … Continue reading →

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Homeless feeding ordinance town hall tonight

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s at 6:30 PM at the Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 8300 Katy Freeway. You can see a map here and the flyer for the town hall here. Judging by the organizers and the fact that the email I was forwarded … Continue reading →

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Council is skeptical of Hobby International

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Not so clear skies for expanding Hobby Airport into an international terminal. A consultant’s study that forecasts an economic boon for Houston if Hobby is made into an international airport came under fire from city council members Monday as “biased” … Continue reading →

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We need a much fuller public conversation about the homeless feeding ordinance

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As Neil noted, some of us had the opportunity on Friday to ask Mayor Parker questions over lunch on Friday. Not surprisingly, the homeless feeding ordinance came up, and we spent quite a bit of time discussing it. The Mayor … Continue reading →

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The plot thickens

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Once again, I got nothing. Houston City Councilwoman Helena Brown voted against a city construction project Wednesday, warning that in signing off on two energy-efficient building projects the council was handing millions of dollars to a “non-American initiative and interests.” … Continue reading →

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Houston Airport System sides with Southwest

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Hot out of the inbox: In a memorandum to Mayor Annise Parker, Houston Director of Aviation Mario Diaz recommends the City of Houston work with Southwest Airlines (Southwest) to expand the federal inspection services (FIS) facility at William P. Hobby … Continue reading →

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Today’s the day for the airport report

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s the day when we get that report from Houston Airport System Director Mario Diaz that makes a recommendation to Mayor Parker and City Council about whether or not to expand Hobby Airport to include international flights. We will also … Continue reading →

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Catching up on United versus Southwest

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

There have been a few news stories of interest since we first heard about the Southwest Airlines plan for international flights at Hobby Airport, which is being vigorously opposed by United, who wants to keep IAH as the only international … Continue reading →

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Homeless feeding ordinance, such as it is, passes Council

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. City Council outlawed feeding homeless people anywhere in Houston without permission of the property owner, voting 11-6 Wednesday after a month of protest that persisted even as the ordinance was vastly scaled back from its original form. […] Mayor … Continue reading →

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Homeless feeding ordinance, take three

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker does a third revision of the controversial proposed ordinance about feeding the homeless. Parker has whittled an original proposal that would have set rules on preparation, storage and server training down to a plan that mandates only that … Continue reading →

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Still waiting on the new density rules

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

With all that went on last year in Houston, one item that had been on the table was a revision of Chapter 42, to redefine the rules about density and other codes for developers. The planned revisions never made it … Continue reading →

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She showed me her manifesto, I had no reply

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I got nothing. District E Councilman Mike Sullivan, until January by far the Council’s most conservative member, was so outflanked from the right by a Council newcomer Wednesday that he found himself uttering into his microphone: “I am not a … Continue reading →

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Tailgating downtown

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Go for it! The Dynamo have been playing at the University of Houston’s Robertson Stadium and have always allowed tailgating prior to games. However, fans won’t have the same luxury at the soccer team’s new stadium because of a city … Continue reading →

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Hold it right there on the homeless feeding ordinance

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This is the right call. After a community outcry protesting what opponents call the criminalization of charity, Mayor Annise Parker announced this afternoon that she will not seek a vote Wednesday on her proposed regulation of the feeding of homeless … Continue reading →

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Hens for Houston

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Looking for a new cause to get involved in? Here’s a movement to allow people to raise hens in Houston. Vision: “Hens for Houston” is working to promote a sustainable and progressive Houston in which city dwellers can keep 4-6 … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

United versus Southwest

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I feel like I’m missing something in this debate. A proposal by Southwest Airlines to offer international flights from Hobby Airport has triggered an intense lobbying duel with United Airlines, which still wields considerable local clout as the successor to … Continue reading →

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Todd tells Riggle to tone it down

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Former Houston City Council member Rob Todd has a message for gay-obsessed Pastor Steve Riggle. During my days on City Council, I was considered an archconservative. Part of that reputation was a result of a lawsuit I filed against Mayor … Continue reading →

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Interview with Wanda Adams

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Also running in HD131 is Wanda Adams, who has served two full terms in Houston City Council District D and was re-elected easily for her third term last November. Adams is a native Houstonian who graduated from Kashmere High School … Continue reading →

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City to meet with anti-Ashby forces

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure if they’re at anger, denial, or bargaining yet, but we’ll know soon enough. The city of Houston plans to meet with residents of the Southampton and Boulevard neighborhoods March 12 to discuss the Ashby high-rise settlement. In … Continue reading →

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

Feeding the homeless

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around this. Mayor Annise Parker is asking the council to adopt rules that would require organizations and people who feed the homeless to register with the city, take a food safety class, prepare … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Tag this

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Live by the pointless parliamentary maneuver, die by the pointless parliamentary maneuver. City Councilwoman Helena Brown’s colleagues, after weeks of frustration over her delays of what they consider vital city business, reached the limit of their patience Wednesday and twice … Continue reading →

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It’s all about Helena

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, we have been living in Helena Brown’s world all this time. District A Councilwoman Helena Brown has voted against spending money on the renovation of a women’s shelter, a street’s reconstruction, the purchase of a police boat, payment to … Continue reading →

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More fun with Helena

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

When I saw the headline about a clash between Mayor Parker and an unnamed Council member, I was pretty sure I knew before I clicked the link which Council member it was. I was right. District A Councilwoman Brown tried … Continue reading →

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It’s always easier to talk in the abstract

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. The city of Houston has been papering over multimillion-dollar budget deficits for nine years by borrowing money, tapping its rainy day fund, selling buildings and just plain putting off bills to the … Continue reading →

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A bit of perspective on pensions

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker and current members of Council will receive pensions from the city some day. They also will some day vote on what steps the city should take to deal with the pension system. Is that a problem? “Whenever you’re … Continue reading →

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Two views of pensions

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron’s Sunday op-ed pages were filled with pension-related discussion. Here are the citizen members of the Long-Range Financial Management Task Force, fresh off of their report release, taking to the pages to lay out what the city wants from … Continue reading →

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The Long-Range Financial Management Task Force report is out

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

A little light reading for your Sunday. The report generated criticism before the figurative ink was dry on it. Union leaders criticized the report before it was even delivered to the mayor, with Houston Organization of Public Employees President Melvin … 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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Brown’s part time staff

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

You have to admit, she does things her way. Houston District A Councilwoman Helena Brown, whose lone “no” votes against city spending have differentiated her from the rest of the 17-member council, also is an outlier as an employer: She … 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 →

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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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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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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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