Tag Archives: Glenn Hegar

No pay for Paxton while he’s on the sidelines

Posted on June 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Poor baby. The Texas attorney general’s office attempted an end-run around a ruling from the state’s top accountant to pay Attorney General Ken Paxton despite his impeachment, documents indicated. Paxton has remained suspended from duty since the House overwhelmingly voted … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized!, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Funding for child DNA ID kits quietly dropped

Posted on June 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This is such a weird story. For months, Texas lawmakers were on track to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to continue distributing child identification kits to Texas schoolchildren, a program championed by state officials. In April, both the Texas House and Senate approved preliminary … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Funding for child DNA ID kits quietly dropped

Hegar caves on phony “defunding” claim again

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Clown the Comptroller II: Electric Boogaloo. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on Monday backed off his claim that Harris County “defunded” a constable’s office in violation of a state law intended to prevent cities and counties from cutting their police budgets, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hegar caves on phony “defunding” claim again

Court blocks phony “defunding” claim again

Posted on March 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: A Travis County District Court temporarily blocked Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s determination that Harris County defunded the Precinct 5 Constable’s office in violation of state law. The order means the Comptroller’s determination as to Harris County’s budget … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Court blocks phony “defunding” claim again

Harris County votes to sue Hegar again

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Phony Defunding Claims II: Electric Boogaloo. Harris County Commissioners Court on Thursday voted to sue Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar‘s office in response to his comments accusing the county of defunding law enforcement. Hegar’s claim is a repeat of a fight that already played out between the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County votes to sue Hegar again

Here we go again with the “defunding” baloney

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I was all set to have a peaceful weekend when I came across a press release from Commissioner Ellis’ office on Friday afternoon about this. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on Friday accused Harris County of defunding law enforcement, rekindling a feud from … Continue reading →

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

Precinct analysis: Inside and out of the city

Posted on January 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Most years we don’t get the data to differentiate between votes cast by residents of Houston and votes cast by Harris County non-Houston residents. There needs to be a citywide referendum of the ballot in order to get at this … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Precinct analysis: The not-as-good statewide races

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY Beto versus Abbott Beto versus the spread Hidalgo versus Mealer Better statewide races The difference between these statewide races and the ones we have already looked at, including the Governor’s race, is very simple: These Republican candidates did better … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Yes, we’re talking about Texas Senate 2024

Posted on December 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Gromer Jeffers points out that Ted Cruz may run for both President and re-election to the Senate in 2024, which he can do under the law that was passed to allow LBJ to run for Vice President in 1960 (and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Yes, we’re talking about Texas Senate 2024

Endorsement watch: Dudding and Warford

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Janet Dudding for Comptroller. In 2005, Janet Dudding found herself mucking out her home in Bay St. Louis-Waveland, Mississippi, after Hurricane Katrina sent a 32-foot storm surge across the town. “The first time I cried was when … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Dudding and Warford

Republican Commissioners skip out again

Posted on September 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Cowards. Harris County’s two Republican commissioners skipped Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting, preventing county leaders from passing a property tax rate and proposed budget for the next fiscal year beginning on Oct. 1. State law requires four members of the court … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Comptroller caves on phony “defunding” claim

Posted on September 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

In the end, he folded like a lawn chair. Harris County is moving through the process of passing a fiscal 2023 budget with a 1 percent dip in the property tax rate, after the specter of the state blocking its … Continue reading →

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

Harris County approves the option of suing Comptroller over baloney “defunding” claim

Posted on September 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Harris County Commissioners Court on Wednesday authorized a pair of private law firms to sue Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar, who accused the county of defunding law enforcement last week, forcing a halt to consideration of its $2.2 billion budget. … Continue reading →

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

Harris County looks to sue over Comptroller’s BS “defunding” claim

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Tell it to the judge. Harris County Commissioners Court this week is expected to hire an outside law firm to take legal action against the state and Comptroller Glenn Hegar, who accused the county of defunding law enforcement in violation … Continue reading →

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

The Lege sure thinks a lot of companies need to be coddled

Posted on August 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s kind of amazing, actually. Texas banned 10 financial firms from doing business with the state after Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Wednesday that they did not support the oil and gas industry. Hegar, a Republican running for reelection in November, … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Lege sure thinks a lot of companies need to be coddled

The Constables’ and Comptroller’s ridiculous complaint

Posted on August 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This is transparent bullshit. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar this week accused Harris County commissioners of defunding local constables and threatened to prevent the county from implementing its proposed 2023 budget if the county does not reverse course. In a letter … Continue reading →

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

End the “tampon tax”

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I approve. A coalition of menstrual health organizations is appealing a decision by the Texas Comptroller’s Office to deny its protest against the state sales tax, which they say unfairly and unconstitutionally does not exempt tampons, pads and other hygienic … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A gold-plated dud

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Just a dumb story all around. When state lawmakers decided in 2015 that Texas needed to be the only state to have its own precious metals depository, supporters said there were plenty of reasons the project would be a gold … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Day 9 quorum busting post: See you in August

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s your endgame, more or less. Texas House Democrats will not return to the state until after the special session of the Legislature is over, one of the leaders of their walkout confirmed Tuesday. State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

How many times will we fail to fix our power grid?

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

By “we”, I mean our Legislature, and the PUC, and the Governor, and the Railroad Commission, and pretty much everyone else in charge of this state. Ten years ago, Texas power plants froze during a fast-moving winter storm, causing rolling … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How many times will we fail to fix our power grid?

Here’s the official budget forecast

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

“Could be worse” remains the watchword. Texas lawmakers will enter the legislative session this week with an estimated $112.5 billion available to allocate for general purpose spending in the next two-year state budget, a number that’s down slightly from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

State budget situation not quite as awful as feared

Posted on December 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Still bad, but could be worse. Despite “historic declines,” state lawmakers will have more money to work with in the upcoming legislative session than Comptroller Glenn Hegar expected over the summer, he said Monday. But Hegar did not outline specifics … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on State budget situation not quite as awful as feared

The state deficit is quantified

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Honestly, it’s not as bad as it could be. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar delivered bleak but unsurprising news Monday: Because of the economic fallout triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, the amount of general revenue available for the state’s current two-year … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The state deficit is quantified

How low can sales tax collections go?

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

If we’re lucky, no lower than this. Texas collected about $2.6 billion in state sales tax revenue in May, leading to the steepest year-over-year decline in over a decade, Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Monday. The amount is 13.2% less than … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Down go the sales tax receipts

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s bad. Expected, but bad. Texas collected $2.58 billion in state sales tax revenue in April — a roughly 9% drop from what the state collected the same month last year, Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Friday. That drop, from $2.8 … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Down go the sales tax receipts

The rough fiscal road for school districts

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s gonna be bad. How bad remains the question. Coronavirus already has wreaked havoc on school districts — closing campuses for the remainder of the school year, shifting learning online, and exposing a wide digital divide between students who have … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The rough fiscal road for school districts

Coronavirus and the state budget

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Ain’t gonna be great. How bad, we don’t yet know. Comptroller Glenn Hegar briefed Texas House members on the state’s economy and budget Sunday night, saying that while it was too soon for specific forecasts, both are expected to take … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Worrying about the restaurants

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Alison Cook laments the potential fate for her favorite part of Houston. Depending on local or state strictures, to help stem the spread of Covid-19 restaurants in most major markets would be able to provide takeout, drive-thru or delivery rations … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chron overview of HD134

Posted on January 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Is this the year Sarah Davis loses? That’s the question. The March primaries are weeks away, but the first question at a recent forum for the three Democrats running to unseat state Rep. Sarah Davis centered on November: “How do … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Texas versus AirBnB update

Posted on April 20, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

From last week: The Texas Comptroller’s office said Tuesday it’s reviewing the inclusion of Airbnb on a list of companies that boycott Israel and are banned from doing business with the state after the company announced a change to its … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas versus AirBnB

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This is one to watch. Texas is adding short-term-rental site Airbnb to a list of companies that cannot receive state investments because it disallows Israeli-owned rentals in the disputed West Bank. Airbnb is the only American-based company on Texas’ anti-Israel … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Our pretty decent revenue estimate

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve seen much worse. At a time when legislators are vowing to spend more money on public schools and slow the growth of Texans’ property tax bills, the state should have enough money at its disposal to do just that. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Our pretty decent revenue estimate

Precinct analysis: The two types of statewide candidates

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

When we look at the precinct data in Harris County, we can separate the statewide candidates into two groups. Here’s the first group: Dist Abbott Valdez Tipp Abbott% Valdez% Trump% Clinton% =============================================================== CD02 146,399 112,272 4,345 55.66% 43.40% 52.38% 43.05% … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

New frontiers in strip club tax collections

Posted on July 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

A new-ish development in a decade-long battle. Dozens of “bikini bars” from Houston to San Antonio are suing the state after the Texas Comptroller accused them of skirting the so-called pole tax on nude entertainment and slapped them with seven-figure … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment