Tag Archives: Rodney Ellis

Two more small updates on CD18

I learned two things of interest from this Houston Landing story about the CD18 situation. The bulk of the story is about the candidate forum today and the recent Zoom interviews that candidates did (see here for more on each), … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Harris County Flood Control District tax hike proposal on the ballot

One more item to vote on. Harris County will ask voters in November to increase the Flood Control District’s property tax rate to fund a “transformational” investment in drainage for years to come. The district’s current tax rate is 3.1 … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County Flood Control District tax hike proposal on the ballot

July 2024 campaign finance reports – Harris County offices

PREVIOUSLY: Senate and Congress State offices Lina Hidalgo Rodney Ellis Adrian Garcia Tom Ramsey Leslie Briones Sean Teare Dan Simons Ed Gonzalez Mike Knox Christian Menefee Jacqueline Lucci Smith Annette Ramirez Steve Radack Teneshia Hudspeth Carla Wyatt Marilyn Burgess Candidate … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ellis requests full Metro board vote on halting Universities BRT

Let’s at least put it on the record. Concerned the University Corridor rapid transit line project could be delayed for years, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis on Friday called on Metro to move forward with the voter-approved project and hold … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Harris County seeks a new direction for HART

Hopefully a solid reset and restart. Possibly even with the same vendor, if they can make the best offer and no other questions come up. Harris County officials on Tuesday began making new plans to extend a program that sends … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County seeks a new direction for HART

HART trouble

Not great. Harris County paused its Holistic Assistance Response Teams on Wednesday after Commissioners Court failed to reach an agreement on whether to pay the vendor operating the program. At issue is a $270,000 payment to Disaster Emergency Medical Assistance … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HART trouble

Mayor Whitmire, Judge Hidalgo. Judge Hidalgo, Mayor Whitmire.

What are we doing here? April made four months into Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s administration and he had yet to meet face-to-face with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. “It has me worried, but it’s outside my control,” said Hidalgo. “I … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Uplift Harris can proceed

So says a judge. A district judge on Thursday ruled Harris County’s new guaranteed income program can proceed, denying the Texas Attorney General’s office request for a temporary injunction. The state sued Harris County earlier this month, arguing the initiative … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

County leaders defend Uplift Harris

I appreciate the passion and intensity in this response, but overall it does not leave me feeling optimistic about the outcome. Harris County leaders are defending their new guaranteed income program after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office sued to … Continue reading

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

Mayor Whitmire appoints a new Metro Chair

Congratulations and welcome aboard. Mayor John Whitmire on Tuesday announced CenterPoint Energy executive Elizabeth Brock would lead the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s board of directors. If approved, Brock would be the first Hispanic woman to lead the transit agency. “She brings … Continue reading

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

January 2024 campaign finance reports – Harris County offices

PREVIOUSLY: State offices Lina Hidalgo Rodney Ellis Adrian Garcia Tom Ramsey Leslie Briones Kim Ogg Sean Teare Dan Simons Ed Gonzalez Vergil Ratliff Joe Inocencio Mike Knox Joe Danna Paul Day Glenn Cowan Christian Menefee Umeka Lewis Jacqueline Lucci Smith … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on January 2024 campaign finance reports – Harris County offices

I have basically no idea who’s running for office right now

Candidate data, where are you? Next year’s primary campaigns are starting to take shape after numerous candidates filed for office on Saturday, the first day to sign up for a spot on the March 2024 ballot. Voters will weigh in … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Filing season for 2024 begins today

Happy First Day of Candidate Filing to all who celebrate. The Democratic and Republican slates will begin to take shape this weekend once candidates start filing their paperwork to run. Several Harris County officials plan to file for re-election, such … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

From the “Idiots file dumb lawsuit” department

I hesitate to give this any attention, but I feel it needs to be noted. Five people filed a lawsuit with Harris County District Court on Friday to remove Judge Lina Hidalgo from office, days before she is scheduled to … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Harris County libraries are now “book sanctuaries”

It’s great that they’re doing this, and terrible that they have to. As book bans and challenges occur across the state and nation, Harris County libraries have joined a movement dedicated to preserving people’s right to decide for themselves what … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County libraries are now “book sanctuaries”

Judge Hidalgo takes leave of absence for depression

I wish her well. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has taken a temporary leave of absence to receive in-patient medical treatment for clinical depression, according to a statement from her office Monday. The statement notes she has been at an … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

July 2023 campaign finance reports: Harris County

Previously: Congress SD15 City of Houston, part 1 January 2023 reports are here. Not all of these people are on the 2024 ballot. I am not including JPs and County Court candidates. Some potential opponents have already filed finance reports, … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: Hidalgo for SJL

I don’t usually pay much attention to “elected official endorses candidate” news, mostly because most of the time it makes little difference, but in this Mayor’s race I’m more interested than usual, so I will note this for the record. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Spending even more on court-appointed attorneys

But maybe there’s an end in sight. Harris County is on track to pay $95 million by the end of October to private attorneys for representing low-income people accused of crimes — about $35 million more than the county budgeted … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Rep. Jackson Lee makes her Mayoral candidacy official

Here she comes. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee kicked off her campaign for mayor Friday night with a rally on the rooftop of Post Houston, promising to “unlock City Hall” for all residents and embrace their diversity while outlining a municipal agenda to tackle … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rep. Jackson Lee makes her Mayoral candidacy official

Checking in on the Astrodome

With the Final Four in town, we have visitors at Reliant Stadium looking over at its unused predecessor and wondering what’s going on with it. The short answer is, not much. The state of the dome and prospects for its … Continue reading

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

Commissioners Court supplements Public Defender budget and supports adding more courts

Good moves. Harris County Commissioners Court this week approved a package of public safety measures to support state legislation to create additional district courts, expand the county’s holistic assistance response team program and look at enlarging the public defender’s office. The measures are … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Commissioners Court supplements Public Defender budget and supports adding more courts

Harris County creates reproductive health access fund

Good. In a bid to protect residents’ already restricted access to reproductive health care, Harris County officials voted to approve a proposed fund to go toward Harris County Public Health and smaller community organizations at Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting. The … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County creates reproductive health access fund

More on spending less on court-appointed lawyers

Seems like a good start. A Houston Chronicle investigation into how some private attorneys earn enormous sums to represent thousands of indigent people accused of crimes in Harris County – at a cost of $60 million to taxpayers last year – is prompting … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Harris County restores some public safety funding

A bit of post-quorum-busting cleanup. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved nearly $10 million in additional funding for the sheriff and district attorney, three months after the Democratic majority said the unplanned adoption of a lower tax rate would … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County restores some public safety funding

January 2023 campaign finance reports: Harris County

Previously: City of Houston January 2022 reports are here, July 2022 reports are here. I did not get around to doing the 30-day and 8-day reports from 2022, so what you see here in these reports is not contiguous for … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Agreement reached on I-45 expansion plans

I remain skeptical, but we’ll see. The bottleneck of design differences that has divided officials about remaking Interstate 45 north of downtown Houston is easing, officials said Monday, clearing the way for construction on the $10 billion project, perhaps in … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What to expect when you’re expecting a (larger) Democratic majority

I have three things to say about this. Despite narrowly winning reelection against bruising campaigns by well-funded challengers, the Democratic majority on Commissioners Court has made clear it intends to continue its progressive remake of Harris County. Though neither County … Continue reading

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

Judge Hidalgo celebrates her win

Winning is sweet. Victory laps are even sweeter. Fresh off a narrow reelection that was anything but assured, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Wednesday held a news conference to praise colleagues, thank supporters and call out some members of … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Here’s the result of the Republican Commissioners’ budget busting

The Republican minority on Commissioners Court made this happen. Harris County will eliminate more than 500 vacant jobs, delay some flood control projects, postpone a sheriff deputy cadet class, and cancel raises and cost of living adjustments for county law … Continue reading

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

Ramsey and Cagle finish sabotaging the budget

They got what they wanted. Harris County’s prolonged political battle over the budget came to an end today. For over a month, the two GOP members of Commissioners Court have broken quorum, skipping meetings to prevent Democrats from passing their … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Republican Commissioners skip the meeting they called

On brand. So very on brand. The two Republican members of Harris County Commissioners Court have announced they will skip a special meeting Monday to discuss a compromise tax rate proposal by Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, reversing the position they took … Continue reading

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

There may be a county budget deal available

I don’t trust anything Commissioners Cagle and Ramsey say, but we’ll see. The two Republican members of Harris County Commissioners Court said Friday they would attend a special meeting Monday to discuss a compromise tax rate proposal by Precinct 2 … Continue reading

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

Commissioners Court approves its bond package

But not without some bitching and griping. Harris County Commissioners Court voted Thursday to put a $1.2 billion package on the November ballot this year, with the vast majority aimed at road construction. Tensions flared when Harris County Judge Lina … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Commissioners Court approves its bond package