Monthly Archives: October 2015

Saturday video break: Home

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I have five songs called “Home” in my library. I could find videos for four of them. First up is Ingrid Michaelson, from her latest album: We got to see her on that tour at the House of Blues in … Continue reading →

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The pessimism of the poli-sci profs

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

A trio of academic pundits thinks things aren’t going well for the pro-HERO forces. Turnout is up sharply from previous Houston municipal elections, with the largest increases occurring in predominantly Republican and African-American precincts, where a majority of voters are … Continue reading →

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A further look into anti-HERO financing

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Regular commenter Mainstream has been investigating the complex money trail of the various anti-HERO factions and documenting it in the comments for the 8 day finance reports: Pro- and anti-HERO post. I’m putting his two most recent entries here to … Continue reading →

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School finance ruling expected soon

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Hold onto your hats. For decades, the state’s 1,000-plus school districts vied against one another for a bigger piece of the financial pie. Now two-thirds of state districts have joined forces to say the system is unfair because it doesn’t … Continue reading →

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Landfilling

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Really interesting story about a place most of us would not think to visit. The open face of the Atascocita landfill in Humble slopes downward, where trucks unload the cast-off scraps of daily life. Bulldozers spread the debris to a … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 18

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s their list. 1. Califonia Girls – The Beach Boys (#72) 2. Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag – James Brown (#71) 3. Walk On By – Dionne Warwick (#70) 4. Sunshine Of Your Love – Brian Tarquin (orig. Cream, … Continue reading →

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Day 11 EV 2015 totals: So what do we think turnout will be, anyway?

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

One more day of early voting to go: Year Early Mail Total Mailed ======================================= 2015 128,611 27,952 156,563 43,280 2013 68,803 20,491 89,294 30,572 The running 2015 totals are here, the full 2013 totals are here, and for completeness the … Continue reading →

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Back to square one for ReBuild Houston

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. A state district judge on Thursday voided the 2010 charter referendum that enabled the city to create the ReBuild Houston program, muddying the fate of the multi-billion-dollar funding scheme to dramatically improve Houston’s streets and drainage. … Continue reading →

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Feds warn Texas about Planned Parenthood

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see what happens. The Obama administration has warned state officials that pushing Planned Parenthood out of the state’s Medicaid program could put Texas at odds with federal law. Officials with the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services contacted … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of the Montgomery County bond referendum

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The voters there are engaged in this issue, that much is for sure. Life is on hold in the parking lot that is Rayford Road, 4 miles of too many cars squeezing into too few lanes. Even when it isn’t … Continue reading →

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8 day finance reports: Controller candidates

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

How about a look at the 8 day finance reports for Controller candidates? I figure if you’re reading this blog you won’t look at me funny when I say things like that, so here we go: Candidate Raised Spent Loans … Continue reading →

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Ground broken on the joint processing center

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The majority of suspects arrested by Houston police get booked at one of two city jails, and within 48 hours they are transferred and booked in all over again at the Harris County Jail. Two years from now, officials … Continue reading →

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Another view of the Temple case

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Press devotes a cover story to the David Temple case and the allegations that then-Assistant DA Kelly Siegler withheld evidence from the defense. In July 2015, visiting Judge Larry Gist issued his damning decree: 36 findings of prosecutorial misconduct … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of October 26

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is scouting out pumpkin patches as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Day 10 EV 2015 totals: City versus county

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Day 9 totals came in too late for me to post them yesterday, but the Day 10 reports came in early, so let’s skip ahead to those: Year Early Mail Total Mailed ======================================= 2015 107,086 26,608 133,594 43,280 2013 … Continue reading →

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8 day finance reports: Mayoral candidates

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the story: Adrian Garcia outspent his chief rivals in the Houston mayor’s race over the last month, hoping to hold what polls suggest is his slipping grip on a spot in the likely December runoff. The final round of … Continue reading →

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An Election 2015 threefer

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Three links of interest that weren’t quite worth a post on their own. Cort McMurray deconstructs Bob McNair: It’s not easy, being Bob McNair. Back in the old days, being a Houston billionaire was fun: Whether you made your fortune … Continue reading →

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The Prop 7 funds are already being claimed

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready for a lot more road construction in the near future. Voters have a little more than a week to decide whether to give Texas highways a $2.75 billion annual funding boost, but Houston-area officials are already making plans … Continue reading →

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Who can pay for Ken Paxton’s defense?

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Paxton himself would like to know, though he doesn’t want you to know that he wants to know. In mid-July, a law firm representing an unnamed state official asked the Texas Ethics Commission whether it would be legal under state … Continue reading →

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The animus that drives HERO opposition

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I have often spoken of my contempt for the leaders of the HERO opposition, for their lying and their willingness to demonize their fellow man. There are a number of people who deserve that scorn, but this guy belongs up … Continue reading →

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8 day finance reports: Pro- and anti-HERO

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

First, from the inbox: Houston Unites has raised nearly $3 million in support of Proposition 1 from late August through last Saturday, according to the campaign’s finance report submitted to the city today. Almost 75 percent of all donors were … Continue reading →

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Perry appeal briefs

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The latest update on the appeals before the CCA in the Rick Perry matter. The 3rd Court of Appeals this summer tossed one of two counts against Perry, saying the coercion law underlying it violates the First Amendment. The 3rd … Continue reading →

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Day 8 EV 2015 totals: Breaking it down to districts

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Day One of Week Two: Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2015 73,903 23,560 97,553 43,279 2013 45,571 16,076 61,647 30,548 The running 2015 totals are here, the full 2013 totals are here, and for completeness the full 2009 totals … Continue reading →

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If you really want to improve turnout in city elections

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This is a plan that would do it. Councilman Ron Nirenberg [recently] called for a major change to local elections that he says would boost voter turnout and bolster public participation. The councilman said he’s spent years considering ways to … Continue reading →

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What about the trans men?

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

ThinkProgress asks a good question. Opponents of HERO, identifying themselves as the “Campaign for Houston,” have blanketed the city with billboards, radio ads, television ads, and other forms of messaging, all of which focus on the singular message: “No men … Continue reading →

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The inevitable latest lawsuit against the EPA

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As night follows the day. As promised, Texas is suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over President Obama’s plan to combat climate change, Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Friday, just after the new regulation had been finalized. The state is … Continue reading →

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Day 7 EV 2015 totals

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

One week in: Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2015 61,008 21,141 82,149 42,938 2013 37,928 14,342 52,270 30,544 The running 2015 totals are here, the full 2013 totals are here, and for completeness the full 2009 totals are here. … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for October 25

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not saying it’s aliens, but I’m not saying it’s not aliens, either. The buildings that used to be Pizza Huts, and the people who love to photograph them. “A former meerkat expert at London Zoo has been ordered to … Continue reading →

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Day 6 EV 2015 totals: Rain, rain, go away

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here are your rain-soaked Day Six totals: Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2015 57,657 21,141 78,798 42,938 2013 35,376 14,342 49,728 30,544 The running 2015 totals are here, the full 2013 totals are here, and for completeness the full … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of HISD Trustee races

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Little late in the game for this sort of thing, but better late than never. With Superintendent Terry Grier leaving in March, the HISD board faces a big decision in choosing his replacement. Voters can help to determine who makes … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court to get deposed

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and all four county commissioners are scheduled to be deposed Monday in a federal lawsuit filed by former Houston Police Department crime lab supervisors who said they experienced retaliation after … Continue reading →

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The (mostly) high speed rail extension to Fort Worth

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I hope they can make this happen. A proposed high-speed rail route cutting through Dallas-Fort Worth would go slower than previously planned but would include a station south of DFW Airport, according to a newly unveiled plan. The proposal, which … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Holiday

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s go back to the 80s, when Madonna was taking over the world, and listen to one of her early hits: I hope I live long enough to see what future historians – those who didn’t actually live through the … Continue reading →

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Day 5 EV 2015 totals: Early voting is up (almost) everywhere

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here are your Day Five totals: Year Early Mail Total Mailed ====================================== 2015 48,027 21,141 69,168 42,938 2013 28,303 14,342 42,645 30,544 The running 2015 totals are here, the full 2013 totals are here, and for completeness the full 2009 … Continue reading →

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