Search Results for: class size limits

Ellis and Hobby on class size limits

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

State Sen. Rodney Ellis and former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby hit all the high points in writing about the 22:1 class size limit and the effects we’d see if it were lifted. The simple truth is that the 22-1 ratio … Continue reading →

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

The pushback on class size limits

Posted on January 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The DMN continues its commendable work on the upcoming legislative fight over class size limits by writing about the skeptics of smaller class sizes. The most comprehensive assessment dates back just as far as the Texas law, to a four-year … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Still more on class size limits

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Real good article in the Press about class size limits and the possible effects of raising them, which I’ve written about before. A couple of points: A famous education study done in Tennessee in the 1980s shows class size matters. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Fifth Circuit barely limits ridiculous anti-mifepristone ruling

Posted on April 14, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

In other words, the Fifth Circuit did Fifth Circuit things. The notoriously right-wing Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld much of Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s ruling on mifepristone from late last week in an early Thursday decision that may prompt the … Continue reading →

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

More on the limits of social media monitoring for school violence prevention

Posted on December 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Some good stuff from the DMN. When Social Sentinel representatives pitched their service to Florida’s Gulf Coast State College in 2018, they billed it as an innovative way to find threats of suicides and shootings posted online. But for the … Continue reading →

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The limits of Vision Zero

Posted on June 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

A long read about a tough problem. Los Angeles was not the first U.S. city to sign on to Vision Zero: Chicago (2012), New York City (2014) and San Francisco (2014) had already adopted the Scandinavian-born safety movement. But L.A. moved quickly, revamping 18 corridors — including the Hollywood and … Continue reading →

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On speed limits

Posted on January 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Food for thought. Speeding is a national health problem and a big reason why this country is increasingly an outlier on traffic safety in the developed world. More than 1 in 4 fatal crashes in the United States involve at … Continue reading →

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

What are the limits on limiting vaccination requirements?

Posted on June 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

News item #1: Carnival will require COVID vaccinations for all passengers cruising from Galveston: Carnival Cruise Line today announced plans to begin cruising from the Port of Galveston on July 3. Cruises will be open to customers who are fully … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, That's our Lege, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No limits imposed on Governor’s powers in an emergency

Posted on June 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

So much for that. The state Legislature won’t curtail Gov. Greg Abbott’s pandemic powers, after members of the House and the Senate failed to hash out their differences over it. The measure, House Bill 3, was priority legislation in the … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Fifth Circuit upholds Abbott’s mail ballot dropoff limits

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Because of course they did. Why would you have expected anything else? In a ruling issued late Monday night, a federal appeals court upheld Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that limited counties to one mail-in ballot drop-off location. A three-judge panel … Continue reading →

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

Appeals court upholds dismissal of term limits lawsuit

Posted on June 26, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Score one more for the city. A Texas appeals court on Tuesday upheld a lower court ruling that struck down a lawsuit seeking to invalidate a 2015 voter-approved referendum extending term limits for city officials. At issue in the suit … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Judge sides with city in term limits lawsuit

Posted on May 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The city wins for now, but we all know it’s not over yet. Politicians at City Hall can continue serving four-year terms — at least for now — after a state district judge sided with the city of Houston Friday … Continue reading →

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City responds to term limits mandamus

Posted on July 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s what the city had to say in response to the request that the Supreme Court vacate the district court ruling that let the 2015 term limits referendum stand and order an election for this November: In an unusually blunt … Continue reading →

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

When might the Supreme Court speak on the Houston term limits lawsuit?

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So as you know there is an ongoing lawsuit over the language used in the 2015 referendum that altered the city’s term limits ordinance. It was filed shortly after the election, with the city winning the first round in district … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

City loses appeal of procedural argument in term limits lawsuit

Posted on January 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Stay with me, because this is going to take a bit of explaining. A state appeals court on Thursday rejected the city’s procedural challenge to a lawsuit that could force Houston’s mayor and city council members to revert to three … Continue reading →

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

Endorsement watch: The one man term limits debate

Posted on September 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s one of the more interesting endorsements so far. Steve Radack is at once an argument for and against term limits. The Precinct 3 county commissioner and former Precinct 5 constable, who will turn 67 before Election Day, has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mayor proposes raising contribution limits

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure how I feel about this. Incumbents and wealthy candidates would get more of an advantage under proposed changes to Houston’s campaign finance law, which would effectively double contribution limits per general election cycle and allow many candidates who … Continue reading →

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City wins first round of term limits ballot language lawsuit

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s round one, of course, but it’s still a win. The ballot language Houston voters used to change term limits for elected officials was “inartful” but not “invalid,” a state district judge ruled Wednesday, a move that nonetheless left the … Continue reading →

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

Term limits plaintiffs respond to dismissal motion

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about what you’d expect. Last November Houston voters approved an amendment to the city charter that changed the length and maximum number of terms elected officials can serve. The lawsuit by Phillip Paul Bryant alleges the language on the … Continue reading →

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

Term limits lawsuit against city could be dismissed

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This was unexpected. Last November, Houston voters approved an amendment to the City Charter that changed the length and maximum number of terms elected officials can serve. The lawsuit by Phillip Paul Bryant alleges the language on the ballot tricked … Continue reading →

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

Lawsuit filed over term limits referendum

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As if on cue, the following hit my inbox on Wednesday afternoon, from Eric Dick: Phillip Paul Bryant is filing a lawsuit to invalidate Proposition 2 because the ballot language misled Houston voters. Annise Parker and the City of Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Will someone sue over the term limits referendum?

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. Pre-election polling showed voters slightly favored the change, but not if they were told that it benefits sitting council members. Rice University political scientist Bob Stein conducted the News 88.7/KHOU 11 News election poll. “When we informed voters that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What the passage of the term limits referendum means

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a little unclear from this story. The passage of Proposition 2 also means some current officeholders will be able to serve longer than the six years they originally signed up for. Current freshman council members will now be able … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Endorsement watch: Changing term limits

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses City Proposition 2, which would change the current system of term limits from three two-year terms to two four-year terms. If our leaders know they’ll be judged by a six-year timeline, there’s little incentive to plan for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Change to term limits will be on the ballot

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Houston voters will decide whether elected city officials should serve two four-year terms rather than three two-year terms starting in 2016, potentially lengthening the terms of some current council members. The City Council voted 12-5 Wednesday to place the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Change to term limits may be on the November ballot as well

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Mayor Annise Parker’s proposal would wait until 2020 to lengthen City Council members, the mayor and and controller’s terms; while Councilman Jerry Davis is proposing a staggered roll-out starting in 2016. Supporters say the 2020 plan … Continue reading →

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

Alvarado’s term limits bill

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: State Representative Carol Alvarado has filed HB 2917 that, if passed by the Legislature and approved by voters, would change the city’s term limit structure to two four-year terms for the mayor, city controller and councilmembers. “The … Continue reading →

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Council recommends term limits change

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Meh, I say. A Houston City Council committee Tuesday night recommended changing the term limits of elected officials from three two-year terms to two four-year terms starting in 2019, a charter change that could go to voters in November. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On the seasonal return of term limits modification

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a fuller version of that earlier story about Council moving forward with a modified term limits proposal. You can almost set your watch by it. Mayor Annise Parker is in her third and final term, which means it is … Continue reading →

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Term limits change approved by Council committee

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

One step closer to the ballot. Most council members are in favor of changing term limits from three two-year terms to two four-year terms. They will refer their recommendation to the mayor, who will then put it up for a … Continue reading →

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

Speed limits and pedestrian fatalities

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a topic that won’t be the least bit controversial, I’m sure. The New York City Vision Zero goal is simple and precise: to end traffic deaths and injuries on city streets. This is not a mere sound bite in … Continue reading →

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The limits of lobbying

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They do exist, as Houston’s cab companies recently discovered. More than a year of intense lobbying by established cab companies and tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations to City Council members were not enough to hold off a … Continue reading →

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Time to talk term limits again

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The subject keeps coming up, though it never seems to get anywhere. As the inauguration of Houston’s elected leaders begins Thursday morning, supporters and spectators gathered at the Wortham Center downtown will see six new City Council members walk across … Continue reading →

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

Still no support for term limits

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. The full House, for the second time in eight years, drove a stake through the chance of imposing term limits on the governor and other statewide officeholders. The proposed constitutional amendment that would have gone to voters … Continue reading →

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