Search Results for: class size limits

Ellis and Hobby on class size limits

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on the limits of social media monitoring for school violence prevention

The limits of Vision Zero

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

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The limits of Vision Zero

On speed limits

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?

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Judge sides with city in term limits lawsuit

City responds to term limits mandamus

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?

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

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

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

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

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mayor proposes raising contribution limits

City wins first round of term limits ballot language lawsuit

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Alvarado’s term limits bill

Council recommends term limits change

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

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

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On the seasonal return of term limits modification

Term limits change approved by Council committee

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

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

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Speed limits and pedestrian fatalities

The limits of lobbying

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

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The limits of lobbying

Time to talk term limits again

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

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

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Still no support for term limits