Monthly Archives: May 2007

Michael Berry interview

Posted on May 5, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t get to this yesterday – Mike McGuff has a nice interview with soon-to-be-former City Council member and new radio mogul Michael Berry. The interesting bit to me is right here: McGuff: I’m sure a lot of people wonder, “Why … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Michael Berry interview

Dewhurst finally sees the light on CHIP

Posted on May 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been told that the best way to deal with someone who finally comes around to your way of thinking after resisting for a long time is to pretend he’s always agreed with you. With that in mind, let me … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 3 Comments

HB13 maneuvering

Posted on May 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

HB13 keeps hitting potholes in the House, as a point of order sent it back to committee, but not before Speaker Craddick got a little desperate. Speaker Tom Craddick took the unprecedented move, at least for him, of asking the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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HB218: No action in the Senate yet

Posted on May 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The rumor was that the voter ID bill HB218 was going to come up in the Senate yesterday, but according to the TLO all that happened was a cosponsor was authorized. I sure hope Sen. Gallegos is either in Austin … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 3 Comments

Early voting: West University Place

Posted on May 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I know pretty much nothing about the election going on in West University Place for its Mayor and City Council, other than I’ve seen quite a few signs advertising this candidate or that along Kirby and Buffalo Speedway. For those … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | 1 Comment

Benefit for Mark Strawn tonight

Posted on May 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The fundraiser for Mark Strawn is tonight. Marty Hajovsky has all the details. We hope to see you there. Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 1 Comment

Mayor White editorializes for clean air

Posted on May 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure why this is in the Morning News and not the Chron, but here it is: In Texas, we value freedom and resist bureaucratic interference. But we also understand that “a person’s right to throw their fist ends where … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Bye-bye, Three Brothers

Posted on May 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

A month ago, Weingarten officially announced its plans for the River Oaks Shopping Center. And now today is the last day there for the Three Brothers Bakery. “We got a phone call from Weingarten (the property owner) that we need … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 4 Comments

No speed trap cameras

Posted on May 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

While red light cameras remain controversial, automated devices for nabbing speeders got a unanimous thumbs down in the House. Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Southlake, said there’s no conclusive evidence that automated devices such as cameras or radar result in fewer road … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

“Pro Tem Four” to be tried together

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Seven months after their joint not guilty plea, the four former Mayor Pro Tem staffers who were accused of giving themselves improper bonuses have a trial date. State District Judge Michael McSpadden scheduled a Nov. 12 trial for Rosita Hernandez, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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“Budgets are moral documents”

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

CPPP: Today the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) announced that 17,078 fewer children will be covered by the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in May than in April. This is the second largest number of children ever to be … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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How about those centralized voter databases?

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Sheesh. A $14 million centralized voting-records system used by 224 Texas counties has so many computer flaws that voter registration officials in many counties want the state to scrap it. The system already has kicked registered voters’ names off the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments

The swiftboating of Rick Noriega

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The politics of HB13 have taken a decidedly ugly turn, as the Observer reports. Gov. Rick Perry’s Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw has found the enemy — and it’s Houston State Representative Rick Noriega, a lieutenant colonel in the Texas … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

HB1224 and Applied Behavior Analysis

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

It’s easy to forget sometimes as we follow the politics of things like toll road moratoriums and primary dates that there are bills in the Lege that can have a huge positive effect on people’s lives, if only they can … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Early voting: Current info in San Antonio

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The San Antonio Current takes a look at that city’s municipal races, ranging from the whimsical to actual candidate questionnaires. If nothing else, the latter makes it clear that Jacob Dell has no business being on any City Council. Click … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Dan Grant announces for CD10

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’m aware of several Congressional candidates from 2006 who are planning to run again next year, as well as a few new hopefuls who are currently exploring a bid, but this is the first formal announcement of a candidacy by … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 2 Comments

More from Rep. Farrar on HB13

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The following is another press release from Rep. Jessica Farrar (my State Rep) regarding the Homeland Security bill HB13: On Friday, April 27, HB 13 by Chairman Swinford (R-Dumas) was recommitted to the House Committee on State Affairs. On Monday, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

More border fence opposition

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Following up on yesterday’s piece about border fence pushback from the folks who are on the business end of it, we have this surprisingly unified response from Texas officials. “It’s clear that our state leaders, and I’m going to say … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on More border fence opposition

TYC update: Downsizing the wrong way

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve not been keeping up with the latest developments at the Texas Youth Commission these days, but fortunately Grits for Breakfast has been. To sum up: – The TYC is losing lots of staff members in the wake of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on TYC update: Downsizing the wrong way

More on the Senate’s anti-clean air bill

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Observer fills in a few blanks regarding SB1317, the Sen. Mike Jackson anti-clean air bill that passed yesterday. Houston Democrats very nearly beat back SB 1317 [Monday]. The bill survived, for the moment, because of Sen. Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville). … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Brush your teeth!

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Among the many survival skills one needs as a parent is a feel for what battles to pick. That’s what was going through my head as I read this story about dental hygiene in kids today. This passage in particular … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Perry gets the toll road blues

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Game on. A two-year freeze on private toll-road contracts is on its way to Gov. Rick Perry’s desk. House members voted 139-1 today to accept Senate amendments to a bill that would halt new private-sector toll-road deals for two years. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Perry gets the toll road blues

Buddy, can you spare a cockroach?

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Only in Houston… In a city with trillions of American cockroaches, the Houston Museum of Natural Science has agreed to pay a quarter per bug — up to 1,000 — as it seeks to populate a new insect exhibit alongside … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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HB626 passes out of the House

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Part II of the Very Bad Day At The Lege happened when the “compromise” version of HB626 passed out of the House yesterday. I’m going to hand off to Eye on Williamson for a minute, as he hits the main … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Senate votes against clean air

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday was a bad day in both chambers of the Lege. We’ll start with the Senate, where a bill to block the City of Houston’s effort to enforce clean air regulations on plants outside its city limits was passed. Mayor … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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RIP, ARMPAC

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Another chapter in the book of Tom DeLay has come to a close. The political action committee for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) was quietly closed last week after a decade-long run as one of the most influential … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on RIP, ARMPAC

Early voting: San Antonio and Dallas

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t paid any attention to the municipal races in San Antonio and Dallas – what can I say, there’s only so much bandwidth available. Unlike 2005, which featured a hot three-way race in the Alamo City, this one is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Targeting 2008: State Senate

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I spend a lot of time analyzing different types of races, for State House, for Congress, and for countywide offices. I do this because it’s where most of the action is. Since I first started to really follow this stuff … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 7 Comments

Define-A-Thon

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I confess, I’ve never understood the allure of spelling bees. I mean sure, they can be compelling enough as entertainment, but (and I say this as someone who is a good speller) who cares if you can memorize a bunch … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 1 Comment

News flash: Border wall still hated on the border

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

No surprises here. South Texas border mayors and economic leaders expressed anger and disappointment Monday after learning new details of the location of 153 miles of controversial fencing in and around border cities — including some downtown areas. ”I am … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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HB626 stalls, HB218 advances

Posted on May 1, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, HB626, in its original or “compromise” form, didn’t make it to the House floor yesterday. In this comment to his post that announced the “compromise”, Burka says the Secretary of State is “balking at the burdens the compromise would … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Early voting in New Braunfels

Posted on May 1, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to Houston and Farmer’s Branch, there’s an election of interest going on in New Braunfels, where irate tubers are attempting to recall New Braunfels City Council Member Ken Valentine, who has been the driving force behind most of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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State Auditor busts TxDOT

Posted on May 1, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t get to this yesterday, but Eye on Williamson was on it: The State Auditor released a report on TxDOT’s claimed funding gap. To sum it up, the way they calculate their much-trumpeted $86 billion shortfall is baloney. The accuracy … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The circle of life in Lobbyist Land

Posted on May 1, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Behold how the world works. The House’s second most powerful member inserted a provision in the budget last month that would all but guarantee a state contract for a company run by a former state official. The lawmaker, House Appropriations … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on The circle of life in Lobbyist Land