Monthly Archives: June 2011

Amazon versus the states

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Street takes a look at the national picture of Amazon’s battles with states over collecting sales taxes. In the past, Amazon has been protected by a 1992 Supreme Court ruling (Quill Corporation v. North Dakota) that prohibits a state … Continue reading →

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New drainage fee structure announced

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Mayor’s office. Mayor Annise Parker today instructed the director of the Houston Department of Public Works and Engineering to adjust drainage fees for every property owner required to pay the fee. The adjustment will be accomplished by reducing … Continue reading →

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House Republicans still going after education

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Amazing. Republicans again tried to take away a Democratic victory today. This time, Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, was successful as he pushed for a motion to instruct conferees to strip the spirit of an eduction-related amendment by Rep. Donna Howard, … Continue reading →

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Two other views of Texas redistricting

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a fascinating paper from the Harvard Election Data Archive that attempts to project how many Congressional seats each party will win based on statewide performance. Based on the 2008 presidential election results, twenty-two of the twenty-three current Republican members … Continue reading →

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“Sanctuary cities” bill passes the Senate

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Once it was added to the call, this became inevitable. Senate Republicans finally passed a priority issue for their party early Wednesday morning when they outmuscled their Democratic colleagues on an immigration-related bill intended to make it easier for law … Continue reading →

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On tithing and faith

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve seen this Chron article about Rick Perry’s ungenerous giving to his church shared all over Facebook since it was published, usually accompanied by a healthy dose a schadenfreude. I’m not particularly interested in jumping on that bandwagon, as I … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of June 13

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is wishing — not praying — for rain as it brings you the week’s roundup of the best blog posts from last week.

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Plans from an alternate universe: The Alonzo plan

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s my third entry in the the Redistricting Plans From An Alternate Universe series. So far, we’ve seen the Veasey-West proposal and the Gallegos plan and Uresti amendment. Today I have what I consider to be the most interesting map … Continue reading →

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CM Jones speaks about the OIG report

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

She didn’t say much, however. Councilwoman Jolanda Jones said Monday she believes she “will have acted within the acceptable standards of conduct” once all the facts are out concerning an Office of Inspector General investigation that found she used city … Continue reading →

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Is now the time for the Wentworth redistricting bill?

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Postcards says “Maybe”, but I remain skeptical. In both 2005 and 2007, the state Senate approved a bill to establish a Texas Congressional Redistricting Commission, in part to remove the contentious and partisan process from the plate of the state … Continue reading →

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Since we’ve been speaking of drainage

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Meanwhile, over in Washington Heights, Ainbinder is doing a commissioning a study of streets and drainage. It’s their second study, as apparently they didn’t like what the first one told them. Go read They Are Building A Wal-Mart On My … Continue reading →

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East End community meeting to consider Harrisburg grade separation

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: East End community meeting to consider Harrisburg grade separation Wednesday, June 15 Union Pacific’s East Belt rail subdivision is one of the busiest in the city, carrying more than 30 freight trains a day through Houston’s East … Continue reading →

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House approves Congressional map

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Once again, that was quick. Rejecting charges that the GOP plan to redraw congressional district boundaries discriminates against minorities and punishes Austin, the Texas House just tentatively approved the partisan plan 93-48. The new map in a revised Senate Bill … Continue reading →

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Plans from an alternate universe: Uresti and Gallegos

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing with the Redistricting Plans From An Alternate Universe series, we’ve seen the Veasey-West proposal, now here are two more from the Senate debate. First, we have Sen. Carlos Uresti, who presented an amendment to Plan C136 that was aimed … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed against sonogram bill

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Center for Reproductive Rights, a national abortion-rights advocacy group, has filed suit over Texas’ newly-signed abortion sonogram law, alleging it violates the First Amendment rights of the doctor and the patient. […] The suit, Texas Medical Providers Performing … Continue reading →

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When winning means not getting pulverized

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

By that measure, this was a good session for environmentalists. For environmental activists, the legislative session looked to be a grim one as it got under way in January. Keen on regulating businesses, they had feared that a body empowered … Continue reading →

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Abbott takes his pro-pollution crusade to a new front

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is the sort of thing our Attorney General thinks is worth fighting for. Expanding on the push-and-pull between Washington and Texas on environmental regulation, the state’s attorney general has called federal regulations meant to cut greenhouse gases from auto … Continue reading →

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The reason why some anti-immigration legislation didn’t pass this session

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

According to teabagger Rebecca Frost, the problem was too many Hispanic legislators. This is what she had to say at a rally in Austin yesterday: There’s a lot of wind noise that makes it hard to hear exactly what she’s … Continue reading →

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Plans from an alternate universe: The Veasey-West plan

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Congressional redistricting, which took so long that it couldn’t be done during the regular session, has zipped through the special session, thanks in no small part to the virtual elimination of public testimony. At this point, the full House needs … Continue reading →

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MLB realignment?

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is interesting. A simple form of realignment being seriously considered has been raised in the labor talks between Major League Baseball and the players’ association, according to four sources: two leagues of 15 teams, rather than the current … Continue reading →

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More pushback on Perry’s choice of prayer partner

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Glad to see it. Gov. Rick Perry’s Aug. 6 day of prayer and fasting at Reliant Stadium is generating significant heat nationwide, with critics protesting the exclusively Christian focus of the event and Perry’s partnership with the controversial American Family … Continue reading →

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Same schism, next verse

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not surprised that there exist other GOP activists besides the usual Bob Perry/Bill Hammond/business interests types that aren’t happy with their party’s recent anti-immigrant/anti-Hispanic fixation. Nor am I surprised that like their business-oriented counterparts they haven’t figured out what … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for June 12

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

How many weeks till school starts again? Never has the phrase “The jokes just write themselves” been more true. Sarah Palin really doesn’t know much about history. My Internet routine is similar to this, though with email and social networks … Continue reading →

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Eissler changes class size bill

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Hair Balls was first with the news. Rep. Rob Eissler (R- The Woodlands) whose House Bill 18 wanted to move the state to a cap of 25 students in each classroom, [Friday] instead made a floor substitution which only mildly … Continue reading →

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Sullivan files complaint against Jones

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And the process gets started. A day after declaring he would not do so, Houston City Councilman Mike Sullivan filed a complaint against Councilwoman Jolanda Jones, seeking possible discipline following the release of an Office of Inspector General report that … Continue reading →

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HISD rejects uniform start time

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I must say, I’m glad to see this. The Houston school board Thursday rejected a cost-cutting plan to change campus bell schedules next year after families complained about the disruption to their daily routines and their children’s sleep habits. Objections … Continue reading →

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Beer solidarity

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. Small businesses like Ziggy’s Bar & Grill and Kata Robata have scratched Bud Light from their menus and have spread the word through social media, as response to HB 602’s recent death at the hands of Anheuser-Busch. … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: The Magnited States of America, where you are FREE to TEXT in a THE-A-TER

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In case you haven’t seen it yet, another reason to love the Alamo Drafthouse: I wonder if this girl has figured out yet what a spectacle she has made of herself. CNN’s Anderson Cooper picked up on it the other … Continue reading →

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House passes budget

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The main objective of the special session has now been accomplished. But not before one of the House’s biggest homophobes nearly derailed it on Thursday. Lengthy debate on a key budget bill featured many retreads of contentious topics from the … Continue reading →

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Metro still trying to figure out Airport Direct

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good news: Ridership on Metro’s Airport Direct service is way up. Bad news: Thanks to the reduced fare, revenue is down. Launched in 2008, Airport Direct has always lost money. The service costs about $1.9 million a year to operate, … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Studewood highrise update

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot and Prime Property give us a look at what is to come for that six-story mixed-use building that’s currently under construction on Studewood just north of 11th. Well, what may come, as Swamplot’s choose-your-own-adventure photo spread indicates. I figured … Continue reading →

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Bill in US Senate to make Amazon pay sales taxes

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As someone who believes that online retailers like Amazon should collect sales taxes and who believes that federal action will be needed to make that happen, I’m glad to see this. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says he plans … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Songs of the Century, part 5

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing with songs in my collection from the Songs of the Century as compiled by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. 1. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor (#89) 2. Shake, Rattle and Roll … Continue reading →

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House Redistricting committee approves modified Congressional map

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Even quicker than the Senate committee. The Texas House Redistricting Committee approved a new version of the Congressional map that makes a few tweaks, mainly in North and South Texas. But the overall goal remains the same: Maintain and expand … Continue reading →

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