Monthly Archives: June 2011

Inspector General cites CM Jones

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Ouch. Houston City Councilwoman Jolanda Jones used city employees to help run her personal law practice and instructed her staff not to meet with investigators looking into her alleged misconduct, the city’s inspector general has determined. For three of the … Continue reading →

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The Empty Lot Primary

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is an awesome idea. A political consultant is launching a Web site aimed shaming political candidates into limiting the posting of signs to addresses where the residents actually endorse their candidacies. Greg Wythe’s emptylotprimary.tumblr.com invites people to submit photos of campaign signs … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of June 6

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance congratulates all of the new high school and college graduates as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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House defies Perry over Amazon and sales taxes

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is a pleasant surprise. Breaking with Gov. Rick Perry, the Texas House today refused to kill a provision that aims to tighten the state’s rules on when online retailers like Amazon.com must collect sales taxes. The vote could force … Continue reading →

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

Republicans admit that the Rainy Day fund has been spent

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure you’ve heard Rick Perry and other Republicans talk about how they’ve “balanced” the budget without tapping into the Rainy Day fund. I’m sure you’ll be surprised to hear that they’re lying. Republicans have given up any pretense that … Continue reading →

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Eight, not five

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker says that initial estimates of how much the average homeowner would pay for the new drainage fee were understated. Mayor Annise Parker acknowledged Tuesday that her administration erred in telling voters that the average homeowner’s monthly Proposition 1 … Continue reading →

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Senate approves teacher furlough bill

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Another divisive bill, another party-line vote. Legislation allowing school districts to reduce teacher pay and furlough them — to help absorb big budget cuts — sailed through the Texas Senate on Monday with a straight party-line vote. Lawmakers are working … Continue reading →

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The Cottage Food Law was adopted

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I received the following email from Kelley Masters of the Texas Cottage Food Law group late last week: After a roller coaster of a session, the cottage food bill ended up getting attached as an amendment to SB 81 in … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Be careful who you pray with

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the “Lie down with dogs” department: Gov. Rick Perry, who has made economic populism the cornerstone of his political ambition in Texas, has jumped headfirst into America’s culture war as he ponders whether to run for president of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

House approves Medicaid changes

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to know what the effect of this will be. Texas lawmakers passed major changes to Medicaid on Wednesday that would privatize the health program in South Texas and allow the formation of health care cooperatives. The 142-page measure is … Continue reading →

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WaPo on Texas redistricting

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Fix makes a few curious statements about the proposed Congressional redistricting map for Texas. Despite the Lonestar State voting 55 percent for Republicans in the 2008 presidential race, the GOP-controlled legislature’s proposed map features 26 districts that went for … Continue reading →

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HISD contemplates a tax increase

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

They’re not saying it explicitly yet, but the inference is clear. Houston ISD board president Paula Harris said today that raising property taxes, dipping into the district’s savings account and suing the state over school finance inequities are all possibilities. … Continue reading →

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May elections

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the Lege passed a bill that would have the effect of moving the date for primary runoffs into May. This is causing heartburn for cities like Austin that hold their municipal elections in May of even numbered … Continue reading →

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HCC redistricting update

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The last of the HCC public meetings on redistricting is tonight at 7 at HCC – Northeast College (map here), so those of you that are into that sort of thing should make plans to attend. There is now a … Continue reading →

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Perry adds “sanctuary cities” to the special session

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I wasn’t sure if this would happen or not. I guess you can never pander to the base too much. Gov. Rick Perry has added controversial immigration and homeland security measures to the agenda for the special legislative session that … Continue reading →

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Updated Seliger-Solomons numbers

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I had previously run the numbers for the new Congressional districts in the Seliger-Solomons plan. Now that we’ve gone from Plan C125 to Plan C130, let’s see what they look like now. Here’s a side-by-side comparison, with the districts grouped … Continue reading →

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About that Rainy Day fund

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Peggy Fikac puts it in perspective. Why are state GOP leaders so firmly against spending more money from the rainy day fund for public education? As some explain with increasing clarity, it’s because budget writers have all but spent it … Continue reading →

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HISD to vote on changing school start and end time changes

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Those of you with kids in HISD schools, take note. To save an estimated $1.2 million, HISD officials are considering standardizing the times that schools start and end, prompting protests from parents worried about teenagers nodding off in class or … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

You may say to yourself “Well, how did I get here?”

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

What’s missing from this story? The city of Houston’s budget crisis that has resulted in 747 employees getting pink slips last month and likely will close pools and community centers did not happen overnight. It has been brewing for the … Continue reading →

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Senate approves Congressional map

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

On to the House. A new redistricting map, drawn to promote and protect Republican interests in the U.S. Congress, sailed out of the GOP-led state Senate Monday. The map, predictably approved 18-12 along strict party lines, would give Republicans a … Continue reading →

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House Appropriations follows Senate, passes SB1

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The grim march of the inevitable takes another step. The House Appropriations Committee voted along party lines on Saturday to recommend a controversial plan to reduce public education spending by at least $4 billion, cuts which hundreds of Texans later … Continue reading →

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Wendy Davis profile

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib profiles State Sen. Wendy Davis. It’s a good read. The filibuster was a defining moment for Davis, a twice-divorced single mother who had her first daughter as a teenager, was the first in her family to go to … Continue reading →

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Smoking ban lives again

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Never say never when the Lege is in session. The House Appropriations Committee voted 19-1 to recommend their colleagues approve HB 46, designed to stop secondhand smoke from polluting the air and lungs for others. “It’s the No. 1 public … Continue reading →

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What do they have against food?

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Lunch Tray is peeved. The Associated Press reports that late Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee approved an agriculture appropriations bill which would essentially gut all of the recent, hard-won legislative victories to improve the health of Americans, especially children. … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for June 5

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Happy day-before-your-birthday, Olivia! Don’t be surprised if a lot of school superintendents bail out in the coming months. Maybe electing judges isn’t such a bad idea after all. An analysis of the parenting styles in the “Twilight” books. I’m not … Continue reading →

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Who’s running for what where?

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Chris Cillizza notes an old familiar face who’s back on the scene. Former Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas) is running again after losing his seat to businessman Francisco Canseco (R) last fall. Rodriguez won the seat in an 2006 special election, … Continue reading →

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Are we really still looking for an NHL team?

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Haven’t seen this pop up in awhile. Fans purchased more than 17,000 tickets to watch the Aeros split the first two games of the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup finals against Binghamton at Toyota Center on Friday and Saturday. The … Continue reading →

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Deal to sell Center Street recycling center delayed

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to the Convention Center deal, the proposed sale of the Center Street recycling facility for $2 million was also on Council’s agenda for Wednesday. Two years ago the city had planned to sell the center and relocate it … Continue reading →

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Charge your cellphone wirelessly

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. San Antonio-based Pree Corp. is developing multiple technologies, including one that would pluck wireless transmissions from the air and convert the energy to power mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and MP3 players. Rudy De La Garza, the company’s … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: No more teachers’ dirty looks

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday was the last day of class for the Houston Independent School District. You know what that means: I’m trying to think of a performer who’s more in his element when surrounded by Muppets than Alice Cooper, and I can’t … Continue reading →

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Seliger-Solomons 2.0

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Go to http://gis1.tlc.state.tx.us and have a gander at Plan C130 to see the version of the Seliger-Solomons Congressional plan that was passed last night by the Senate redistricting committee. The biggest changes are in and around Harris County, mostly due … Continue reading →

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Senate Finance committee does its thing again

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I wouldn’t call the pace of this special session “fast”, but they do have the ball rolling, starting with the Senate Finance committee as they re-approve a budget, or at least a budget figure. The Senate Finance Committee voted 10-1 … Continue reading →

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A short post about airport WiFi

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport now has free WiFi service. Maybe after the Terminal B construction is finally done, IAH can have it, too.

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Start ’em young

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Jordan Lyles, whom the Astros hope will be a big piece of their future, has arrived. The Astros took an injury to lefthander Wandy Rodriguez as a cue to summon Lyles to make his first major league start tonight against … Continue reading →

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