Monthly Archives: December 2012

Hall inches closer to running

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

He’s still qualifying it, but Ben Hall sounds like a candidate for Mayor. Former city attorney Ben Hall says this time, he’s really ready to run for mayor. “I intend to be on the ballot, if the Lord gives me … Continue reading →

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Perry’s abortion obsession

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose the only surprise to this is that it’s taken him this long. Proclaiming his ultimate goal to eliminate abortion at any stage, Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday said he would back legislation to ban abortion in Texas after … Continue reading →

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The Hall of Fame and guilt by association

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

John Royal hits on one of the least admirable traits of Hall of Fame voters. There are some voters out there once again claiming that Jeff Bagwell used ‘roids, and these same folks are claiming that Craig Biggio used them … Continue reading →

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Don’t write off the University line

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Metro certainly hasn’t, judging by what they’re saying. “Dallas has almost 100 miles of light rail,” Metro board chairman Gilbert Garcia told a business luncheon Tuesday. “Certainly we can get to The Galleria.” What hasn’t been figured out, yet, is … Continue reading →

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SD06 special election date set

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Very glad to her it. Gov. Rick Perry today set Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, as the special election date to fill the Texas State Senate District 6 seat formerly held by the late Sen. Mario Gallegos. Candidates for this special … Continue reading →

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Planned Parenthood files another lawsuit

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Keeping the heat on the state. As a tumultuous year in women’s health draws to a close, Planned Parenthood is turning up the heat on Texas, today filing a new lawsuit that challenge the state’s move to ban the nonprofit … Continue reading →

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What can you get for $10,000?

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

You can now get a college degree – at some colleges, in some programs, if you’re lucky. Many were skeptical when Gov. Rick Perry last year challenged Texas public colleges and universities to offer degrees costing no more than $10,000. … Continue reading →

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Are vouchers unconstitutional?

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Attorney Kelly Frels makes the case that private school vouchers will not pass constitutional muster in Texas. State Sen. Dan Patrick has proposed that the state of Texas provide vouchers to help parents pay for private school tuition. Vouchers are … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of December 10

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is waiting for Rick Perry to call the special election in SD06 as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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All or nothing on Medicaid expansion

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Partial Medicaid expansion, in whatever the form, will not be an option. “Consistent with the law, there is not an option for enhanced match for a partial or phased in Medicaid expansion,” acting Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator … Continue reading →

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What will Doggett do?

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Does Rep. Lloyd Doggett want his old district back or not? The congressional and legislative districts used in this year’s elections were temporary maps drawn by panel of federal judges in San Antonio. The maps were designed to be used … Continue reading →

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And it begins in SD06

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’m only going to do this kind of post once, because I agree with Rick Noriega that the special election in SD06 needs to be about the issues and leadership, not just for that district but for the state as … Continue reading →

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City settles with Treasures, county still on the case

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Prominent strip club Treasures, hauled into court as an alleged public nuisance and haven for crime by city and county attorneys seven months ago, has agreed to put $100,000 in a nuisance abatement fund as part … Continue reading →

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

Is there more redistricting for Texas in the cards?

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The short answer is it depends. For the most part, Republicans are content to keep the interim map used for the 2012 elections — if the courts allow it. “I don’t sense a lot of anxiousness from either the state … Continue reading →

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Simpson in, Hughes out to challenge Straus for Speaker

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It started with an announcement that Rep. David Simpson would make the Speaker’s race a three-way, which I assure you sounds dirtier than it actually is. Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, filed papers to run for Speaker of the House, he … Continue reading →

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How the so-called “fiscal cliff” might affect Texas

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

There is of course a very simple way to avoid this. If President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans cannot avoid tripping off the edge of the so-called fiscal cliff, then the Texas budget could be more than $1 billion short … Continue reading →

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I’ll continue to demonize the payday lending industry, thanks

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Lawrence Meyers, a shill for the payday lending industry, has a sad. [Loren] Steffy claims in his blog post (“Will lawmakers finally rein in paydayl lenders,” chron.com) that PDLs are “inherently predatory,” yet a loan cannot be predatory if choices … Continue reading →

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The Lege does not need term limits

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a silly idea, and no time should be wasted on it. State Rep. Lyle Larson has filed a proposal to let Texans vote on whether to limit to 12 years the time state officials may serve in one position. … Continue reading →

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From the “Babies and other hazards of sex” department

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Donna Howard has more tact than I do. When state lawmakers passed a two-year budget in 2011 that moved $73 million from family planning services to other programs, the goal was largely political: halt the flow of taxpayer dollars … Continue reading →

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City wins Census recount

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s official: The city of Houston really did have 2.1 million people as of the 2010 Census. The U.S. Census Bureau has adjusted the city’s 2010 population from 2,099,451 to 2,100,263. The difference is only 812 people, but it’s enough … Continue reading →

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The dollar coin is an idea that just won’t die

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It keeps turning up like a bad penny, as it were. American consumers have shown about as much appetite for the $1 coin as kids do their spinach. They may not know what’s best for them either. Congressional auditors say … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for December 9

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

“In the great green-certified room There was a smartphone And a silver spoon And a picture of— A high-contrast, brain-stimulating black-and-white moon” What being a graduate student in math has to do with vacuuming cats. “Immaterial goods turn out to … Continue reading →

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More on the status of Houston’s bike sharing

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron’s paysite: The expansion is a few months behind schedule, said Laura Spanjian, Houston’s sustainability director. She said federal reviews required under the $116,000 grant to start the bike-sharing program, and state historic preservation approvals for the locations, … Continue reading →

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What’s $2 billion among friends?

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Easy come, easy go, am I right? If Texas leaders turn down the federal health law’s Medicaid expansion, they will reject a $2 billion annual revenue stream for the state’s hospitals, according to Dan Mendelson, CEO and founder of Avalere … Continue reading →

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Recreating a Galapagos tortoise?

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

How amazing would this be? Lonesome George, the late reptile prince of the Galapagos Islands, may be dead, but scientists now say he may not be the last giant tortoise of his species after all. Researchers say they may be … Continue reading →

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Rick Noriega statement on SD06 special election

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The following was sent to the SEIU Screening Council by Rick Noriega in response to a request that he screen with them for SD06. He shared it with me for publication here: December 8, 2012 SEIU Screening Committee SEIU Texas … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: La Bamba

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Song #40 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “La Bamba”, originally by Ritchie Valens, and covered by Los Lobos. Here’s the original: And here’s the Los Lobos cover: Very similar, and deliberately so since they recorded it for … Continue reading →

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Still waiting for Perry to call the special election

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Patti Hart reviews the bidding. On Tuesday, Jan. 8, your elected representative and senator will convene under the state Capitol’s distinctive pink granite dome in Austin for the first day of the 83rd session of the Texas Legislature. That is, … Continue reading →

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Germantown gets historic designation

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations to what may be the last historic district created in the city of Houston. The first historic district created under a stricter rewrite of Houston’s preservation ordinance passed City Council on Wednesday, though conservationists predicted future districts will be … Continue reading →

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Save those seeds

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

What would have been worse than the drought and the wildfires in Central Texas that wiped out millions of trees? Not having the wherewithal to properly reforest afterward. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, but it was a closer call than you’d … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: For the ladies, part 8

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We come to the end of our lady lists. 1. Roxanne – The Police 2. Sally Goodin – Hot Club of Cowtown 3. Sally Goodin – The Chieftains 4. Sally Simpson – The Who 5. Sister Fatima – Don McLean … Continue reading →

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Plaintiffs rest their case in school finance lawsuit

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Phase one is over. Hundreds of districts suing the state over its school finance system wrapped up their case Wednesday with testimony that largely blamed the Legislature for creating the current funding crisis that stripped away an unprecedented $5.4 billion … Continue reading →

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On the Parking Benefit District

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

A proposed ordinance to create a parking benefit district in the Washington Avenue corridor was on Council’s agenda this week, but it was tagged and will wait a week while everyone gets up to speed on it. District C Council … Continue reading →

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The hospitality industry industry’s effect on the economy

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I had the opportunity recently to attend a presentation by the Greater Houston Restaurant Association (GHRA) of a study they sponsored of the economic impact of the hospitality industry in Harris County. Here’s the high level view: The study found … Continue reading →

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