Monthly Archives: January 2013

When, Wendy?

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

When will Sen. Wendy Davis run for statewide office? Fortified by a convincing re-election victory, state Sen. Wendy Davis is resuming her role as a fierce critic of Republican-led education cuts as she enters her third regular session of the … Continue reading →

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More from the Larry Marshall files

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This guy is a piece of work. HISD trustee Larry Marshall, fresh off a two-day school board retreat, flew from Houston to Tampa, Fla., on a clear winter day to watch the 2009 Super Bowl in Raymond James Stadium. Cheap … Continue reading →

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One place where a little austerity would do some good

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Perry’s slush funds get no love in the opening budgets. The House and Senate’s initial two-year budgets would force Perry’s deal-closing Texas Enterprise Fund to exhaust its last $7 million and throttle back on state film incentives and subsidies … Continue reading →

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San Antonio strip club lawsuit

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re a lawyer representing strip clubs these days, you sure don’t lack for business. More than a dozen strip clubs have sued the city of San Antonio over amendments to ordinances requiring entertainers to wear bikinis, claiming the changes … Continue reading →

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January finance reports for Houston offices

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Previously, I gave the July campaign finance numbers for Houston elected officials who are eligible for the ballot this fall. Here now are the cash on hand figures from the January reports, with all incumbents and a few assorted extras … Continue reading →

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Last day of early voting in SD06 today

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the last day for early voting in the SD06 special election. Voting has not been terribly brisk so far. Through Monday there have been 7,178 total votes cast. You can see the daily figures here. Monday was a … Continue reading →

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Second attempt at Sunday liquor sales

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed. Democratic Rep. Senfronia Thompson filed a bill last week that proposed liquor stores be allowed to operate seven days a week. Under the current law, liquor stores may operate from Monday through Saturday from … Continue reading →

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You simply must see us this year

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The New York Times commands you. Houston is probably best known as the Texan center for energy and industry, but it’s making a bid to be the state’s cultural and culinary capital as well. The Houston Museum District is a … Continue reading →

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More on Hall’s announcement

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the full Chron story from the weekend about Ben Hall’s announcement that yes, he really is running for Mayor this year. “Hall is a formidable challenger but is a long shot to unseat the mayor,” University of Houston political … Continue reading →

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Looks like we’ll be waiting on SCOTUS for awhile

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: The Texas redistricting appeal wasn’t on the list of cases reviewed by the Justices at their screening conference today. With the passage of time – and the case not even being listed for review – the calendar now … Continue reading →

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Here come the tax cut proposals

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

When the sunny revenue forecast came in, we immediately got one crappy tax cut idea, to eliminate the margins tax at a cost of $4.5 billion. The Texas Association of Business didn’t care for the idea, at least at first, … Continue reading →

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Yale Street Bridge work set to begin

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good to hear. Work to rehabilitate the Yale Street Bridge south of Interstate 10 is scheduled to begin in April. According to the Houston Department of Public Works and Engineering, the process will involve installation of external carbon-strip reinforcement along … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for January 20

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Hail to the Chief, it’s the Chief that we are hailing… Woo hoo! Flying cars! About damn time. Google wind. That’s a noun, not a verb. How to not be a menace during cold and flu season. These eight words … Continue reading →

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Some things you can vaccinate against

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Saying dumb things isn’t one of them. As the council considered a proposal Wednesday to accept $3.1 million in federal funding for childhood immunizations, Councilman Jack Christie voiced his opposition to the measure, apparently conflating it with flu vaccinations. “I’m … Continue reading →

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Who gets the water?

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This will be worth watching. A simple idea has guided appropriations of Texas water for decades: First come, first served. Now, with drought conditions returning to almost the entire state, the principle is being put to the test by a … Continue reading →

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Green batteries

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is very cool. In one more step of a global effort to develop greener battery technology, researchers at Rice University say they have found a way to replace a costly metallic component in lithium-ion batteries with material from a … Continue reading →

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The Eagle Ford Shale UFO

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a UFO! Strange things are afoot in the South Texas oil patch and in the sky above. In a region that’s seen its tax rolls and traffic problems … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: No More I Love Yous

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Song #35 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “No More I Love Yous”, originally by The Lover Speaks and covered by Annie Lennox. Here’s the original: I’m familiar with the song because we have the Annie Lennox CD … Continue reading →

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Cornyn says relax, we won’t do it

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas’ senior Senator reassures us that Republicans won’t destroy the global economy in order to gain political leverage. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the Republican whip, said in Houston Thursday that Congress will not allow an impasse over raising the … Continue reading →

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Alexan Heights on Yale

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you live in my neck of the woods you’re probably interested in the news (via Swamplot) of the new apartment complex being planned for the empty lot on Yale between 6th and 7th. The RUDH January newsletter has details. … Continue reading →

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The epic fail of utility deregulation

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Surely no one is surprised by this. The winners and losers in the nation’s wave of utility deregulation are clear. The winners? Shareholders and executives. The losers? Customers and workers. Over a decade of deregulation, the frequency and duration of … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Inauguration 2

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s Inauguration 2 Weekend for President Obama. Here are a few suggested songs for the party playlist. 1. Back Where You Started – Tina Turner 2. Starting All Over Again – Mel & Tim 3. Serious Business – John Mellencamp … Continue reading →

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Hall is in

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on. Former Houston City Attorney Benjamin L. Hall III announced his candidacy for mayor Wednesday, choosing a slogan of “Hall for All!” and emphasizing his ability to unite people. Hall said he filed a form designating a campaign treasurer … Continue reading →

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Dewhurst and Nelson push Medicaid reform

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m reserving judgment on this for now. Lt. Gov David Dewhurst and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, on Wednesday touted Senate proposals they say would bring down spending on Medicaid, the state’s health program for the poor, by instituting quality-based … Continue reading →

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Where are the doctors?

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Morning News tries to verify that the Dallas-area providers listed for the new Texas Women’s Health Program are in fact providing health care services to the women in this program as advertised. It goes about as well as you’d … Continue reading →

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City pension funds make their case

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This deserves more visibility than it’s gotten. Representatives of Houston’s three employee pension boards told a Houston City Council committee Monday that the sky is not falling and pleaded with council members to be patient in examining the city’s pension … Continue reading →

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January reports for SD06 candidates

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Stace beat me to the punch in reporting on the January campaign finance reports for SD06, so I’ll have to one up him by being more obsessive thorough in bringing the numbers. So here we go. Seven of the eight … Continue reading →

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Abbott’s millions

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If there’s one thing Attorney General Greg Abbott is good at, it’s accumulating money. Fueling growing speculation of a bid for the Texas Governor’s Mansion, Attorney General Greg Abbott reported Tuesday he has amassed a campaign war chest of $18 … Continue reading →

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Like it or not, Obamacare is coming to Texas

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Better Texas blog reminds us that as the Affordable Care Act fully kicks in next year there are things that need to be done in Texas to be compliant [W]hat I hope to see are bills that prepare Texas … Continue reading →

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One more election for 2013

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There will be another special election in November to replace a departing member of the HCC Board of Trustees. The Houston Community College board will have two new faces after trustee Richard Schechter submitted his resignation and Mary Ann Perez … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of January 14

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is digging in for another long legislative session as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Meet the new budget

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Same as the old budget. Republican leaders in both chambers of the Legislature on Monday offered spare first drafts of the state’s next two-year budget that continue $5.4 billion in cuts to public education made last session and freeze funding … Continue reading →

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Baby Bush ready to claim his birthright

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Perhaps we should just skip straight to the coronation once George P. Bush figures out what office he wants. George Prescott Bush is gearing up to run for a little-known but powerful office in a state where his family already … Continue reading →

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Mental health court coup

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Citing problems with the administration of Harris County’s mental health court, a board of judges has ousted the court’s founder and presiding judge, Jan Krocker, officials confirmed Friday. “There were a lot of valid complaints about Judge Krocker’s administration … Continue reading →

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