Monthly Archives: November 2013

Three questions for the runoffs

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There are eight runoff elections on the ballot in Houston – two At Large Council races, three District Council races, and three HCC Trustee races. As we transition into runoff mode, there are three questions on my mind for the … Continue reading →

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Not in a rush about the Dome after all

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll get to deciding what to do with the Dome when we get to it. Harris County leaders are in no rush to decide what to do with the Astrodome, leaving the empty and decaying stadium to languish further following … Continue reading →

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How Dave Wilson campaigned

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From KHOU: Dave Wilson chuckles as he talks about his unorthodox political campaign. “I’d always said it was a long shot,” Wilson says. “No, I didn’t expect to win.” Still, he figured he’d have fun running, because he was fed … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS to review request to reinstate injunction against HB2

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s never a good thing to have one’s fate in Justice Scalia’s hands, but that’s where we are. State attorneys filed a response on Tuesday to abortion providers’ request for the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in the ongoing legal … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The Dome and the jail

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Now that precinct data is out, the Chron has an updated take on what sunk the Astrodome referendum. Overall, 53.4 percent of Harris County voters rejected the bond issue that would have renovated the long-vacant Dome into a convention and … Continue reading →

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Meet Richard Nguyen

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Council Member-elect in District F is little known outside the district. From the opaque world of local Vietnamese politics comes a story as old as American politics, as inspiring as a Frank Capra movie, as bittersweet as the lost … Continue reading →

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It always comes down to the IT guys

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The joint processing center that’s on the Harris County ballot this year will need a new computer system to fully realize its gains. The so-called “jail management system,” which the Sheriff’s Office hopes will be up and running at least … Continue reading →

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Piling on Judge Pratt

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, an awful lot of lawyers have it in for Judge Denise Pratt, and they wrote all about it in a letter sent to other lawyers asking them to call on her to resign. The letter, signed by 32 prominent … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Mayoral race

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Precinct data arrived late on Friday, so you know what that means. I’ll be taking a look at all of the races this week. Let’s start with the main event, the Mayor’s race. Dist Drab Dick Cook Keryl Hall Parker … Continue reading →

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What next in Pasadena?

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Just waiting on the lawsuit at this point. There have been other elections in Pasadena with closer results, but not many. After all of the votes were counted in Tuesday’s (November 5) Charter Amendment election, Proposition One: “Shall the City … Continue reading →

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Empty benches

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It would be nice to have some more federal judges here in Texas. Saying that Texas has more vacant federal judgeships than any other state, leaders from state and national liberal advocacy organizations on Monday called on U.S. Sens. Ted … Continue reading →

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The Chron keeps trying to talk to Ted Cruz

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s kind of cute, and probably about as effective as my efforts to talk to my dog. When U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, stands before the Greater Houston Partnership tomorrow morning to deliver his “State of the Senate” address, he’ll … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for November 10

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The 2014 filing season is now officially open. Sometimes, finding nothing is really something. Hopefully, this Captain James Kirk won’t encounter any Klingons. “Getting injured while having sex on a business trip does not qualify you for workers’ comp benefits.” … Continue reading →

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Ken Anderson accepts a plea deal

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Some closure in the Michael Morton case. Former Williamson County State District Judge Ken Anderson, who oversaw the wrongful murder conviction of Michael Morton as a prosecutor, was sentenced to nine days in jail on Friday and will surrender his … Continue reading →

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Of course Wendy Davis needs to talk about health care

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not even a question. In order for Davis to defeat Attorney General Greg Abbott, her likely Republican opponent next November, political strategists say she needs to win big among two key demographics: Hispanics and white women. Among Hispanics in … Continue reading →

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A lot of people wanted a piece of the Dome

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunately, most came away empty-handed. Wearing a floppy orange hat and an Astros baseball shirt, Dene Hofheinz grabbed a front-row seat for Saturday’s auction of iconic items from the domed stadium her father built more than four decades ago. She … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: I’ll be in Scotland afore ye

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Have you ever heard the expression “You take the high road, and I’ll take the low road”, and wondered where it came from? It’s from a traditional song called “Loch Lomond”. Coverville had a great version of it recently. I … Continue reading →

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Steve Brown confirms he’s in for RRC

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s official. Late Thursday, Steve Brown, the former chairman of the Fort Bend County Democrats, announced his candidacy to join the three-member Railroad Commission, the powerful agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, pipelines and natural gas utilities. He … Continue reading →

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Theories abound about why the Dome referendum failed

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus said the outcome of both county bond propositions, as well as the Katy stadium, is indicative of resistance among conservative voters to big-ticket spending items … Continue reading →

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Maybe there’s a problem with building roads where there are no drivers

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The high speed toll road keeps having problems relating to not having enough paying customers. SH 130 has not been the immediate success story its backers had hoped. Last week, lower-than-expected traffic revenue prompted credit ratings firm Moody’s Investors Service … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Themeless again

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Some weeks are more random than others. 1. MLF Lullaby – Tom Lehrer 2. Wild Night – Van Morrison 3. Lone Pilgrim – Big Medicine 4. My City of Ruins – Bruce Springsteen 5. Down The Dolce Vita – Peter … Continue reading →

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So what happens now with the Dome?

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s mostly dead, but I suppose it’s not all dead just yet. The board of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corp., the county agency that runs Reliant Park, passed a resolution in April saying that if a vote were … Continue reading →

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Van de Putte update

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Senator Leticia Van de Putte was at an Annie’s List event for Sen. Wendy Davis in San Antonio on Monday, and while the attention was on Davis, everyone wanted to know what was up with Van de Putte, too. Davis … Continue reading →

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Ousted HCC Trustee Bruce Austin seeks recount

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise, but don’t hold out much hope. Longtime Houston Community College Board Trustee Bruce Austin on Wednesday said he will request a recount after narrowly losing his District 2 seat to his challenger in Tuesday’s election. Small business owner … Continue reading →

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Bringing sriracha to Denton

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It could happen. It’s not exactly trending — not yet, anyhow — but #Sriracha2Denton is a thing, thanks to a Denton City Council member who smells an opportunity in the wake of a Southern California dust-up involving the beloved hot … Continue reading →

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What’s on the agenda for Mayor Parker in her third term

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Now that Mayor Parker has been safely re-elected, with a better-than-expected margin, what does she plan to do from here? A triumphant Parker on Tuesday lauded her “decisive” victory but quickly shifted her focus to the coming two years, listing … Continue reading →

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Why stealth campaigns can work

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story about the HCC Trustee election results. See if you can spot what’s missing. A total of 13 candidates, including the four incumbents, vied for the five open seats on the nine-member board. Many ran on a … Continue reading →

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Texas Supreme Court hears gay divorce case

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like a slam dunk to me, but who knows what our Supreme Court will do. Two same-sex couples who were legally married in Massachusetts urged the state Supreme Court on Tuesday to allow them to get divorced in Texas. … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of November 4

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance falls back once a year but is ever moving forward as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Election results: Houston

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Annise Parker easily won re-election, collecting over 57% of the vote in Harris County to beat Ben Hall by nearly thirty points, and far exceeding the expectations of most observers going into Election Day. I personally thought she had … Continue reading →

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Election results: Harris County

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The big story: RIP, Astrodome. A $217 million bond measure to fund a massive Astrodome renovation failed by several percentage points, a decision expected to doom it to the wrecking ball. Proposition 2 would have allowed Harris County to issue … Continue reading →

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PPP: Abbott leads Davis, 50-35

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The polls giveth, and the polls taketh away. PPP’s newest poll of next year’s race for Governor of Texas finds Republican Greg Abbott expanding his lead over Democrat Wendy Davis. Abbott now has a 15 point advantage at 50/35. That’s … Continue reading →

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Election results: Texas

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Short and sweet: All nine constitutional amendments passed, all by substantial margins. Here’s The Observer on Prop 6. The Texas Water Development Board will now oversee a $2 billion water bank, seeded with capital from the Rainy Day Fund, to … Continue reading →

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UT/TT poll has Davis trailing Abbott by five

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I know today is Election Day 2013, but for better or worse much of the attention lately has been about the 2014 elections. Filing season begins later this week, and we now have a new poll result suggesting that the … Continue reading →

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