Monthly Archives: February 2017

The “border adjustment tax” is a sales tax increase by another name

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s a feature, not a bug. Retailers across Texas and the country are warning that a proposed border adjustment tax would increase the cost of imports and, by extension, the price of food, clothing and other consumer goods. Texas companies, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The NBA is keeping an eye on SB6, too

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’d be shocked if they weren’t. While lauding the work of New Orleans to take on the NBA All-Star game after the league pulled its events from Charlotte because of House Bill 2, which limited anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The NBA is keeping an eye on SB6, too

Weekend link dump for February 19

Posted on February 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Robocop was way ahead of its time, and it’s eerie how accurate a reflection of society it now is. Foreign students tend to pay full tuition at American universities, which helps subsidize things for everyone else. So having fewer of … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

The legal case against the “sanctuary cities” bill

Posted on February 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Ken Paxton says that the so-called “sanctuary cities” bill meets legal muster, and the state won’t get sued to smithereens if it passes. Not all lawyers agree with that. The office of the Texas Attorney General can no better predict … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

AG’s office sanctioned in voter registration lawsuit

Posted on February 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They were warned. A federal judge has ordered sanctions against the state of Texas for blowing past deadlines and ignoring a court order to hand over thousands of pages of documents in a lawsuit challenging its voter registration practices. Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on AG’s office sanctioned in voter registration lawsuit

How the Legislature is raising your property taxes

Posted on February 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

RG Ratcliffe explains it all to you: Just how much money does the increased appraisal on property in your school district and elsewhere save the state budget writers? The projection is $1.5 billion for the next two-year budget. And where … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How the Legislature is raising your property taxes

As goes Tarrant

Posted on February 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib ponders the one big urban county that is not like the others. Among the state’s five biggest counties, Tarrant is the only one that hasn’t backed a Democratic presidential candidate in the past decade. The 2016 presidential election … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on As goes Tarrant

Saturday video break: Only You Know And I Know

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the versatile Dave Mason doing an acoustic version of one of his better known songs: Mason was an original member of Traffic and went on to have a long solo career, often collaborating with other artists. He’s one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: Only You Know And I Know

We may be voting on pension obligation bonds

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, boy. A state lawmaker carrying Houston’s pension reform bill says her version of the proposal will require a public referendum on a $1 billion cash infusion central to the negotiations, an idea Mayor Sylvester Turner called a “poison pill” … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Twice the trials, twice the fun

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Paxton special prosecutors want to separate the charges into two trials. Special prosecutors said Thursday they would like to try Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton first on charges he failed to register as an investment advisor, pushing a lengthy … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Twice the trials, twice the fun

FBI and IRS raid Sen. Carlos Uresti’s office

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s never a good thing. FBI and IRS agents raided the San Antonio law offices of state Sen. Carlos Uresti on Thursday morning — confiscating documents and other items. A law enforcement source told the the San Antonio Express-News, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on FBI and IRS raid Sen. Carlos Uresti’s office

Popovich for Governor

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This site was set up by a Facebook friend of mine. Right now, all that’s there is a form to fill out to exhort Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to run for Governor, plus links to buy Pop-for-Governor T-shirts. I doubt … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 33

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

My library votes 3-2 in favor of not having an “H” in “Sara(h)”. 1. Rare Find – Sara Melson 2. Sweetness Follows – Sara Quin featuring Kaki King 3. The Pins – Sara Radle 4. Fallen – Sarah McLachlan 5. … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 33

Again, there is no such thing as an acceptable bathroom bill

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The current strategy for Dan Patrick in trying to round up support for, or at least blunt opposition to, his bathroom bill is to claim that it will contain exceptions for sports venues, so no one needs to worry about … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ogg launches her pot prosecution reform program

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve been waiting for this. The Harris County district attorney’s plan to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana drew reactions swift and strong Thursday from both sides of the debate. District Attorney Kim Ogg made the announced Thursday backed by a … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Paxton files brief in favor of Muslim ban

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Because of course he does. Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an amicus brief Wednesday expressing his support of President Donald Trump’s travel ban, effectively becoming the first state attorney general to back the controversial executive order. Under the executive order, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Pasadena won’t fight election order

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The May election in Pasadena will proceed under the pre-redistricting eight-district Council map. The city of Pasadena will not fight an appellate court ruling over its election system, a decision that will allow the upcoming May council elections to proceed … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

HCDP Chair Q&A: Lillie Schechter

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: I have sent out a brief Q&A to all of the announced HCDP Chair candidates for whom I could find contact information. I will run the responses I get in the order I receive them. While only precinct chairs … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on HCDP Chair Q&A: Lillie Schechter

More on the Whitmire Astrodome bill

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I still don’t care for this. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett voiced concern Tuesday that a bill filed by a veteran state senator jeopardizes the county’s plan to revitalize the Astrodome, adding that county representatives would continue to try to … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Abbott shakes fist at NFL

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Seriously? Gov. Greg Abbott is blasting the NFL for raising the prospect that Texas’ so-called “bathroom bill” could impact future events in the state — wading into a debate he has so far mostly steered clear of. “The NFL is … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of February 13

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance declares that the number of the counting shall be three (to zero) as it brings you this week’s roundup. Off the Kuff looked at the Congressional seats the DCCC says it will target in 2018. Libby … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of February 13

Castro will let his Senate plans be known soon

Posted on February 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Allow six to eight weeks for delivery. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said Saturday that he will decide in eight weeks whether to run in 2018 for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Sen. Ted Cruz. Castro set … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Castro will let his Senate plans be known soon

Turns out a little budget flexibility is a good thing

Posted on February 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Some lessons have to be learned the hard way. More than a year after Texas voters approved routing billions in state sales taxes to roads and bridges, some lawmakers are questioning whether the first payment of $5 billion should move … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Artists against SB6

Posted on February 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’m glad to see this, but I have some questions. More than 135 musicians and artists are joining the chorus of opposition against Texas’ so-called “bathroom bill.” Singers and other artists including Lady Gaga, Cyndi Lauper, Alicia Keys have signed … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Artists against SB6

The border tax effect on your food

Posted on February 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

You’re gonna pay more. Any questions? The idea of a tariff on Mexican imports or a radical change to the North American Free Trade Agreement — another Trump promise — worries many Texas agriculture industry leaders, who say it is … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The people who would have been denied the opportunity to vote in 2016

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There were a lot of them. At least 16,400 Texans who voted in the November election wouldn’t have been able to cast ballots if the state’s voter identification law had been in full effect, state voting records show. […] Through … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Harris County really needs to settle that bail practices lawsuit

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Enough already. Two Houston-based lawmakers called on Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan Friday to dismiss an attorney hired to represent county judges in a federal civil rights lawsuit, after that attorney claimed in a hearing that many people jailed in … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Houston’s tourism business

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

People like to spend money here. In particular, people from Mexico like to spend money here. Mexicans are the largest group of international tourists who visit Houston – and recently, their numbers have grown. In 2015, Houston received 2.5 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A telemedicine breakthrough

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is good to see. A years-long fight over the use of telemedicine in Texas appears to have been resolved, with medical and industry groups agreeing to compromise legislation that, if it passes, could benefit patients, especially those in rural … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas Dems look to 2018

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I have a few things to say about this. A tight-knit group of Texas Democratic leaders traveled to the state capital [in late January] to begin preliminary conversations about the 2018 midterm races. According to over a dozen interviews with … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Trump Justice Department to drop appeals in transgender bathroom directive case

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From ThinkProgress: The Trump administration has elected not to contest a Texas federal judge’s injunction barring the federal government from implementing Obama administration guidelines that protect transgender kids in schools. Oral arguments for the Obama Justice Department’s appeal of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Trump Justice Department to drop appeals in transgender bathroom directive case

Super Bowl or bathroom bill?

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Choose one or the other. Texas’ next trip to the Super Bowl may hit a roadblock in Austin, where conservative lawmakers are pushing a bill to ban transgender people from the public bathrooms they feel most comfortable using. “If a … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Paddie files another rideshare bill

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Texas State Rep. Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) has filed legislation proposing a statewide regulatory framework for transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft. House Bill 100 will help bring economic opportunity and access to safe, reliable … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for February 12

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Meanwhile, in America… Heavens to Murgatroid! That time Bob Uecker used a tuba to shag fly balls before a World Series game. “Lesson: your friendly librarian is better at technology than you, so don’t pull crap like that. I will … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 6 Comments