Tag Archives: Greater Houston Partnership

Would you pay more for pre-K in Harris County?

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

You might get the chance to vote on it. The recently formed Harris County School Readiness Corp., a group whose membership includes former Houston first lady Andrea White, is circulating a petition calling for the placement of an item on … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Drivers licenses for all – maybe

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Not quite drivers licenses, exactly, but close enough. A Dallas Democrat has teamed up with two powerful Republicans to craft a compromise version of a bill that would give immigrants here illegally the ability to drive legally in Texas and … Continue reading →

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Making the case for the parks

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Ed Wulfe advocates for the parks-related referendum on the ballot. Over the past several months, multiple organizations dedicated to Houston’s Bayou Greenway Initiative and a new organization, ParksByYou, have been uniting parks and bayou enthusiasts. Their work aims to mobilize … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Metro meeting about the General Mobility Program

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Put it on your calendar. You’re invited to attend a special board meeting to tell METRO what you think about the agency’s General Mobility Program (GMP) and the upcoming referendum. The board meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 18, from … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mayor to announce Hobby expansion deal

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here it comes. Houston Mayor Annise Parker is planning to announce Wednesday morning that the city and Southwest Airlines have come to an agreement on how to finance a $100 million expansion of Hobby Airport to accommodate international flights, according … Continue reading →

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United’s study predicts doom and disaster if Hobby expands

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Well, what did you expect it to say? Expanding Hobby Airport to allow for international flights will cost the Houston area 3,700 jobs and $295 million in economic activity, according to a study released by United Airlines Thursday afternoon. United’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

How Perry punked the GHP

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, I wrote about Rick Perry’s budget suicide pact and how it was endorsed by the Greater Houston Partnership in a credibility-killing move. Turns out, according to Patti Hart, Perry didn’t exactly tell them what it was they were … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Perry’s budget suicide pact

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this. Borrowing a tactic from national anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist, Gov. Rick Perry used a tax day appearance in Houston to propose a no-new-taxes pledge for Texas lawmakers, a pledge that would, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Job growth was good last year

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

More hopeful news for this year. Boosted by gains in energy, manufacturing and retail trade, the Houston area added 75,800 jobs during 2011, a 3 percent increase over the previous year, the Texas Workforce Commission reported Friday. “The numbers are … Continue reading →

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Thinking outside the box on the city’s finances

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve seen the ideas generated by the Long Term Financial Management Task Force, which I thought lacked a certain amount of breadth to its perspective. Here’s a taste of what else might be out there to think about. Good Jobs … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Area job growth in 2012

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve seen a prediction for job growth in Texas for this year, now here’s some soothsaying about job growth in the Houston area for the year. The Greater Houston Partnership predicts the Houston area will add 84,600 jobs this year. … Continue reading →

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

On targeting public pension plans

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Texas could be gearing up for its own Wisconsin-style grudge match over public employee benefits. A group of high-powered Houston business leaders is starting a statewide campaign to overhaul retirement for future … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The State of the City 2011

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting a little better, but we’re still not close to being in good times. The city of Houston’s budget deficit for the coming fiscal year has been whittled to roughly $80 million from $130 million, Mayor Annise Parker said … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Get your economic projection brackets ready

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Final Four will be played in Houston this year, and you know what that means. The NCAA’s estimate for economic activity in Houston puts the total to be spent during the Final Four at $60 million, while the Greater … Continue reading →

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Privately funded high speed rail?

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston Tomorrow: A possible Houston to Dallas high-speed rail line was the topic of a Monday morning breakfast meeting featuring Yoshiyuki Kasai, the chairman of Central Japan Railway, Japan’s largest rail company and maker of the famed Japanese “bullet … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Park ambitions

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Dream big. Two of Houston’s heaviest-hitting business groups — the Greater Houston Partnership and the Quality of Life Coalition — are promoting an ambitious master plan to develop land along 10 of Harris County’s major bayous, creating an enormous system … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The state of the city 2010

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker gave her first State of the City address today before the Greater Houston Partnership. Here are a few highlights from her address, which you can read as written here. We don’t know everything that lies ahead. The pressures … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Extending Medicaid

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Texas likes to bill itself as a business-friendly state. But there’s one thing that a lot of businesses want that the Republican leadership has been unwilling to entertain, and that’s to make Medicaid renewals an annual event instead of every … Continue reading →

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Search openly

Posted on February 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Is there really a debate about whether or not we should conduct a search for a new HISD Superintendent in an open manner? Because I think the choice is clear. The Greater Houston Partnership, which represents the business community, is … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, School days | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment