Tag Archives: Land Commissioner

The Dutch way to mitigate against floods

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We can learn a lot from this largely-below-sea-level country. On a sunny Friday in late May, a jubilant wedding party scrambled to the top of a colossal sand dune in this tiny Dutch beach town for a photoshoot, bridesmaids’ arms … Continue reading →

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Another big flood would be bad

Posted on May 29, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Breaking news, but this is worth paying attention to. Housing sales would drop, gasoline prices would increase and Texas would lose hundreds of billions of dollars in economic output if a major storm struck an unprotected coastline, according to a … Continue reading →

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Who should be managing the Permanent School Fund?

Posted on March 24, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a good question, and I’m not sure what the best answer to it is. Lawmakers are proposing a wide range of fixes for the state’s public school endowment, which has lost out on billions in growth during the past … Continue reading →

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No more PSF investing for you, Land Board

Posted on March 16, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Seems worth considering. Austin Lawmakers filed bills this week that would strip the School Land Board of its ability to invest billions of dollars on behalf of Texas schoolchildren. The bipartisan legislation, submitted Wednesday, comes amid mounting scrutiny over the … Continue reading →

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What’s wrong with the Permanent School Fund?

Posted on March 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

For starters, it should have more money in it. It was a grand promise, one our forefathers made 165 years ago to all Texas children, to theirs and ours and those not yet born. With $2 million and the state’s … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The two types of statewide candidates

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

When we look at the precinct data in Harris County, we can separate the statewide candidates into two groups. Here’s the first group: Dist Abbott Valdez Tipp Abbott% Valdez% Trump% Clinton% =============================================================== CD02 146,399 112,272 4,345 55.66% 43.40% 52.38% 43.05% … Continue reading →

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Initial reactions: Statewide

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I’m going to do a few of these “Initial reaction” posts about Tuesday’s elections as I try to make sense of all that happened. Here we go. Let me start with a number. Two numbers, actually: 4,017,851 and 48.26%. The … Continue reading →

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We have an Ike Dike plan

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Now we need a plan to pay for it. A decade after Hurricane Ike devastated the Texas Gulf Coast, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Friday that a more ambitious version of the proposed “Ike Dike” — a 70-mile-long … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Incumbency is no advantage, part 3

Posted on October 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Remember when Land Commissioner George P. Bush was considered a rising star? The Chronicle does. Four years ago we enthusiastically endorsed George P. Bush for land commissioner. We said he was “the real deal.” Turns out, we were really off. … Continue reading →

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Army Corps to present Ike Dike options

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

About time. Later this month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will recommend a multi-billion-dollar plan to help protect the Texas coast — the Houston area in particular — from hurricanes. When it will become a reality, however, is anyone’s … Continue reading →

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Change Research (Land Commissioner): Bush 41, Suazo 36

Posted on October 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Miguel Suazo, the Democratic nominee for Texas Land Commissioner, is within 5 points of incumbent George P. Bush. The poll was conducted shortly after Suazo was endorsed by former Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, a Republican. The poll … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Crossing over

Posted on September 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. Former Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, a Republican, has endorsed Democrat Miguel Suazo in his bid to replace current Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush. Patterson, a former political rival of Bush, cited what he called mismanagement of the … Continue reading →

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One year out from Harvey

Posted on August 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. One year after Hurricane Harvey slammed the Texas coast, 8 percent of the people impacted by the disaster have not been able to return to their … Continue reading →

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Paxton joins the wimp brigade

Posted on July 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Seems fitting. Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a TV interview that he would be “happy to debate anybody on the issues” as he seeks re-election this fall, but he is now backing off that offer by refusing to debate … Continue reading →

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Don’t expect any other debates

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Cowardice + lack of incentive = avoiding engagement. Land Commissioner George P. Bush (son of Jeb and nephew to George W.) has no plans to go one-on-one with his challenger, Miguel Suazo — at least, not as of Tuesday, July 24. … Continue reading →

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Debating debates

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We have an agreement for a debate (mostly) between Greg Abbott and Lupe Valdez. Incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott agreed Wednesday to participate in a televised statewide debate with Democratic challenger Lupe Valdez, the first in the general election runup. … Continue reading →

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Council approves initial Harvey housing aid

Posted on June 29, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start. Houston City Council has approved a plan to direct how the first long-term federal housing aid headed this way after Hurricane Harvey will be spent, targeting $600 million to repair or build single-family homes and $375 million … Continue reading →

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Remember the (gross mismanagement by George P. Bush’s Land Office at the) Alamo

Posted on June 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe remember this in November. As the election season rolls on, keep this in mind when Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush opens his mouth: The officeholder from the state’s best-known political family certainly knows how to spin a story. … Continue reading →

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2018 primary results: Statewide

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Statewide Dem totals Statewide GOP totals Harris County Dem totals Harris County GOP totals (Please note that all results were coming in very slowly. I expect there will still be some precincts not yet reported by the time this publishes. … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: A veritable plethora, part 3

Posted on February 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Part 1 is here, part 2 is here, the full endorsements page is here, and today we have the rest of the statewides, which I appreciate since these are the races I wanted more input on. US Senate: Beto O’Rourke … Continue reading →

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UT/TT poll: Trump approval more or less the same as before

Posted on February 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

A tad bit more positive than last time, but still nothing to write home about. With the usual disclaimers about partisan imbalance, President Donald Trump’s job approval ratings are holding steady, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: A veritable plethora, part 1

Posted on February 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Whoa, all of a sudden the Chron is chock full of endorsements. Let’s run through ’em. Actually, let’s start to run through them. So many appeared all at once that I’m going to need to break this into more than … Continue reading →

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The Land Office in the news

Posted on February 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Please enjoy this coverage of a downballot statewide race, which is not something we get all that much of. Incumbent George P. Bush, the 41-year-old grandson and nephew of U.S. presidents, is facing off against his outspoken predecessor Jerry Patterson, … Continue reading →

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The statewide lineups

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the statewide lineup for Democrats. I’ll add in some notes afterwards. U. S. Senator Beto O’Rourke U. S. Senator Edward Kimbrough U. S. Senator Sema Hernandez Governor Adrian Ocegueda Governor Andrew White Governor Cedric Davis, Sr. Governor Demetria Smith … Continue reading →

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Filing news: Jerry’s back

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Former Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson would like his office back, please. Patterson, who was first elected as the state’s land commissioner in 2003, wants to head the agency that manages state-owned lands and the Alamo. He gave up the job to … Continue reading →

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Filing news: Lupe Valdez is in for Governor

Posted on December 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here she comes. Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez announced Wednesday morning that she is running for governor, giving Texas Democrats a serious candidate for the top job with five days until the candidate filing deadline for the 2018 primaries. “Like … Continue reading →

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Legislative hearing on emergency leave

Posted on July 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Figure this will be on the legislative agenda next spring. At a Texas House hearing Tuesday looking into how some state agencies were able to keep some departing employees on the public payroll by granting them emergency leave, lawmakers expressed … Continue reading →

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Abbott orders state agencies to obey the law

Posted on June 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Better late than never. Gov. Greg Abbott and Comptroller Glenn Hegar on Wednesday ordered state agencies to stop paying departing employees by placing them on “emergency leave.” “Pursuant to this directive, the use of emergency leave, administrative leave or other … Continue reading →

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Lone Star Project requests investigation of severance packages

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Today, Lone Star Project Director Matt Angle sent letters to the Texas Rangers, the State Auditor and the Travis County District Attorney requesting formal investigations into a series of questionable payments made by Attorney General Ken Paxton, … Continue reading →

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More on severance pay and the Land Commissioner’s office

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The law doesn’t apply here. After reports of state agencies keeping former employees on the payroll after they stopped working, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other agency heads have taken heat for stretching the rules on paid “emergency leave” … Continue reading →

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You get a severance! And you get a severance!

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Everybody gets a severance package! Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush has spent nearly $1 million in taxpayer money to entice dozens of people fired by his administration to agree not to sue him or the agency, a practice that … Continue reading →

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Don’t expect Congress to pay for a Gulf Coast floodgate system

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I sure don’t. After nearly a decade of bickering and finger pointing, Texas scientists and lawmakers finally seem to agree that building some version of a “coastal spine” — a massive seawall and floodgate system — would best help protect … Continue reading →

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Remember the Alamo lawsuit

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Release the lawyers! Earlier this month, Texas General Land Commissioner George P. Bush fired The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, longtime managers of the Alamo, effective July 10. In a letter to the group, Bush cited 10 contract violations … Continue reading →

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A Denton fracking overview

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib has a long piece on the Denton fracking fight, also published in Politico to help non-Texans understand what this was about. It’s a good read that goes over all the main points if you need a refresher on … Continue reading →

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