Tag Archives: Carol Alvarado

Let the endorsement race begin!

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We may not have a date for the SD06 special election, but that doesn’t mean the race hasn’t begun. In particular, the race to begin collecting endorsements has begun, and both major declared candidates have announced wins. Sylvia Garcia has … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The range of possibility

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a look at selected districts in Harris County that shows the range of votes and vote percentages achieved by Democratic candidates. I’ve thrown in the Obama and Sam Houston results from 2008 for each to provide a comparison between … Continue reading →

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Garcia and Alvarado and everyone they know

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not just Sylvia Garcia versus Carol Alvarado to succeed the late Sen. Mario Gallegos in SD06. It’s also everyone else that’s getting involved in the race. Alvarado’s chief rival for the Senate seat is expected to be former Harris … Continue reading →

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It’s official: Sylvia vs Carol for SD06

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on. Houston community advocate and longtime public servant Sylvia Garcia announced today she will run in the coming special election to represent Texas Senate District 6. “I’ve been fighting for our community and our families for years in Houston … Continue reading →

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Succeeding Sen. Gallegos

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

With the posthumous victory by Sen. Mario Gallegos, there is still one unsettled matter for 2012 in Texas. Mario Gallegos, one of the Texas Senate’s most reliable liberals until his death last month, scored a final win Tuesday, easily defeating … Continue reading →

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Back to Basics polls SD06

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t know when a special election in SD06 to succeed the late Sen. Mario Gallegos would be, but Back to Basics says we should start preparing for one. According to a new poll commissioned and released by the Back … Continue reading →

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Two for I

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, we’re still two weeks out from the start of early voting for 2012. But that hasn’t stopped two people from announcing their candidacies for City Council District I next year. Graciana ”Graci” Garces, chief of staff for District I … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit strikes again

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Dammit. A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Texas did not act unconstitutionally when it moved to expel Planned Parenthood from a health and contraceptive care program for low-income women. The ruling overturned a preliminary injunction, issued in April by … Continue reading →

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Bye-bye, WHP

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Thanks, Rick! Federal health officials announced Thursday what state leaders have predicted for weeks: that they are halting funding for Texas’ Women’s Health Program. Cindy Mann, director of the federal Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, said Texas left her … Continue reading →

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Who cares about women, anyway?

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The state of Texas certainly doesn’t. If there was any hope that the state was seeking a compromise with the federal government over Texas’ Women’s Health Program, it’s fading fast. At the direction of lawmakers and Texas Attorney General Greg … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit tosses injunction against sonogram law

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. A panel of federal appellate judges has authorized Texas officials to enforce a controversial abortion sonogram law while its constitutionality is being challenged in court. In an opinion, the judges said the measure’s opponents “failed to demonstrate constitutional flaws” … Continue reading →

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“Houston History” Fall 2011 Launch Reception

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Join Council Members Ed Gonzalez, Melissa Noriega, and James Rodriguez, and State Representatives Carol Alvarado and Jessica Farrar for the launch of Houston History Magazine  Fall 2011 Issue Tuesday, December 6  5:30-7:00PM Sombreros (formerly Velia’s) 2910 Navigation … Continue reading →

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Sylvia and Mario

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, Robert Miller mentioned that there was talk that former County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia might challenge Sen. Mario Gallegos in the 2012 primary. PDiddie expanded on that, and the chatter eventually led to a denial from both politicians via … Continue reading →

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“Sanctuary cities” ban passes the House

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose we should get used to the phrase “cutting off debate” because that seems to be the norm these days. After taking the unusual and controversial strategy of cutting off debate, the Texas House late Monday voted 99 to … Continue reading →

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Solomons State House map 2.0

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Go to http://gis1.tlc.state.tx.us/ and check out Plan H134 for a revised State House map from House Redistricting Chair Burt Solomons. Here’s the Harris County view: Still 24 districts, with either Rep. Scott Hochberg or Rep. Hubert Vo on the outside … Continue reading →

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SBOE map approved by House committee

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One down for the House Redistricting Committee. A House Redistricting Committee approved a new map for the State Board of Education [Friday] afternoon on a vote of 12-4. The map now moves to the full House. State Rep. Carol Alvarado, … Continue reading →

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House passes its budget

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib has a good writeup of how it went down on Sunday. Mot of the heavy lifting was done before then, in the bills that closed the books on the previous biennium and allocated Rainy Day funds for them … Continue reading →

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Raising cigarette taxes

Posted on April 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Is any kind of tax increase possible for this legislative session? The House appropriations bill, scheduled for debate this weekend, would cut out the $10 million-a-year anti-smoking campaign, which remains a legacy of the state’s 1998 tobacco settlement. To save … Continue reading →

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Sonogram bill passes the House

Posted on March 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It was inevitable. Flexing their super-majority muscle in the Texas House, Republican lawmakers swatted away a swarm of amendments offered by the Democratic minority on Thursday and gave preliminary approval to a House version of a bill requiring doctors to … Continue reading →

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Sonogram bill delayed in the House

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Delayed for a day, at least. House lawmakers today launched into debate over their version of an abortion sonogram bill — one that is more stringent than the measure that passed the Senate last month. But after hours of delays … Continue reading →

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The state of the state

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Is strong, according to Rick Perry. So strong, in fact, that we’re going to kick the legs out of social services, because clearly we don’t need them. When the state faced a budget crisis in 2003, Gov. Rick Perry’s office … Continue reading →

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Interview with State Rep. Carol Alvarado

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m wrapping up the legislative interviews this week. First up is State Rep. Carol Alvarado, who is serving her first term representing HD145. Rep. Alvarado had previously served three terms on Houston City Council, where she was the author of … Continue reading →

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Still smoking in San Antonio

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

But maybe not for much longer. San Antonio City Councilman Justin Rodriguez announced [last] Friday that he is sponsoring an ordinance to outlaw smoking in most public places, including all bars, restaurants and workplaces. Rodriguez said San Antonio is one … Continue reading →

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Just a minute, SBOE

Posted on April 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I almost missed this op-ed by State Rep. Carol Alvarado about everyone’s favorite clown show, the State Board of Education. In it, she hits on a theme we’re seeing more and more of. How can board members claim that our … Continue reading →

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Salvation Army changes its policy

Posted on December 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. The Salvation Army of Houston will no longer require Social Security numbers from those seeking Christmas gifts, the organization announced today. “It was never our intention to offend anyone with our registration requirement to provide a Social … Continue reading →

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Toys for tots with valid ID

Posted on December 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This is what you call bad holiday publicity. The Salvation Army and a charity affiliated with the Houston Fire Department are among those that consider immigration status, asking for birth certificates or Social Security cards for the children. The point … Continue reading →

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Did I mention that election season is officially underway?

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Why, yes, I did. Add to the Controller email shenanigans questions about who does or doesn’t support Peter Brown, which recalls his own curious dual endorsement from 2007; allegations about who is or isn’t a Republican, and allegations about Gene … Continue reading →

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At Large action

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve certainly got a fascinating Mayor’s race going on this year, with three viable candidates that can all plausibly claim a path to victory, but it seems to me that there’s a lot of interesting stuff happening in the At … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: We take it back

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s something you don’t see every election. The Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, which had previously endorsed City Council Member Jolanda Jones for re-election to her At Large #5 seat, has now rescinded that endorsement. You can read their letter … Continue reading →

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Vetoing smart growth

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Houston Tomorrow takes a look at one of the vetoed bills that I hadn’t examined before, SB2169, “relating to the establishment of a smart growth policy work group and the development of a smart growth policy for this state.” The … Continue reading →

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Would-be Metro killer outs himself

Posted on May 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I had wondered who was behind that anti-Metro amendment from the weekend. Now I know. A local light rail opponent claimed credit Tuesday for working with an El Paso legislator to try to block Metro’s ability to build the University … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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RIP, statewide smoking ban

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I thought it still had a chance after it finally passed out of committee in the Senate, but the statewide smoking ban is officially dead. [State Sen. Rodney] Ellis held a press conference to announce the death of the statewide … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Altering Houston term limits

Posted on May 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to stir things up a bit. The Texas House today is expected to pass a bill that could lead to the extension of Houston’s term limits. The bill, authored by state reps. Garnet Coleman and Carol Alvarado, would … Continue reading →

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Banning trans fats

Posted on April 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t really followed the anti-trans fat bill very closely, but if it’s worth a front page headline, it’s worth a mention here. Lawmakers in coming weeks will consider bills by Houston state Rep. Carol Alvarado and state Sen. Eliot … Continue reading →

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