Tag Archives: Gene Locke

The Mayorals talk about the economy

Via Greg and KTRK: Annise Parker: Gene Locke: Peter Brown Roy Morales: I presume that each team was told they had up to two minutes to film themselves talking about the economy in whatever fashion suited them. Locke’s struck me … Continue reading

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KHOU polls the Mayor’s race

We have a data point going into the Labor Day weekend. “The vast majority of voters are still undecided about who to vote for,” said 11 News political expert Bob Stein. “They’re simply unfamiliar with the candidates.” In the poll, … Continue reading

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Locke’s crimefighting plan

In the past week or so I’ve had several Mayoral candidate issue papers hit my inbox. As there was one from each campaign, I thought I’d try to do a little analysis of each of them. We’ll start today with … Continue reading

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An early assessment of the Mayor’s race

Marc Campos writes: H-Town’s Mayoral candidates still do not want to SHOW ME THE TV so I have to give the advantage at this time to Annise Parker. The later the ad wars get going, the better for Annise. Let’s … Continue reading

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At Large action

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: Tejano Democrats

Well, I know they endorsed Gene Locke for Mayor, because I received a press release to that effect last night, which is reproduced below. I also know that the Tejano Dems were going to endorse a full slate of candidates, … Continue reading

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Mayoral forum focusing on non-profits

There are plenty of Mayoral forums going on. Here’s one that will cover some ground I haven’t seen trod before. Houston Area Table Mayoral Forum What role will non-profits and community based organizations play in the new mayor’s administration? Apearing … Continue reading

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Endorsement watch: We take it back

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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How you gonna pay for those new cops?

The Chron asks a reasonable question about the promises being made by the Mayoral candidates to hire more police officers. The deep fiscal slowdown facing the city will make it difficult to fund more police academy classes, a factor that … Continue reading

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Parker’s crimefighting plan

Tis the season for Mayoral candidates to send out position papers on various issues. I’ve gotten a couple in my mailbox in the past few days and want to spend a little time examining them. First up is Annise Parker’s … Continue reading

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Intown Q&A with Mayoral candidates

Houston Intown magazine is one of those freebie publications you’ll find at your coffee shop and whatnot. The current issue has a Q&A with the five Mayoral candidates that’s worth a look. For whatever the reason, their website isn’t set … Continue reading

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City or county?

Like Nancy Sims, I was at the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce candidate forum yesterday morning. And like Nancy, I thought this bit was one of the more interesting parts of the debate. Several questions focused on city finances and … Continue reading

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The five-thousand dollar club

David Ortez does some digging through the campaign finance reports for the three Mayoral contenders and comes up with a list of those who gave the legal maximum of $5000 to each. Gene Locke is the big winner, with more … Continue reading

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The immigration question in the Mayor’s race

Man, we need comprehensive immigration reform we can all live with. The city’s plans to step up cooperation with federal authorities in efforts to deport illegal immigrants is garnering new debate in the 2009 mayoral contest. Latino advocates have pressed … Continue reading

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Twenty-one questions

I meant to link to this earlier, but didn’t manage to get to it. It’s a 21-question survey of mostly personal and non-political things for the Mayoral candidates done by local blogger David Ortez, who got responses from the three … Continue reading

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City campaign finance reports come rolling in

As the campaign finance reports for City of Houston races come online, I’ve been collecting all the reports and putting them together into an easier-to-read format. I’ve also received a bunch of press releases, which I’ll be reproducing beneath the … Continue reading

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Parker reports $800K raised for Mayoral race

Tomorrow is the deadline for filing campaign finance reports for City of Houston elections. In the meantime, expect campaigns that did well in that department to announce their results ahead of time. One such announcement comes from the Annise Parker … Continue reading

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HFD’s shame

I really don’t know what there is to say about the recent ugliness within the Houston Fire Department. It’s a shame and an outrage, and I sincerely hope the steps Mayor White is taking go a long way towards making … Continue reading

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Turner not running for Mayor

The Mayoral field for this November should now be set. State Rep. Sylvester Turner announced today he would not attempt a run for mayor of Houston. The 11-term Democrat representative’s announcement comes a little more than three weeks after he … Continue reading

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Another Mayoral wants Hurtt out

It’s just Roy, so it’s not like this materially affects Chief Harold Hurtt’s status, but still. “We want police officers to stay,” said Harris County Department of Education Trustee Roy Morales, one of five candidates who talked about crime and … Continue reading

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HOPE press conference on employee efficiency suggestions

Ever think that the city’s employees probably have some good ideas for how they could conduct their business in a more efficient manner? Well, the Houston Organization for Public Employees (HOPE) thought so, and they conducted a three-week survey of … Continue reading

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Parker on education

Last week, I noted that Mayoral candidates Peter Brown and Gene Locke expressed very different opinions at a candidate forum about the Mayor’s role in public education, with Brown advocating an urban school district with Mayoral appointees for its board, … Continue reading

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Endorsement watch: Three Senators for Locke

Via email from the Gene Locke campaign, the three Democratic State Senators who serve in Houston have all endorsed Locke’s candidacy for Mayor. “At a time when Houston needs a strong, accomplished leader at City Hall, the right candidate has … Continue reading

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Grading the Houston Mayoral campaign websites

David Ortez casts a critical eye at the campaign websites of the Mayoral hopefuls, and grades them out on things like design, content, and social networking. It’s an interesting exercise, and one for which an aesthetic imbecile such as myself … Continue reading

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Brown and Locke spar over education

At a Mayoral forum on Thursday, Gene Locke and Peter Brown get into it over the school system. Gene Locke, the former city attorney, targeted Councilman Peter Brown’s recent statement to the Chronicle that Houstonians should consider forming an urban … Continue reading Continue reading

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The Mayorals and gambling

What the Mayoral hopefuls think about expanded gambling in Texas, in particular for the Houston area, is an interesting question, but I’m not sure it’s a relevant one. Three candidates for Houston mayor bobbed and weaved today as they were … Continue reading

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Hey, at least it’s not an L

The best bit in this story about Gene Locke‘s campaign kickoff rally at Minute Maid Park yesterday is at the end, and doesn’t really have anything to do with Locke’s party. Locke’s multi-ethnic audience and endorsers were a refutation of … Continue reading

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ITL and OTL

I don’t suppose it really matters what part of town Mayors and Mayor wannabees live in. What does matter is how they want to approach questions of what different parts of town want and need. Candidate and Councilman Peter Brown, … Continue reading

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Let the gloves come off

Yes, there is a big election coming up this year in Houston. More than one of them, actually. And yes, some of these elections involve people who are currently elected members of city government. Which means that a certain amount … Continue reading

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Stimulus package, Council-style

What to make of this? Houston is set to embark on a program to provide a boost to some of the city’s biggest developments, many of which have been put on hold amid the ongoing financial crisis. The plan aims … Continue reading

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Locke to formally announce today

I don’t think there’s any mystery about who is and isn’t running for Mayor, but as other candidates have had their formal campaign announcements, so today will Gene Locke. From the press release: WHAT: Gene Locke To Announce Candidacy Gene … Continue reading

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ULI Mayoral candidate forum report

As I am not a member of the Urban Land Institute of Houston, I did not get an invitation to their members-only Mayoral candidate forum on Thursday, which got a brief mention in the Chron on Friday. Fortunately, Andrew Burleson … Continue reading

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Locke is in, Hall is out

This comes as no surprise. It went as expected at this morning’s press conference. Former City Attorney Gene Locke is running for mayor of Houston in the November election. Former City Attorney Benjamin Hall III, who never officially declared his … Continue reading

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Monday morning Mayoral intrigue

The following just hit my Inbox: Benjamin Hall and Gene Locke Announce Joint Press Availability When: 9:30 a.m. Monday, February 10, 2009 Where: 530 Lovett Boulevard, Houston, 77006 Ben Hall and Gene Locke invite you for a press availability Monday … Continue reading

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