Tag Archives: Ed Emmett

Report recommends against privatizing the Harris County jail

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Very good news. Privatizing the Harris County jail would be risky and may not result in savings, according to an internal county memo recommending that Commissioners Court keep the state’s largest lockup in Sheriff Adrian Garcia’s hands. The confidential Feb. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Medicaid expansion pressure is having an effect

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Despite the mountains of evidence in its favor, I still can’t say that I see a path to Medicaid expansion in Texas. But stories like this do give me some hope. Adamantly opposed to expanding Medicaid coverage under President Barack … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Medicaid expansion pressure is having an effect

Not a big enough picture

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The headline on this story reads “County mulls big-picture health council”, but a read of the story makes it clear that there’s a big piece of this picture missing from the discussion. Harris County is discussing a big-picture approach to … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Time for another report on how much traffic sucks

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We love this sort of thing, don’t we? Houston commuters continue to endure some of the worst traffic delays in the country, according to the 2012 Urban Mobility Report released Tuesday by the Texas A&M Transportation Commission. Area drivers wasted … Continue reading →

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

A Republican view of 2014 in Harris County

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Big Jolly is feeling pessimistic about his team’s chances in Harris County next year. Now let’s look at who will be on the playing field for us. There will be a lot of statewide action, with unknown Dems – let’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

January finance reports for Harris County offices

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

For the most part, it’s way too early to start thinking about the 2014 Harris County elections – we have a legislative session and a city election cycle to get through first – but since January 15 is a reporting … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Inside baseball with the hospital district

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to learn from this article about the political relationship between the Harris County Hospital District and Commissioners Court. You have to wonder if David Lopez ever feels like he’s in the circus. When … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Inside baseball with the hospital district

The Sports Authority’s finances are back in the news

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I still have no idea whether this is something we need to worry about or not. The firm that insures the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority’s $1 billion in bonds – sold to finance the homes of the Texans, Rockets and … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

City-county cooperation

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it? At 9:27 p.m. on Election Day, when it was clear a Metro referendum crucial to both of their road-building budgets had passed, Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack’s phone buzzed with a text message from … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on City-county cooperation

The Controller’s travels

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This is me shaking my head. Houston controller Ron Green, the city’s top elected financial watchdog, has flown first class and frequented high-end hotels in New York and Chicago at taxpayer expense for more than two dozen publicly funded excursions, … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Jail privatization update

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Grits, from about two weeks ago: In a conference call last week with investors (see the transcript), Corrections Corporation of America said it expects to find out by next spring whether they will receive a contract to operate the Harris … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Jail privatization update

Constable Trevino indicted

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Lovely. Longtime Precinct 6 Constable Victor Trevino was indicted Friday, accused of failing to report cash campaign contributions, diverting money from his youth charity for personal use and using deputies to serve eviction notices and then keeping the delivery fees. … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The felony mental health court

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’d celebrate, too. [State District Court Judge] Krocker and others celebrated the official opening of Harris County’s felony mental health court, which started putting mentally ill defendants on probation instead of sending them to jail in May. Krocker has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What kind of debt is it?

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Comptroller Susan Combs is real worried about city and county debt, y’all. Local governments are loading down Texas taxpayers with debt without providing them enough information about the amount already owed for roads, schools and other public projects, State Comptroller … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What kind of debt is it?

Will voters understand the Metro referendum?

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the question that people on both sides of the issue are asking themselves. “You have some people who will read it and maybe they don’t like Metro and so they’re going to vote against it, without realizing that by … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Will voters understand the Metro referendum?

Deal reached to restore SOS funding for Tax Assessor

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This whole protracted standoff between Harris County Tax Assessor Don Sumners and the Secretary of State over the “dead voter” purge has apparently been the result of a misunderstanding. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett has brokered a deal with the … Continue reading →

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

Can’t we all just get along?

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have a question about this. Commissioner Steve Radack has already been heaped with praise from his colleagues for helping broker a deal with Metro chairman Gilbert Garcia and Houston Mayor Annise Parker that replaced an earlier proposal that would … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Can’t we all just get along?

Deal struck on the GMP

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is interesting. The Metro board on Aug. 3 approved a ballot proposal that would have shifted tens of millions of dollars more in mobility payments to Houston at the expense of the county and small cities by basing … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Pothole app

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County now has an app for reporting potholes and other problems. Users must download the app and set up a profile. After that, one can take a photo of the problem, point to its spot on the map or … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

No Dome vote this year?

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

There may not be an Astrodome-related bond referendum on the ballot this year. The last day Commissioners Court can place a referendum on the November ballot is Aug. 20, according to county attorneys. The court’s Tuesday meeting was its last … Continue reading →

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

We speak again of an elections administrator

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, I’ve been wondering when this might happen. Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart said he will ask the Texas Secretary of State’s Office to examine his office’s election processes after a “human error” in his office caused erroneous … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Is it time for an election administrator?

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Campos revives an old topic. I think it is way past time to get an Election Administrator over at the County and take running the elections out of the hands of the ideologues and partisans. [County Judge Ed Emmett] and … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Toll hike

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Starting in September, that jaunt on a Harris County toll road might save you time, but it won’t spare your change. Unless Commissioners Court intervenes, rates at main-lane toll plazas on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Toll hike

No Dome action yet

Posted on June 30, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s still there. Beyond that, nothing to report. Harris County officials put off any final decision on the fate of the Astrodome on Tuesday, though the top executive suggested a new option for the deteriorating stadium. County Judge Ed Emmett … Continue reading →

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

How bad would a big hurricane be to Houston?

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Very bad. I trust you are not surprised by this. When a really strong hurricane next blows through Houston, its winds – not its waters – pose the greatest threat to inflict damage unimagined by most living here. Tropical Storm … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on How bad would a big hurricane be to Houston?

More reactions to the new Astrodome report

Posted on May 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Texans owner Bob McNair says “Sure, that’s nice and all, but don’t you forget about me.” “Our first concern is Reliant Stadium,” McNair said Thursday. “We want to make sure we’ve got adequate funds there for repairs, replacement and improvements, … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More reactions to the new Astrodome report

County Attorney report on Constables

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

County Attorney Vince Ryan has completed a report his office began in December to examine some of the practices in the Constables’ offices. At that time, the FBI was investigating and was on the verge of arresting now-former Constable Jack … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on County Attorney report on Constables

Shrinking the Astrodome

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

You know what we need? Another crazy scheme to save the Astrodome, that’s what. Houston architect Imad Abdullah presented the most recent plan to save the Astrodome to Harris County Commissioners recently. But the same question remains: How to pay … Continue reading →

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

Groundbreaking on the county’s new DNA forensics lab

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. Harris County officials on Tuesday broke ground on a new forensic genetics laboratory, to open later this year, which will let county scientists test DNA evidence in a growing number of cases. The 15,000-square-foot facility, on Holcombe in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Groundbreaking on the county’s new DNA forensics lab

The Grand Prix is back

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

For those of you who are into that sort of thing. After a six-year hiatus, the Grand Prix of Houston will be returning in 2013. With city and race officials on hand, IZOD IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard announced Wednesday … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Grand Prix is back

Better budget news

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

For the city. The city of Houston may have $21 million more in income in the coming fiscal year than it had planned on before Wednesday. That’s when it got the news that the Harris County Appraisal District projects that … Continue reading →

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

Meet the Houston Regional Forensic Science Center

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker has revealed her vision for an independent regional crime lab. Mayor Annise Parker proposed on Wednesday taking control of the city’s crime lab away from the police department and handing it to an independent seven-member board with expertise … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tomball toll road

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

They want a toll road in Tomball, and they’re probably going to get it. The Harris County Toll Road Authority is asking that it be allowed to look at State Highway 249, also known as Tomball Parkway, to see whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tomball toll road

County approves building new forensics lab

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Institute of Forensic Sciences is getting a new home. Commissioners Court on Tuesday gave staff the go-ahead to finalize a land deal with the Texas Medical Center that would give the county 2.79 acres at the northeast corner of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment