Tag Archives: budget

And here comes the voluntary retirement plan

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like the obvious move. In a letter sent to city employees Thursday, [Mayor John] Whitmire wrote that the city will be offering a “one-time Voluntary Municipal Retirement Payout Option” to employees who are eligible for retirement. The plan will … Continue reading →

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

The cost of the warming centers

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Missed this last week. The City of Houston spent about $6.5 million as the January winter storm brought freezing temperatures and snow to the region. Mayor John Whitmire’s chief of staff, Chris Newport, told the city’s resilience committee Thursday that the 10 … Continue reading →

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

City to implement hiring freeze

Posted on March 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Houston Mayor John Whitmire is planning to implement a hiring freeze in the coming days that will impact all city departments except fire and police, a city spokesperson confirmed. While an exact … Continue reading →

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

HISD’s looming school closures

Posted on February 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Boy is this going to be fun. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles plans in the coming months to propose closing an undisclosed number of schools in the summer of 2026, as the district faces a tight budget and enrollment losses. … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Harris County joins amicus against NIH cuts

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee announced today that Harris County has joined a national legal fight to protect critical medical research funding. The county is part of a coalition challenging the Trump administration’s recent decision to … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County joins amicus against NIH cuts

Republicans don’t care at all about the NIH cuts

Posted on February 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Or on their constituents or even themselves. For years Republicans and Democrats alike have touted the medical breakthroughs at Texas medical research institutions like MD Anderson and Baylor College of Medicine. But after President Donald Trump announced a policy change … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Here’s that Whitmire government efficiency report

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m whelmed. A sweeping study of Houston’s 22 departments, their finances and operations revealed potential misuse of city credit cards and a pressing need to streamline city government to make it more efficient, according to an executive summary obtained by … Continue reading →

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

The NIH cuts’ effect on Texas

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Just wondering if any of our state leaders have a reaction to this attack on our state’s economy. Texas universities could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds that support biomedical research if a Trump administration policy withstands … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hollins’ warning about the budget

Posted on February 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is where we are. Houston could face a $330 million deficit in the next fiscal year – up by approximately $100 million after the Texas Supreme Court denied the city’s motion to appeal a years-long court battle over street … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hollins’ warning about the budget

City to use Metro funds to help pay for that additional drainage stuff

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Sure is convenient havigna transit agency you can raid. Houston officials plan to offset a $100 million hit to the city’s budget in a recent legal ruling by using cash from the Metropolitan Transit Authority to spend more money on … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

SCOTx rejects appeal of that zombie ReBuild lawsuit

Posted on February 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

End of the line. The Texas Supreme Court on Friday denied Houston’s motion to appeal a long-standing lawsuit requiring the city to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on street and drainage projects. Friday’s ruling could add yet another financial challenge to a strained city … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How deep is this funding freeze?

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The chaos is the point. Houston and Harris County on Tuesday were scrambling to figure out the potential impact of President Donald Trump’s pause on federal grants and aid, a move local officials said could hold up hundreds of millions … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Here’s the voucher proposal

Posted on January 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here it is. Get ready to be sick of the whole debate by the end of the session. The Texas Senate revealed a bill on Friday to create an education savings accounts program, a top priority for Gov. Greg Abbott … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Whitmire’s first year

Posted on January 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has a story about how Mayor Whitmire’s first year has gone, and I’ll get to that shortly, but first I want to look at this story, about his efforts to get help from the state government for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Harris County adopts plan for court translators

Posted on December 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good start, now needs follow through. Harris County’s district and county courts unveiled an updated plan Wednesday for expanding interpreter services for those navigating the court system, but said they will need millions in additional funding to sustain the effort. … Continue reading →

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

Expanding ETHAN

Posted on December 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Sounds like a good idea. The city may spin off the Houston Fire Department’s emergency telemedicine program to a local government corporation in hopes of generating enough funding to support the initiative and, perhaps, even turn a profit. The city’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Expanding ETHAN

Metro to help fund HPD traffic enforcement

Posted on December 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A modest revision to an originally large plan. Metro Police Department will spend almost $50 million of its budget to partially fund the city’s traffic enforcement and street light operations in 2025, but that extra funding won’t have much impact … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Miles’ record on the HISD budget

Posted on November 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A closer look from the Houston Landing. In his first year, Houston ISD’s state-appointed superintendent, Mike Miles, ushered in several changes that sparked massive media attention and community pushback — but another important set of shake-ups took place largely behind … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Miles’ record on the HISD budget

HPD’s worsening response times

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Putting a pin in this for later. City leaders blamed an increased lag in police response times in 2024, in part, on the fallout from a scandal in which 264,000 cases were suspended citing a lack of personnel. Police leaders, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on HPD’s worsening response times

Why are we subsidizing privatized HOA trash collection?

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Whitmire says he’s on the lookout for waste in the budget. May I suggest he look here? Houston has subsidized the private trash collection of some affluent neighborhoods for almost 40 years, a policy that could complicate the city’s … Continue reading →

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

We’re not cutting our way out of this

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A preview of today’s budget debate from the Houston Landing. Four city council members are proposing a 5 percent increase in Houston’s property tax rate they say would enable the city to avoid $86 million in spending cuts and bring … Continue reading →

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

The students are leaving and they’re not coming back

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Down, down, down… Houston ISD is on track in 2024-25 to see its largest single-year enrollment loss since the pandemic, with the majority of student departures coming from campuses overhauled under a controversial new model implemented by state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. Records … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

City reaches collective bargaining agreement with HOPE

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston municipal workers will get raises of 12.5 percent over three years under a tentative contract announced by the mayor and union officials Monday. Under the proposal, all employees will receive an additional $116 per pay period, about $3,000 … Continue reading →

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

Whitmire plays his greatest hits

Posted on September 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor John Whitmire gave his first State of the City address this week. Here’s the preview story for what we were to expect. Mayor John Whitmire will lay out his administration’s priorities during his inaugural State of the City address … Continue reading →

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

The lost Harvey recovery funds

Posted on August 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good job on the audit front. Now let’s see what we can learn from this. Houston lost at least $8.5 million in potential reimbursements for a federally funded Hurricane Harvey home repair program due to missed deadlines and filing errors, … Continue reading →

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

HPD releases a dropped cases report

Posted on August 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Kudos for the serious review, but boy did this go on for a long time without anyone doing anything about it. Between 2016 and 2024, Houston Police Department leaders had multiple opportunities to question — and potentially stop — the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HPD releases a dropped cases report

Should we appeal the zombie ReBuild lawsuit ruling?

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Controller Hollins says no. Mayor Whitmire seems likely to go ahead anyway. Houston Controller Chris Hollins has warned Mayor John Whitmire’s administration about potential financial challenges the city could face if it were to appeal a state appellate court ruling … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Should we appeal the zombie ReBuild lawsuit ruling?

Is the Houston Zoo too expensive?

Posted on June 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know how high a priority this should be, but I’ll engage the question. Houston Mayor John Whitmire is upset about what he thinks are exorbitant costs to visit the city’s historic zoo, and he is vowing to do … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Appeals court declines to block zombie ReBuild lawsuit ruling

Posted on June 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

That means the city is still on the hook for a bunch more money to be allocated to drainage projects. Which the just-adopted budget didn’t account for. A state appellate court on Tuesday rejected the city of Houston’s request to … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Appeals court declines to block zombie ReBuild lawsuit ruling

HPD to expand “AI surveillance”

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have many questions. An AI technology firm will install 64 new cameras throughout the city to improve public safety as Houston Police Department officials say they are facing staffing shortages. In a $177,483 contract approved Wednesday by City Council, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Firefighter deal certified and approved

Posted on June 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

That’s that. Houston City Council approved the $1.5 billion settlement and labor contract with the city firefighters union on Wednesday, a deal that now forces Mayor John Whitmire to quickly find new sources of revenue to help pay for it. … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

B-Cycle’s reprieve runs out

Posted on June 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Sad to see it go. Houston’s long-struggling system of on-demand bicycles is reaching the end of the trail. BCycle, the system of kiosks with available bikes spread around downtown, Midtown and other locations will close June 30, officials with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on B-Cycle’s reprieve runs out

Controller Hollins has not certified the firefighter deal yet

Posted on June 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. Hours after Mayor John Whitmire told City Council members on Friday that Controller Chris Hollins plans to certify the mayor’s landmark contract with the Houston firefighters union, Hollins walked back that claim, saying his review … Continue reading →

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

Board of Managers passes Mike Miles’ budget

Posted on June 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It was a close vote, but as we kids used to say, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. In their most divided vote taken to date, members of Houston ISD’s state-appointed school board on Thursday narrowly approved a … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Board of Managers passes Mike Miles’ budget