Tag Archives: Paul Kubosh

Lawsuit against anti-feeding ordinance dropped

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From last week: The plaintiffs suing the city of Houston over its charitable feeding ordinance have abruptly dropped a suit they filed over the issue, just hours after the judge in the case recused himself. The ordinance, which requires property … Continue reading →

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

Petitions to overturn homeless feeding ordinance submitted

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

There’s plenty of signatures, but no guarantee that this will make it onto the ballot. Activists seeking to repeal a new law requiring City Hall’s permission to serve charitable meals on city-owned land turned in 34,000 petition signatures on Monday … Continue reading →

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

Another homeless feeding update

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Depending on how you look at it, time is either running out for the petition signature gatherers who hope to overturn the homeless feeding ordinance, or it isn’t. Free to Give Houston, a recently formed political action committee, needs about … Continue reading →

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

Mailing letters about the homeless ordinance

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Not really sure what to make of this. Activists against Houston’s new restrictions on feeding the homeless plan to mail around 30,000 letters Friday to urge voters to sign a petition to trigger a charter amendment election in November. Paul … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Council agrees to red light camera settlement

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

At long last. City Council approved a payout of at least $4.8 million Wednesday to settle a lawsuit and take down Houston’s controversial red-light cameras, finally ending a legal battle that began after voters banned the devices in a referendum … Continue reading →

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No action on red light camera settlement yet

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Houston City Council voted to wait two weeks before deciding whether or not to accept the settlement agreement with camera vendor ATS. The City Council on Wednesday delayed approval of a $4.8 million settlement with its red-light camera vendor amid … Continue reading →

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RIP, red light cameras

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There they go. Houston’s red-light cameras are done issuing violations. This time, permanently. City Council dealt the controversial cameras a double death blow Wednesday, first ordering their immediate shutdown and then outlawing the use of cameras to catch red-light runners. … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Red light camera tickets begin again tomorrow

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Drive appropriately. You have been warned. Houston police will begin issuing red-light camera citations Sunday at 50 intersections around the city, the latest maneuver in a protracted court battle over the controversial but lucrative traffic surveillance system. Police Chief Charles … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

More on the red light camera return

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story about the reinstatement of the red light cameras. A couple of points that need to be made: Wednesday’s announcement provoked the full fury of Paul Kubosh, a lawyer who helped lead the petition drive to get … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Kubosh files appeal in red light camera lawsuit

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Mary Benton has the story and the appeal documents. Relevant quote: In the Kubosh appeal attorneys argue, among other points, “if government by the people, of the people, and for the people is to have meaning in Houston, this Court … Continue reading →

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Accidents down at former red light camera intersections

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I guess some arguments are never going to go away. In the five months after Houston voters forced city officials to turn off a camera surveillance system that fined motorists for running red lights, traffic accidents at those 50 intersections … Continue reading →

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

Kuboshes told to butt out of ATS lawsuit

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I didn’t know judges issued rulings on Sundays, but I guess sometimes they do. Red-light camera opponents will not be allowed to help defend a November referendum in which voters rejected the devices, a federal judge ruled on Sunday, saying … Continue reading →

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Red light camera lawsuit

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m trying to understand exactly what this is all about. Here’s the little sidebar summary, which captures the basic facts pretty well: The city of Houston • filed a “pre-emptive lawsuit” in U.S. District Court Nov. 15 seeking a judge’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

What now for the red light cameras?

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Barring anything unusual, red light cameras will be history in Houston, but their effect will be felt for some time. City Controller Ronald Green said the loss of the devices would amount to a $10 million shortfall in revenues, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Chron story on lawsuit against red light camera referendum

Posted on September 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron covers the story. Boosters of Houston’s 70 red-light cameras are seeking to prevent a November vote on whether to ban the devices, alleging in a federal lawsuit that the initiative was placed on the ballot illegally and that … Continue reading →

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More on the red light camera Council vote

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The fuller version of the Chron story addresses the question about whether the petition drive was lawful or not according to the city’s charter. “It is your absolute sworn duty to place this on the ballot,” [Mayor Annise] Parker told … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Red light camera petitions certified

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

They made it just under the wire. A petition to ban red light cameras in Houston has been certified by the city secretary, making it all but certain that voters will decide in November whether the 70 devices at intersections … Continue reading →

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Red light camera opponents turn in their petitions

Posted on August 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I was beginning to wonder if the anti-red light camera crowd was ever going to turn in their petition signatures, as it’s starting too get a little late in the game. They made their move on Monday, submitting 30,000 petition … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The anti-red light camera referendum drive begins

Posted on April 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the anti-red light camera forces intend to collect enough petition signatures to put a charter referendum on the ballot this November. On Friday, they got started. Because red-light camera citations remain outside the realm of tickets that … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

More on the red light camera poll

Posted on April 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Last week I wrote about a poll commissioned by a group called the Keep Houston Safe PAC about attitudes towards red light cameras. The result was quite favorable for the cameras, but at the time I didn’t have full information … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 24 Comments

Poll shows strong support for red light cameras

Posted on April 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The following hit my inbox early Friday morning: A citywide survey of 500 likely voters in Houston’s 2010 general election conducted by a nationally respected polling firm last month finds strong support for the City of Houston’s intersection safety camera … Continue reading →

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Red light camera referendum may be coming

Posted on February 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been expecting this to happen for awhile now. Two lawyers who are suing the city over Houston’s red-light camera program and their supporters said Friday they need 20,000 signatures for a citywide referendum to end what they called a … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

City to release documents related to red light camera study

Posted on October 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

They’re being ordered to do so by a judge, but it doesn’t look like they’re particularly bothered by it. Paul Kubosh and Randall Kallinen filed a lawsuit challenging the city’s refusal to release 208 documents they requested under the Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

And the answer is…more cameras (maybe)

Posted on February 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Well, there is some logic to it. The Houston Police Department is considering changes — possibly even expansion — to its red-light camera program after a city-commissioned study showed that crashes went up at intersections where the devices have been … Continue reading →

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