Tag Archives: 2013 Houston city elections

Diversity on Houston City Council

It’s been quite interesting to see what amounts to a ‘minor freak out’ going on in the blogosphere right now. Suddenly, people are starting to realize that the Houston City Council isn’t as diverse as they expected it to be? And, particularly from a gender perspective, will be even less so in 2014. The Council, which currently has four women holding office, will be down to two in the new year.

My response to this… where was the concern before??

The truth of the matter? Houston City Council isn’t “diverse” right now… it’s still no where near parity to our actual city’s population. Four women on council is better than two, but still admittedly short of the 8 needed to be fully reflective of an even gender split. For a city that is over 40 percent Hispanic, Council is very much under-represented in that regard with just two Hispanic members. Not only will Council be losing 2 women in 2014, but it will also be flipping back to ‘majority white’ for the first time in nearly a decade. In a true reflection of the city’s racial makeup, the largest representative group should be Hispanic.

Those are just snapshot observations, but to truly understand the make-up of council requires a broader understanding. Given his expertise on all things Houston politics, I asked Charles Kuffner of Off the Kuff for some history on the subject.

Basically, Districts B, D, H, I, and K have been people of color barring anything strange. That’s five of eleven, or four of nine pre-redistricting. If District F is a non-Anglo, that will give you six of eleven (or five of nine), so you then need only two At Large members to be people of color to have parity.

Since 2003, District F has been represented by MJ Khan, Al Hoang, and now Richard Nguyen. During that time, there have been at least two minority At Large members every term except one, in 2005, when Ronald Green was it. So that was the last election that Houston had a majority Anglo Council. And [technically] Addie Wiseman, who served in District E from 2001 through 2007, was half Hispanic, though she never really identified as Latina.

In 2001, District F was represented by Mark Ellis, so three minority At Large members were needed, but there were only – Gordon Quan and Carroll Robinson. Annise Parker was also an At Large member, if that helps. However, Sylvia Garcia was Controller, and of course Lee Brown was Mayor, so I’d give 2001 a pass. In 1999 there were three minority At Large members – Quan, Robinson, and Orlando Sanchez, plus Parker, Garcia, and Brown. In 1997 there was Sanchez and Robinson At Large, but Martha Wong represented District C, so once again parity was achieved.

Interestingly, 2005… the last time City Council was majority white, was also the only term that it was majority female… 8 women to 6 men served. So by both measurements of race and gender, 2014 will be an anomaly as the most majority male and majority white Council in the 21st century.

That’s the data. But it’s important to frame all of this as an anomaly… simply a result of how the 2013 elections turned out. There were a fairly diverse group of candidates on the ballot, and certainly there is no reason to believe that the decision of voters had anything to do with race or gender. Nor does the lack of diversity serve as any indication that these Council Members will not serve the people of Houston fairly. But perhaps it should cause the city’s political community to take another look down the pipeline to make sure that people from all backgrounds remain interested and motivated in city government. That’s the only way to really ensure that the decision-makers in government truly reflect their constituents in as many ways as possible.

And one more point…

Before you go away and decide that local government is suffering from a loss of diversity, don’t forget that District I set an historic milestone in 2013. Council Member-elect Robert Gallegos will be the first openly gay Latino male to be elected in the city of Houston, and one of a handful of GLBT elected officials statewide. Here’s more from Lone Star Q

Gallegos’ victory makes him the only openly gay Latino city council member in Texas. It also gives Houston two out council members, in addition to lesbian Mayor Annise Parker. Out Councilman Mike Laster was elected to a second term in November. Together Gallegos and Laster are two of only four openly gay city council members statewide — along with Joel Burns in Fort Worth and Scott Sherman in Pearland, according to the Victory Fund.

So even in a very odd election year, Houston City Council still finds ways to make progress.

Houston Runoff Elections: Less of the Extreme

Over the weekend, the winds of change blew through the halls of Houston and HCC municipal governance. In Saturday’s runoff election, turnout was expected to be light and that certainly proved to be true. With a meekly 4 percent of overall voter turnout, some of the most contested races of the year were decided. Given that such a small number of voters lent their voice to the runoff, it’s hard to garner any real indications of how this reflects the city’s political trend map. But one thing is for sure… people who vote in runoff elections are the most determined voters you will find anywhere.

There is no better evidence for this fact than in Houston’s District A. In 2011 Tea Party Challenger Helena Brown, armed with a bevy of anti-government, anti-establishment voters, defeated then- Incumbent Council Member Brenda Stardig by 605 votes. In the year and a half that followed, district residents got to know Council Member Brown as being true to her word. After racking up an extraordinary record rejecting even the most mundane city business, District A citizens (at least those precious few that voted in the December 14th runoff) decided that they have had enough, rejecting Brown’s extremism and reinstating Stardig to her former seat. Interesting what honesty in politics gets you these days.

Though At Large 2 Council Member Andrew Burks is far from a ‘right-wing extremist’, he is known for some measures of extremism just the same. In his first term, he had several instances of berating constituent speakers that disagreed with him, and perceived hostility toward some of his elected colleagues. These very public shows of difficulty certainly didn’t do him any favors during the 2013 election, but finally on Saturday, they may have proven to be his downfall, as Burks was defeated by challenger David W. Robinson. Once again, extremism lost out.

Perhaps the most fiery race of this years election season was in District I. Prior to the November elections, four candidates fought hard to encourage turnout in the low-performing district, and each candidate ended up with close to equal shares of the votes. So much so in fact that only 25 votes separated second-place finisher Robert Gallegos from 3rd place Ben Mendez. But a second-place finish turned out to be the right prescription, as Robert Gallegos defeated Graci Garces in the runoff election, and will now represent the citizens of District I.

There were some less exciting race results as well. In District D, frontrunner Dwight Boykins went on to handily defeat Georgia Provost. Adriana Tamez, who was the top vote-getter in the General Election, went on to oust incumbent Herlinda Garcia for HCC District 3. Zeph Capo won the HCC seat for District 1 by defeating incumbent Yolanda Navarro- Flores, and Robert Glaser retained his top position and went to win against Phil Kunetka in HCC District 5. Even with the defeat of 2 incumbents, these races at least gave an indication of what may occur from the General Election totals.

But to have a runoff election that results all 4 incumbents beaten? To say the least, it’s an anomaly. Or perhaps (particularly in the case of City Council), the anomaly was actually 2011, and 2013 was simply a course correction back to less of the extreme. Texpatriate, Off the Kuff and Brains and Eggs have much more.

Only time will tell. But for now… so long Helena Brown.

TLCQ 2013: Endorsement for Mayor of Houston

The race for Mayor of Houston is big business. Whether that be from the standpoint of running the government equivalent of a $5 Billion dollar corporation, or from the nearly $2 million dollars needed to wage a credible campaign, having a serious shot at winning the office takes some serious commitment.

When I first met Ben Hall back in April, that serious commitment was on full display. He spoke with careful eloquence and clear conviction about why he was entering the Mayor’s race. He proved to be very knowledgeable about the Bayou City, and spoke of how he’s been disappointed in the work of “the incumbent” over the past 4 years. Hall offered little in the way of specifics, but his vision for the city was truly grand. I knew that Mayor Parker had drawn a real challenge for the 2013 elections.

That was then, and this is now. Ben Hall has not lived up to a very promising first impression. Instead of offering a different vision for the city, he instead chose to berate the incumbent as “small-minded”, when in reality it is Hall’s campaign that has proven to be so.

While Hall has spent his time being small-minded, Mayor Annise Parker has mostly done the work of the city in an admirable fashion. After four years of weathering a difficult economic storm, Houston businesses are doing better than any place in the nation. This is partly due to the good fortunes of Texas’ strong energy sector, but make no mistake, the city would be in a worse position if not for Parker’s dedication and meticulous planning. Programs like Hire Houston First gave contracts to local businesses in a time that they were needed the most, helping to quicken the Bayou City’s lift out of the Recession. Parker led major trade missions Brazil and Turkey, planting the seeds for important economic opportunities in the city’s future. Though we may not see all of the progress yet, the Rebuild Houston initiative created a long-term, fiscally responsible plan to fix city streets, and decrease debt. None of these things are paying immediate dividends, and none of them can be held up as some shiny political prize. But the long-term investment in Houston is going to make for a better city, and Parker is doing it the hard way. She’s tackling big issues, one day at a time and seeing how we can make things better.

For all of the things she’s tackled head-on, there are still a host of issues where Annise Parker has been far too risk averse. Texas Leftist is hopeful that her third term will finally bring some significant legislation to protect GLBT citizens from discrimination, and to address the troubling discriminatory practices within Houston’s law enforcement agencies. But for 2013, Annise Parker has proven that she deserves to win reelection. I look forward to what the 3rd term brings.

The pick for Mayor of Houston is Annise Parker.

TLCQ 2013: Endorsements in City Council Districts F-K

Bolstered by unprecedented growth and diversification in Houston’s Asian community, District F is rapidly becoming a second epicenter of the Bayou City. The Asia Town area is exploding with new businesses and entrepreneurial ventures, and needs a council member with the energy, vitality and commitment to voice all of these interests within city government. After a tough campaign in 2011, current incumbent Al Hoang reclaimed his seat. Council Member Hoang’s primary focuses have been crime reduction throughout the district, and to bring in more public investment. Efforts to reduce crime have yielded significant success. While the increased public investment has been much slower, this element is finally coming into the picture. As he seeks a final term, I am hopeful that Hoang will realize what a critical role he has on Council, and fight even harder to bring investment dollars to the area. The pick for District F is Al Hoang.

As home to some of Houston’s wealthiest residents in the River Oaks, Galleria and Memorial areas, District G is not short on power and influence within city government. But even with such affluence, the district also has its fair share of challenges. Conservative Council Member Oliver Pennington has represented his constituents very well. Far-removed from the Teapublicanism of Washington, Pennington has exercised common sense judgment and good stewardship for the needs of Houstonians. Even when voicing reservations of some projects he considers “spending”, he always shares a well-reasoned opinion before casting his vote. As a Liberal blog, Texas Leftist have not agreed with all of Pennington’s actions on council. But he is respected for always being willing to all sides of an issue and acting in good faith for his constituents. Though his opponent Brian Taef has run an impressive campaign, Council Member Pennington deserves another term. The pick for District G is Oliver Pennington.

The pick for District H is incumbent Ed Gonzalez, who is running unopposed.

Though District I may have seemed a more simplistic neighborhood community in previous years, the area has really began to heat up. With massive new investments underway in Downtown, EaDo and in other areas, Texas Leftist agrees with the Chronicle that whoever represents this District ‘should have no learning curve’. All four candidates in this arena have a wealth of experience and qualifications, and any would probably be a good addition to City Council. So much so that it’s quite surprising that none of them (particularly Graci Garces) thought to run for an At-Large seat. But one person in particular seems the best fit to represent District I. Robert Gallegos’ decades of service as a Civic Club President and Founding member and President of the Eastwood/ Lawndale Super-neighborhood have given him a proven record of success for the area. One of his most recent accomplishments was the building of an extensive coalition to support an underpass for the East End rail line. He’s also been proven in the political arena, working as a critical community liason for then-County Commissioner (now State Senator) Sylvia Garcia. With such disparate interests set to converge within District I, Gallegos the person with the skills to bring everyone to the table. The pick for District I is Robert Gallegos.

The pick for District J is incumbent Mike Laster, who is running unopposed.

The pick for District K is incumbent Larry Green, who is running unopposed.

TLCQ 2013: Endorsements in City Council Districts A-E

Municipal government may not have the huge budget that Texas lawmakers do in Austin, but as a $4.9 billion-dollar entity, Houston’s city budget is still larger than many countries around the world. The Bayou City is one of the world’s economic powerhouses. As such, being a City Council Member is a big job.

District A is sometimes considered Houston’s “most Conservative”, at least when one considers who shows up to vote in elections. Given this fact, it’s fair to say that the persons challenging incumbent Council Member Helena Brown live up to the political philosophies of their constituents. The field has a wealth of strong candidates, including newcomers Ron Hale and Amy Peck. But former Council Member Brenda Stardig seems the most determined to win back the seat. And it is a seat that she deserves to win back. Brown is no longer an unknown entity spewing rhetoric… she has a record of stiff opposition to various types of investment, and has proven herself to not be cooperative member on Council. Brenda Stardig did a much better job during her brief tenure. The pick for District A is former Brenda Stardig.

As one of Houston’s most underserved communities, District B is an area with great challenges, but also great potential. What’s been needed for a long time there is a politician that’s not there just to point out the issues, but one that can be a true community member and set good examples for the constituency. Council Member Jerry Davis is off to a fantastic start. He regularly leads service projects with his residents, even doing manual labor when he’s not at the Council table. Beyond the important political work, his commitment to service is encouraging residents to make the community better as well. Davis has started to great things in the District B, and deserves another term to make it even better. The pick for District B is Jerry Davis.

The sheer fact that District C Council Member Ellen Cohen is running unopposed for reelection is a sign that most of her constituents are thankful for the job she’s done, and want her to continue. She strives for the highest commitment to open, accountable and responsive government… whether that be her frequent attendance at District Super-neighborhoods and Civic Clubs, or her willingness to address constituents via social media. Though she started with state politics, Cohen has proven that she has a true passion for local government, and as such has earned another term on Council. The pick for District C is Ellen Cohen.

Though it’s perhaps best known as one of the city’s great historically African-American communities, District D is starting to experience monumental changes. As home to both the University of Houston and Texas Southern University, District D is already one of the city’s educational powerhouses. New investment in rail transportation and education set to make the district better than ever before, but good leadership is required to see the area reach it’s full potential. The race has a crowded field of strong candidates, including Dwight Boykins and Anthony Robinson. But Assata Richards rises above the pack as an experienced voice that sees District D from all sides. As a University of Houston professor, she understands the growing needs of the area’s educational institutions. As a deep-rooted community member, she’ll fight to protect what residents love most about their neighborhoods, while leading them to aspire to the next level. As a young single mother and college dropout, Richards not only found the motivation to go back to school, but did so with the help of the District D community. She is an inspiring voice that has helped and will continue to help others who need a view of how to change their circumstances. The pick for District D is Assata Richards.

District E Council Member Dave Martin is a proud Conservative, and as such, has some viewpoints that do not assuage to the political philosophy of this blog. In practice though, Martin has proven to be a voice of reason on City Council, delivering his fair share of concerns, but also voting mostly in the best interests of his constituency. Elected in January of 2013, he’s had the shortest time on council, but given his very brief record, Martin has earned a full term to work for District E. And of course he will get that full term as he is running unopposed. The pick for District E is Dave Martin.

Ben Hall HATES Taxes

I haven’t been following every twist and turn of the Houston Mayor’s race, but this latest revelation was simply too hard to resist.

In Mayoral candidate Ben Hall’s latest TV ad, he reveals that his true opponent in the race isn’t current incumbent Annise Parker, but perhaps it’s any government authority that has ever existed since the dawn of governance? Decide for yourself…

I hate taxes, but my feelings toward the IRS aren’t much different. How about yours? Mayor Parker was kind enough to tell you the IRS and I’ve had some disagreements over my taxes. But, she just forgot to mention that right before those disagreements started we had sued the IRS for over nine million dollars, and won. Now, think that’s a coincidence?

It’s no secret that most Americans (and definitely most Texans) don’t enjoy the act to paying their taxes. But the point of taxes is not to love them or hate them. It’s to pay them. Thus why we view tax payment as an obligation. I don’t happen to love taking out the trash or cleaning my bathroom, but they are things that I’m obliged to do. The same is the case for a community, large or small. Most voters understand that taxes have an important purpose. That tax money goes to protect the citizens of Houston through our brave police and firefighters. They ensure that we have clean water to use, and that our children can attend school. Whatever your opinion of the current state of Houston’s streets and infrastructure, it wouldn’t even be built if not for the tax payments of citizens from previous generations.

Of course nobody is perfect. It’s probably safe to assume that many Houstonians haven’t always paid their taxes on time, or exactly the way they need to (count me in as one). Everyone makes mistakes. Hall has owned up to those mistakes, and paid most of his past due taxes. But boasting about being a “former deadbeat” does not instill confidence in most people that Hall can run a major city effectively. One would hope that a candidate running for a place in city government would at least recognize the value of taxes, even if that particular candidate doesn’t always enjoy paying them on time. And winning a lawsuit against the IRS may prove Hall to be a good lawyer, but it doesn’t qualify him to be the Mayor of our nation’s fourth largest city. I can’t see how this ad will prove to be a smart move for the Hall campaign, unless he’s decided to abandon the Mayor’s race, and run for TEA Party chairman.

TLCQ 2013: Endorsements in HCC Trustee Races

As the second-largest College system in Texas, and the 6th largest in the United States, Houston Community College is a pillar entity in Houston and Southeast Texas. Even for Texans that don’t directly attend HCC, they interact with students and alumni on a constant basis. It is an integral part of the educational life of Houston… almost as much as its progenitor the Houston Independent School District. HCC’s trustees are elected by voters in Houston and other cities within the school’s jurisdiction. For all of these reasons, Texas Leftist wanted to examine these races and issue endorsements for the candidates.

In HCC’s District 1, current incumbent Trustee Yolanda Navarro Flores is running for reelection. But given a torrid history with the HCC Board, including suing her fellow trustees for defamation, it’s no surprise that she has drawn two challengers in the race. It’s a sampling of many issues that have plagued the Board of Trustees in recent years. Both of her challengers, Kevin J. Hoffman and Zeph Capo, have strong records of public service. But in this race, Mr. Capo’s record in the classroom, especially in dealing with at-risk youth is what makes him stand out. His first-hand experience working with students not unlike many attending HCC would prove a great attribute to the system. The 2013 pick for District 1 is Zeph Capo.

District 3 has incumbent Herlinda Garcia with two respective challengers. Dr. Adriana Tamez is an educator with extensive knowledge of HISD and the K-12 system. But Dane D. Cook also has a wealth of unique experiences, both as a recent student of HCC, and as one of our nation’s veterans that would be of great asset to the school’s governing body. Many of the school’s current Trustees are so far removed from the student experience that their vision for the future of the institution can become uninformed by reality. It’s true he is the youngest candidate, but Mr. Cook’s leadership skills have been proven both in the theater of war, and transition back to American society. This is an experience that will continue to be vital to HCC as the war in Afghanistan draws down and our soldiers come home to face real-world decisions about the next stages of their lives. For many of Houston’s veterans, HCC will be a critical part of that journey. The 2013 pick for District 3 is Dane D. Cook.

District 5 has been mired in difficulty as well, following the resignation of Richard Schechter and later his interim replacement Leila Feldman, so it is certainly the hope that voters can find some stability for this constituency. As a native Houston and lifelong resident of the District, candidate Robert Glaser will be there to provide stable leadership. Bringing his experience in both public education and as a small business owner, he has been able to see the important role HCC plays in training the Houston workforce. As college costs continue to skyrocket, he also sees the benefit of reducing redundancy in college and high school programs to both enrich the student experience and lower education costs for families. Affordability is perhaps the greatest attribute that HCC has, and Mr. Glaser brings that aspect as a central part of his goals for the system. The 2013 pick for District 5 is Robert Glaser.

Though District 7 incumbent Trustee Neeta Sane has drawn one challenger in this race, she has proven her skills as an effective leader and visionary for the system. Like her rapidly growing and diverse district, Ms. Sane brings a wealth of diverse experience as a naturalized US citizen and small business owner. She has demonstrated how HCC can be more than an educational institution, but can really mold and shape a growing community. Ms. Sane has overseen over $140 million dollars of investment in her district, including the establishment of the Alief ISD Early College High School, the HCC Stafford Fine Arts Center, the ASPIRE scholarship program to promote educational opportunities in the Asian community, the Bissonnet workforce building and HCC Missouri City. She has a thorough understand of the growing needs in her district. For all of these reasons, the 2013 pick for District 7 is incumbent Neeta Sane.