Tag Archives: Houston City Council

Uncategorized

Wendy Davis, Annise Parker hold Press Conference

Leave a comment

State Senator and Gubernatorial Candidate Wendy Davis appeared at Houston City Hall with Mayor Annise Parker, Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, and City Council members Wanda Adams, Ed Gonzalez, Ellen Cohen and Mike Laster. The Press Conference was not broadcast live, but all local media outlets appeared to be present.

The Press Conference with Senator Davis and City leaders was to announce some major news… the City of Houston no longer has a rape kit backlog, according to the Houston Chronicle. Further Twitter reports from reliable sources are as follows

From the AP’s Juan Lozano, here’s the full article…

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s success in clearing its backlog of untested rape kits should be held up as a model for other cities around Texas to follow, officials said Wednesday.

Houston has spent $4.4 million in federal and city funding to address its backlog of more than 6,600 rape kits, Mayor Annise Parker said.

The funding was used by the city to send its rape kits to two outside labs for testing. Parker said she expects the testing to be completed by the end of this year or early next year.

Parker said Houston’s approach wasn’t easy or inexpensive and it came during a difficult economic time but it was the right way to deal with a problem that had been decades in the making.

“My hope is other cities around the state can learn from our approach,” she said at a news conference.

Testing and reports have been completed on nearly 2,800 cases, with 464 cases yielding usable DNA that is being entered into federal databases. Parker said one charge and one arrest have so far resulted from the testing.

Parker said while Houston was able to pay for its testing of the backlog with the help of federal funding, she is hopeful other cities around Texas will be able to take advantage of $11 million in state funding that was appropriated during this year’s legislative session to pay for the testing of a backlog of about 20,000 rape kits around the state. Officials estimate the backlog around the county is about 400,000.

State Sen. Wendy Davis, a Democratic candidate for governor who helped secure the $11 million to address the backlog around the state, attributed Houston’s success in part to bipartisan cooperation at city, state and federal levels of government to secure funding to deal with the problem.

“The city of Houston is making remarkable progress in bringing victims of sexual assault closure, bringing perpetrators to justice, making our streets safer for families … and I’m pleased it is a stellar example of what a city can do when given the kind of partnership and resources that have been provided here,” Davis said.

Davis made sure to speak about Mayor Parker’s role in the success…

“Mayor Parker has been an incredible leader on this issue.” said Davis.

Uncategorized

TLCQ 2013: Ellen Cohen

Leave a comment

In the Twelfth installment of the 2013 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire, we hear from Hon. Ellen Cohen, incumbent Houston City Council Member for District C. She is running for reelection.

Please note: Responses have been received directly from the candidate, and have been posted ver batim from the email received. This is done out of fairness to all candidates. Publishing these responses does not constitute an endorsement, but will be considered during the endorsement process.

TL: What is your name, as it will appear on the ballot?

EC: Ellen Cohen

TL: Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)?

EC: I previously represented HD 134, including Meyerland, Bellaire and the Rice U areas, in the State Legislature from 2007-2010. I’ve represented City Council District C, which overlaps with many areas in HD 134, since January 2012.

TL: As a political candidate, you clearly care about what happens in certain levels of government. In your own words, why is government important?

EC: Government is a place where everyone can come together to solve our communities’ problems. Everyone should have a voice and a seat at the table so we can make progress as a group instead of going it alone.

TL: If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it.

EC: Public Safety is always my first priority and to that end I’ve been working to come up with innovative solutions to deter crime. Currently, I’m working to install security cameras in Fourth Ward. Once this is complete, I intend to look at other areas which might benefit from this. Additionally, parking remains a major concern in District C communities. Now that the Washington Ave. Parking Benefit District is underway, I will begin conducting stakeholder meetings in other parts of the district so that we might come up with solutions to address unique concerns in those neighborhoods. Additionally, I want to pursue a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance in the next two years.

TL: With the exception of city government and some other select businesses, Houstonians can still be fired for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender because we do not have a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance for general employment. This lags behind other Texas cities such as Dallas, Austin, and Ft. Worth. Do you support a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance for the city of Houston? If not, please explain why. If so, please explain how you would work to pass such a measure.

EC: I absolutely support a comprehensive non-discrimination measure a consider it to be a major civil rights priority. Demonstrating community support and dispelling misconceptions will be critical in getting such a measure passed.

TL: There have been an alarming number of complaints filed against officers in the Houston Police Department, accused of unwarranted police brutality towards citizens. A disproportionate amount of this violence occurs in minority communities, and in the vast majority of these cases, officers have gone unpunished. As a result, these incidents cause a cycle of mistrust between Houstonians and the very officers sworn to protect them. What can you do to increase oversight of the Houston Police Department, and help ensure that these incidents do not continue?

EC: Police brutality must not be tolerated. Even one rouge officer is one too many. When such incidents come to light we must act swiftly and transparently in order to ensure the matter is handled appropriately. Education and training play a vital role in preventing these instances, and in-vehicle cameras are a critical part of transparency and citizen protection.

TL: What makes you the best candidate for this office?

EC: Over the past six years I have proven myself as a problem-solver both in the State House and on Council. I believe that solving our communities’ problems is the first job of an elected official, and I feel up to the job for another four years.

TL: When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?

EC: I like to work out, spend time with my family and socialize with my friends. I also love enjoying the many beautiful parks around our city.

Thanks to Ms. Cohen for her participation.

Uncategorized

TLCQ 2013: Andrew C Burks Jr.

Leave a comment

In the Ninth installment of the 2013 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire, we hear from Hon. Andrew C Burks Jr., incumbent Houston City Council Member At Large Position 2, and running for reelection.

Please note: Responses have been received directly from the candidate, and have been posted ver batim from the email received. This is done out of fairness to all candidates. Publishing these responses does not constitute an endorsement, but will be considered during the endorsement process.

TL: What is your name, as it will appear on the ballot? 



AB: Andrew C. Burks Jr.

TL: Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)? 


AB: I am currently the Houston City Council Member At-Large 2


TL: As a political candidate, you clearly care about what happens in certain levels of government. In your own words, why is government important? 



AB: Local government is the first line of communication between the citizen and its government. Local government ensures trash is collected, responds to citizens needs, improves the quality of life for all individuals in the city, creates jobs while growing the economy and continues infrastructural improvement. Local government is vital because we respond immediately to the needs of the citizen.

TL: If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it. 



AB: Continue to work with the EPA for funding toward Brownfield clean up, hiring of veterans and disabled individuals, improving the economy of the city and increasing property tax homestead exemption for senior citizens.

TL: With the exception of city government and some other select businesses, Houstonians can still be fired for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender because we do not have a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance for general employment. This lags behind other Texas cities such as Dallas, Austin, and Ft. Worth. Do you support a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance for the city of Houston? If not, please explain why. If so, please explain how you would work to pass such a measure. 



AB: I support a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance for the city of Houston. I will continue to publicly advocate for and vote in favor of a non-discrimination ordinance, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in employment, housing, and public accommodation.

TL: There have been an alarming number of complaints filed against officers in the Houston Police Department, accused of unwarranted police brutality towards citizens. A disproportionate amount of this violence occurs in minority communities, and in the vast majority of these cases, officers have gone unpunished. As a result, these incidents cause a cycle of mistrust between Houstonians and the very officers sworn to protect them. What can you do to increase oversight of the Houston Police Department, and help ensure that these incidents do not continue? 



AB: Through my work as Houston City Council Member and community activist I have strongly advocated to ensure that Houston Police Officers receive more training in dealing with diverse communities. The job of a police officer is a high stress position and there has to be a stronger dialogue between the citizens and the police department. We should also improve the neighborhood policing policies and ensure police officers do more policing in their communities. I also strongly support town hall meetings collaborating with community leaders and civic club presidents to combat this issue. It is also vital that the Houston Police Department conduct extensive background checks based on all police officers.

TL: What makes you the best candidate for this office? 



AB: I am extremely qualified for this position because my visible leadership as Houston City Councilmember At Large Position 2 and my experience as an activist and long history of involvement in the Houston community. I have taken the lead on many imperative issues facing the citizens of this great city such as, increasing senior citizen property tax exemption, ensuring our youth have more quality summer jobs, adding more ambulances to the Houston Fire Department and investing in quality after school programs for our youth but there is still a great amount of work to be completed. I also have a strong passion for making Houston the best city in the country to live, do business and raise a family. I also have a great amount of experience working with the cities budget, understanding how the city operates and how all departments’ function.

TL: When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?

AB: Free time is merely a dream. In my spare time, I think of how I can help improve, beautify, promote and better the quality of life for all our citizens and businesses.

Thanks to Mr. Burks for his participation.

Uncategorized

TLCQ 2013: Ben Mendez

Leave a comment

In the Eighth installment of the 2013 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire, we hear from Ben Mendez, candidate for Houston City Council, District I.

Please note: Responses have been received directly from the candidate, and have been posted ver batim from the email received. This is done out of fairness to all candidates. Publishing these responses does not constitute an endorsement, but will be considered during the endorsement process.

TL: What is your name, as it will appear on the ballot?

BM: Ben Mendez, Candidate for City Council District I.

TL: Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)?

BM: I am not a current or former elected official.

TL: As a political candidate, you clearly care about what happens in certain levels of government. In your own words, why is government important?

BM: Government can be the great equalizer to serve as the voice of the people. Government addresses many concerns we cannot address as individuals. Government helps gather resources for the public good, and can help protect the rights of individuals, as well as communities.

TL: If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it.

BM: My top priorities are affordable housing, updating infrastructure, and improving the quality of life in communities.

I intend to prioritize these issues, and bring funding to neighborhoods in the district that have been left behind, and work to implement green initiatives to reduce energy costs and help the environment.

TL: With the exception of city government and some other select businesses, Houstonians can still be fired for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender because we do not have a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance for general employment. This lags behind other Texas cities such as Dallas, Austin, and Ft. Worth. Do you support a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance for the city of Houston? If not, please explain why. If so, please explain how you would work to pass such a measure.

BM: I support a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance for the City of Houston. I would work to pass it by reaching out to my fellow Council Members, as well as unions and community members to appeal to the underlying issues of justice and fairness inherent in such an ordinance.

TL: There have been an alarming number of complaints filed against officers in the Houston Police Department, accused of unwarranted police brutality towards citizens. A disproportionate amount of this violence occurs in minority communities, and in the vast majority of these cases, officers have gone unpunished. As a result, these incidents cause a cycle of mistrust between Houstonians and the very officers sworn to protect them. What can you do to increase oversight of the Houston Police Department, and help ensure that these incidents do not continue?

BM: The Houston Police Department should be held to a high standard in its dealings with the public. In addition to increasing training and reporting systems, I am open to creation of a citizen’s review board to weigh-in on such police incidents.

TL: What makes you the best candidate for this office?

BM: My qualifications/assets I feel earn great consideration are as follows:

Experience with City Government & Budget Experience As former City of Houston’s CIP Manager I developed and managed the construction dollars for the City of Houston’s 5-year Capital Improvement Plan and served as the point of contact for all departments in regards to the $1.4 billon spent on new construction and renovation of City facilities. In addition, I was hired by the Houston Independent School District to develop the district’s $1.2 billion 5-year Capital Improvement Plan for the construction of new schools.

Small Business Experience As the Founder and President of PMJ Project Management Group I offer more than 17 years of experience in the energy, architectural, engineering, and construction industries, with special expertise in managing, budgeting, and program/policy development.

Our company was recently honored at Harvard University by ICIC as the 41st fastest growing inner-city businesses in the nation, and ranked Number #1 in the State of Texas.

As the Chairman of Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC) I have proven experience in promoting strategic to enhance small business growth in the Hispanic community.

Community Organizing Experience As Founder of NHPO, and a former Union steward for the Houston Federation of Teachers [HFT], I have the community relationships and grass-roots organizing experience to increase civic engagement in our communities.

TL: When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?

BM: When not on the Campaign Trail, I enjoy spending time with my wife and children. We are an active family, and even more so since my 1-year old recently learned to walk. I am always happy to get together with friends for fun, and to support charitable community efforts, such as National Hispanic Professional Organization – Leadership Institute, Tejano Center for Community Concerns, Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans, Talento Bilingue de Houston and many others. Of course I also enjoy our local sport teams and especially enjoy cheering on my alma mater University of Houston Cougars, and the Houston Texans.

Thanks to Mr. Mendez for his participation.

Uncategorized

Houston, We Have A Budget…

Leave a comment

And we didn’t have to fudge it.  

As exciting as Texas state politics have been this week, it’s important to also take a look back at events in local politics. For the City of Houston, a lot has been accomplished in the last couple of weeks. Far-removed from K-street underbelly controlling DC, or even the overt grand-standing that you find in Austin, Houston politics is on the whole a series of honest events. But that doesn’t mean municipal government lacks for excitement, or doesn’t have its fair share of fights. Houston City Council is about as diverse a government body as one may find. With a contingencies of Liberals, Conservatives and even Tea Party members holding office, Houston’s City Government feels quite reflective of the nation itself.  
But there is one critical delineation… In local government, failure is not an option. If Houston is to be a successful city, we must have a successful council. If they mess things up, Houstonians immediately know it. It also means that a city’s annual budget has to be real. Council can’t pass Continuing Resolutions, or waste constituent time and money promoting religious holidays through meaningless legislation. For a city, every dollar counts.  
That was the massive task that lay before Houston City Council on last week. They showed up to City Hall, political philosophies in tow, and worked together  past sundown. It wasn’t easy, but it was done.  
From Houston Chronicle reporter Mike Morris, here’s a summation of how the day went down…  
The roller-coaster 10-hour meeting – all but 45 minutes of which focused on Mayor Annise Parker’s budget and council members’ 60 proposed amendments to it – will require Parker to shuffle about $3.9 million in the $2.2 billion general fund budget. The rest of the city’s spending occurs in enterprise funds fed by fees and not taxes.

Parker said this year’s budget cycle has been far different from the past three, which saw the city slash spending during the recession.  


“This budget we had new revenue coming in, and so there was an opportunity to set priorities for new spending,” she said. “So it was a little more difficult here at the table because we all had different ideas on how we spend that new money.”  

Among the successful amendments: A $2 million push to redeploy four ambulances shelved during the cutbacks; a $1.5 million summer jobs program for youth; $250,000 for cameras to monitor illegal dumping; and money to increase the Houston Center for Literacy’s budget from $400,000 to $500,000. Other big-ticket items, including a $3 million summer-jobs program and $1.5 million for after-school programs, were voted down. 
Houston’s Senior Citizens will be getting some tax relief as well. The city’s current tax exemption for homeowners 65 and older will rise from $70,862 to $80,000. This exemption, along with the other amendments will impact the overall budget, requiring the Mayor’s office to look for flexibility in other areas.

“I’m not going to make the cut right away… Since we all believe that the revenue will come in above our expectations, we believe we can still hit our targets even with this cut. It just means there’s less going to next year’s fund balance” Mayor Parker said. Council Member Brown went on to reiterate that this year’s budget came in with a $6 million- dollar surplus as well, confirming that the money was available to absorb the cut.

And 10 hours later, the Houston City Council adopted a $4.9 Billion- dollar budget. The first one in three years with no significant job cuts. I applaud the Mayor and Council members for their hard work. 

A city budget may lack the glamour of a raucous floor vote at the Capitol, but keeping an area as massive as Houston running is noble and necessary work indeed. Mayor Parker and City Council deserve to be lauded for it. Off the Kuff has a more timely post on the subject.

Uncategorized

Houston City Council Approves Safe Passing Ordinance

Leave a comment

For several decades now, Houston, Texas has been seen as a city whose streets are ruled exclusively by the automobile. One visit to the city lets you know that most cars drive the streets as fast as possible with little regard to anyone else that may be using the street. Because of this, Houston streets are very dangerous for cyclists, pedestrians, disabled citizens or anyone else who need to use them.

But today, the Houston City Council took a critical step to change our auto-only mentality. By a unanimous vote, Council approved Houston’s Safe Passing Ordinance. Effective immediately, non-commercial drivers in Houston must maintain at least 3 feet of space between them and all “vulnerable users”… cyclists, pedestrians, disabled citizens, equestrians, and anyone else using the road outside of an automobile. For larger trucks and commercial vehicles, they have to maintain 6 feet of separation.

From the City’s Official Press Release…

“As a city, we need to protect everyone and anyone who uses our roads,” said Mayor Annise Parker. “This ordinance will make our city even more attractive to those who want to enjoy traveling in forms other than by car.”

In addition to requiring safe passing and trailing distances from vulnerable road users, this ordinance prohibits any motor vehicle occupant from throwing or projecting any object or substance at or against them.

“BikeHouston is pleased to see this ordinance pass and proud of the Mayor’s continued efforts on helping Houston become a more bicycle-friendly city,” says Kathryn Baumeister, Chair of BikeHouston. “Houston is a city of cars, but also has a big population of people who rely on cycling for transportation and recreation. We feel it is important for cyclists and drivers of automobiles to respect one another on the road. This ordinance will help provide a measure of safety for the vulnerable road users.”

Jenifer Rene Pool, a candidate for Houston City Council and major advocate for the improvement Houston’s infrastructure, also had this comment via Twitter…

“I’m pleased to see that City Council has taken initiative to protect cyclists and joggers on the streets of Houston. Good work.”

Good work indeed, and some would say it was long overdue. Houston was the “last hold-out”, but now all of the major cities in Texas have Safe Passage laws in effect. As more motorists are educated about the new law, it will definitely stand to make our streets safer, but there is still much work to be done on the streets themselves. With so many of the city’s roads in poor condition, it’s still difficult to make them truly safe for all. Hopefully the next steps will be to repair the roads and work on Complete Streets initiatives, but in itself, Safe Passage is welcomed news for Houston.

Off the Kuff has some background on this issue.

Share the road Houston… It’s the law now.

Houston Politics

Houston City Council PASSES Chapter 42

Leave a comment

Ready or not, here we come…

After six years of vigorous debate, the Houston City Council has voted to further increase the city’s density. Chapter 42 passed Council on a vote of 14 to 3. The ordinance changes development rules in the hopes of making the city more competitive with the suburbs. And given the extreme interest by area developers, it will likely be successful in that regard. This was far from an easy vote, as virtually every Council Member had qualms with the ordinance. As the Mayor said, this vote ends the separation between inner loop and outer loop areas. “The city of Houston now has one development code.” And it has been updated to reflect a much more ‘urban’ reality.

Council Member Melissa Noriega voiced resident concerns that Chapter 42 does not address a legacy of draining issues (currently covered under Chapter 9 of the development code), and that will only put a greater strain on an already aging drainage system. Even with this concern, Noriega voted in favor of the ordinance.

Council Member Helena Brown even proposed an Amendment to exclude her entire district (District A) from the Chapter 42 changes. It failed, and Brown voted against the whole measure. Of course to most Houstonians ‘Council Member Brown voting no’ shouldn’t be a surprise.

But even with all of the added drama, anxiety and resistance, this grand bargain is an important next step for the city of Houston. The Mayor and her office worked tirelessly on the issue, and to strike an agreement between the neighborhoods and builders was a win in itself. But now that agreement is law, and Houston can pave the way to a more dense development future.

From a purely political standpoint, the passing of Chapter 42 is a very big win for Houston Mayor Annise Parker. It is yet another major legacy issue that she has tackled as Mayor. If any other elected offices lie in her future, she can point to Chapter 42 as one of the big things that she accomplished. Hopefully, the continuing issues with drainage, complete streets and buried powerlines will be tackled in the not-too-distant future. But Chapter 42 is officially DONE.

For previous coverage on chapter 42, you can check here and here.