Tag Archives: Houston

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Houston’s Mayor reminds us what REALLY makes a family

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By design, politicians are public figures. They are used to cameras, the press, and definitely get used to the sound of hearing themselves talk. But as public as people like Houston Annise Parker can be, it is rare that she has been so candid about her personal life. The nation probably knows that she is openly gay, and they know that she won an historic victory as the first openly gay person elected mayor of large American city. And that’s probably about it.

But in a rare speech to the Coalition for the Homeless, Mayor Parker opens up about her family experience with the struggles of homelessnesses, and about the story of her wonderful family. All three of the mayor’s children are adopted (though only two legally) and all are African-American. In this speech, she shares the story of how she and partner Kathy Hubbard (THE First Lady of Houston) came to know their son. He’s not legally adopted, but they consider him family just the same.

As the Mayor reminds us in this speech, genetics are not the only factor that determine a family. Like her and her partner, many same-sex couples are providing homes for children that may otherwise be homeless. They open their life and their family to them. It’s one of the most loving and noble acts one could ask to be done. It’s speeches like this one that make me truly proud to be a Houstonian.

Texas Politics

Paving the Road to Blue Texas: HCDP’s Lane Lewis

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I had the opportunity to sit down with Lane Lewis, chair of the Harris County Democratic Party. We discussed some of the activities of the county party, his thoughts about the renewed interest in Texas Democrats, and the possibilities of Texas Turning Blue. And as he said, talking about turning Texas blue is great, but it won’t get accomplished without decisive, coordinated action. There has to come a point where rhetoric meets the road.

Texas Leftist: Thank you very much for your time today, and I want to say Congratulations on the success of the 2012 elections, and a very exciting start to 2013. Now that we’ve had a bit of time to sleep and reflect, how do you think 2012 went from your perspective?

Lane Lewis: I thought they went very well, and we did what we needed to do. We are in the process of changing the culture of the party. We are creating a culture of organizing for 365 days per year. That’s what our Engage 365 initiative is about. We’re not staffing down after the 2012 elections… we’re staffing up.

TL: The notion of a year-round organization goes right into my second question. Do you think Engage 365 is going well, and will you be close to achieving that goal?

LL: It’s been going very well. We’ve had 3 events so far this year… a food drive, a blood bank, and a community garden project. All three have met or exceeded our expectations.

And let me talk about why these events are important. Some would say “you planted a garden… that’s cute.” But the big picture is to draw a series of bright contrasts between us and the other side. We partnered with a local, small health clinic, selected a plot of land on their property, and created a public space that benefits the life and health of the community. Right behind this future community garden is Booker T. Washington High School. Let’s work with the school to create a gardening club, and get the students involved in community service, as well as an educational opportunity. Republicans want to take away your health care, Democrats want to help you access it. Republicans want to do away with public and recreational spaces, Democrats help to create those public spaces. Republicans want to gut funding for education, Democrats want to build bridges and expand educational opportunities. We’re addressing healthcare, elevating community awareness, and building bridges with educators and community leaders.

You may ask, how do we get people to this event? Simple… we make phone calls, and invite them to the event. “There’s no election going on right now, but we’re creating a community garden in your neighborhood. Would you like to be involved?” and they say “Sure!”. At the same time, we’re cleaning up our voter list. We go to area elected officials to sponsor the event. That way, we’re elevating their profile in an off year, and it’s easier to get them reelected next time.

At the base of the project, we’re leaving a cornerstone that says:

“Engage 365- Community Garden Project for the Indepence Heights Health Care Clinic. Sponsored by the Harris County Democratic Party, and elected officials.”

We leave it there as a permanent reminder for visitors to the clinic. These people [the Democrats] believe so much in your need for these services, that we’ll put our money and our name on it. It’s not just a “cute idea”.

The garden received press coverage from both Univision Channel 45 and the Memorial Examiner, which you can read more by following the links.

TL: Sounds like an investment all the way around, and again a great segway into the next question. Do you feel that Democrats in our county are doing a better job at being on offense? Are we better able to set the political agenda instead of always having to respond to the agenda of the GOP?

LL: Yes, most definitely. We are taking action, and not reaction. Reactions over the long term typically arise out of a lack of leadership and direction. If we don’t know where we are going, then we’re forced to simply react to wherever we are. A great example of action is the new Harris County Democratic Party website. It’s integrated socially with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other sites. I challenge you to find another county party website in the entire country that is as sophisticated as ours. That, ladies and gentlemen is ACTION… where the rhetoric meets the road.

In my opinion, the off years are when it’s important to begin merging the ideas of community organizing with political organizing. That’s when people can say “it’s not just about getting me to vote. It’s about people participating in my neighborhood.” At HCDP we are marrying community organizing– finding solutions to people’s real life problems, with political organizing– getting people to vote, and better understand the importance of doing so.

TL: A very “small d democratic” solution. And that brings up an important point. With all of the crazy debates in our legislature right now… fighting tooth-and-nail to expand Medicaid and meet the growing needs of Texas schoolchildren… is there anything “off” about 2013 for Texans? Do you feel that the groundwork being laid with HCDP can be translated back into political action for 2014?

LL: Well, here’s an example… in 2010, I was the Senate District chair for SD15, and at that time I designed a program called 24/15. I wanted a test some theories regarding Social Pressure voting. So I took my list, and hired a group of CWA workers, and gave them each a co-hort of people on the list. They called the voters every week to give them information about the voting leading up to election day. We informed them about early voting, then found early vote locations that were convenient to their work and their home. We made notes on every call, and when we called the voter again, based our call on the previous conversation. The final call “you gotta promise me that you’re going to go early vote, ok?” until we get a good response from the list. 2010… Democrats got their butts kicked across the country, but in SD15? 62 percent of that list went out to go EARLY vote.

TL: Very impressive. With all of the buzz surrounding Texas Democrats all of a sudden, and many people giving the state party a second look, Harris County is sure to be a major focus of those efforts. As the largest county in the state, with the most potential to tip the scales in a statewide election, what are your goals for the county in 2014 and 2016.

LL: You’re absolutely right. 1 out of every 4 votes cast in Texas come from Harris county. So yes Harris is a player, it’s got to be a player. When Harris county goes reliably blue, Texas goes blue. The state certainly can’t go blue without us. When that happens and Texas flips, there is not an electoral map you can show me where a Republican candidate can win without Texas. It would be GAME OVER for generations. So what are we going to do to expedite that? We certainly need to focus on creating a larger voter share by identifying new voters and building relationships with them. Some reports I’ve read say there are as many as 600,000 non-registered voters in the county. We focus on them, and get even 80,000 to go vote, it’s game over here as well.

TL: Of course besides 2014, we have several local races in 2013, but many of these races are non-partisan. Given that fact, does HCDP play any particular function in these local races?

LL: Yes and no. I have absolutely no intention of placing the party in a position to endorse any municipal candidate… particularly if there is more than one Democrat in the race. However, I do think there is something to be said for providing voters two things. The first is a voter guide to inform voters of which candidates typically vote in the Democratic primary, whether or not they are a sustaining member with the Democratic Party, and to share candidate views regarding important Progressive issues. I think we have a responsibility to provide those things to the voters. I also think that HCDP has a responsibility to assist in the turnout of vote. We can still inform voters of Democratic issues, and use this as an opportunity to update our list with accurate voter information. We can also assist with information about the elections, such as where and when to early vote.

TL: Good to hear that HCDP definitely has an important role even in non-partisan election years. And that brings us to my last question. Maybe it’s too early to talk about 2014, but do you see any major races shaping up?

LL: Nope not yet. No one that is going to step forward that I know of. And sure there are always rumblings, but I don’t report on rumblings. The message here is this… 2013 is an extension of 2014. We cannot sit back and idle by waiting for 2014 to come. So the actions that we take now to increase our voter share are imperative. This is where the rhetoric meets the road. As fun and engaging as it is to sit around and strategize, there are very few political strategists in the world. And we don’t need more political strategists… we need more political WORKERS. Texas is going to turn blue, but it is not going to be an event. It’s going to be a process. And that process requires hard work. If Texans participate in that process, then the event will happen sooner rather than later.

TL: And what about statewide candidates?

LL: If we expect a Senator, Mayor or State Rep to put their name out to run for state-wide office, the first thing they will look at is their ability to raise money. The second thing they’re going to look at is capacity for voter turnout. Now the problem is this… the only way they can raise money is if the answer to the second question is already there. The big money isn’t going to contribute without knowing voter turnout and engagement (the answer to the FIRST question) is already in place. So when people ask me “who have we got running for Governor?” my question to them is “How many calls have you made today? How many doors have you knocked on today?” Because if the answer to my question is ZERO, then the answer to their question will most certainly be ZERO. The money will come… the candidates will come when we’re doing our job. That job is to raise a dollar, knock a door and make a call.

TL: It sounds like quite the job, but Texans are ready. Thank you very much for your time today.

For a previous interview with Chairman Lane Lewis, check out Charles Kuffner’s Off the Kuff article from last year.

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By Dome I Think He’s Got It… An Astroplan

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One thing that typically surprises visitors to Houston? We’re actually quite the town for art. Our museum district, opera, and ballet are world-class institutions, as well as some impressive structures like the Waterwall. And of course don’t forget the Art Car Parade, and biennial Bayou City Arts Festival. Houston in fact does love art.

Which is why the latest idea surrounding the impending fate of the Astrodome is highly intriguing. A University of Houston grad student has a plan to not destroy the Astrodome, but instead turn it into a sculptural homage to the building’s unique history, and special place in the hearts and minds of Houstonians. Ryan Slattery proposes that we turn the Astrodome into a massive sculpture by stripping the structure to it’s skeleton. As KHOU states, it would be kind of like an “Eiffel Tower” of Houston.

Now this is an idea that I can support. This structure is too important to just destroy and create yet another parking lot. This would give Houstonians a great place to observe their city’s history, while enjoying sports games and the rodeo. In my opinion, we have a winner here. As a town that is already crazy for its art, this would fit the 21st century aesthetic of Houston quite well, while still leaving future possibilities in the area.

Houston Politics

Tex-o-blog-o-sphere: Blog news 3/22/13

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Here are some great reads from other Texas and Houston-area bloggers…

Charles Kuffner at Off the Kuff is examining the fate of the near-defunct North Forest ISD. Will the district fall into the hands of KIPP charter schools, or will it be managed by HISD? Either decision is sure to be very emotional.

Perry Dorrell at Brains and Eggs is covering the unique story of a Fort Bend County Tea Party Patriot that used to be an American fascist. First the Tea Partiers give us Todd “legitimate rape” Akin, Foster “acid between the legs” Friess, and now Jim “heil Hitler” Ives? The gifts really do just keep coming!

Stace Medellin at Dos Centavos is totally not impressed with State Senator Dan Patrick… especially when he tries to remove cultural History electives from Texas schools. Apparently, Patrick’s idea of educational choice is choosing to be LESS educated.

I’m getting ready for Houston’s Chapter 42 fight coming in April. And I must say, I was very happy to get some feedback from the Mayor’s Office on the issue, and will be sure to add their comments to my post when received.

And one more thing… I’ve actually conducted the Texas Leftist blog’s first interview!! Be on the lookout for it next week. Ok, and I need to figure out what exactly the Texas Progressive Alliance is. Hey, give me a break… I’m still relatively new to the blog world!!

Houston Politics

Houston Faces Growing Pains with Chapter 42

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Everyone of us can identify with the notion of growing pains… going from the small frame of a child, to one’s body awkwardly adjusting into adulthood. You probably remember the weird fit of your clothes, interesting voice changes, and of course a flood unexplained (and often unreasoned) emotions.

The city of Houston is about to experience some serious growing pains as well. Mayor Annise Parker has set up the latest coucil battle over Chapter 42… the city’s main proposal for density of new development… to take place on April 10th. And a battle it is sure to be.

Currently, Houston is the largest city in the United States of America without any formal zoning code. When a developer comes to the city, they can basically build whatever they want, regardless of what it’s next to, or where it is located. The only way that a particular area can “zone” itself for a certain type of development is to have very clear deed restrictions. If the neighborhood doesn’t have iron clad deed restrictions, then they are left susceptible to situations like Ashby High Rise… where the developers are going to build a 21-story skyscraper in the middle of an area of very old, very WEALTHY old Houston mansions. No zoning means there’s no stopping the developers… no matter how much money or influence the surrounding residents have. Chapter 42 plans to set some guidelines that will regulate future land use.

But what has many residents mad is that Chapter 42 actually encourages more high-density development like Ashby High Rise, and makes it much more expensive to build a single family home. The ordinance amendment is already in effect inside the loop, and most can tell that there are very few single family homes being built in Central Houston… but a TON of new, high-density apartments and townhomes. Under the next phase of the ordinance, the high-density regulation area will be extended to all of Houston between the loop and the Beltway. And that’s what has got current residents up in arms. Many (whom live in detached, single family homes already) don’t want more dense development coming to their area. They want to keep their neighborhood just as it is.

The truth of the matter though? Nothing in Houston is going to stay “as is”… this is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. People will continue to move to Houston for the forseeable future, and when they get here, they will need affordable housing options. In Mayor Parker’s view, the purpose of Chapter 42 is to protect affordable housing within the Central city. But Chapter 42 isn’t doing that as it is… the Houston housing market is on fire right now, and property values have shot through the roof.

Another major problem with this ordinance? It definitely encourages more development, but it’s not encouraging smarter development. With so many of the new townhomes that have sprouted inside the loop, developers get to be too lax with how they meet the city’s “standards” that the current ones are practically useless. Many of the safety codes that Chapter 42 legislates are simply not being enforced. Everyday I pass by unsafe clusters of new townhomes… all built from wood… that couldn’t possibly have enough room for a fire truck if they were to catch fire. The cheap construction materials aren’t being measured against Hurricane force winds, or any sort of predictable fire prevention. The city was very lucky during Hurricane Ike, but what if we were to get some of the damage that happened on our coastal areas? And beyond that, Chapter 42 isn’t aesthetically pleasing either. Homes are littered with unsightly utility meeters, disjunct sidewalks, random utility poles and all of the other quirky issues that occur in Houston’s “Wild West” development culture.

Before Chapter 42 is expanded, it first needs to WORK properly. If the city of Houston cannot establish real zoning ordinances, we better be sure of what we’re getting before we expand half-zoning that doesn’t do as intended. The growing pains of this city are real, but if we really want to solve the issues, we have to take the right pain medicine. And my greatest concern is that Chapter 42 is more placebo than pain killer.

Houston Politics

PPP Power: Houston Wins the Bloomberg Challenge

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As if the Art Car parade wasn’t sufficient evidence, Houstonians have proven once again that they really know how to turn today’s trash into tomorrow’s treasure. Per Mayor Annise Parker’s announcement, Houston was one of 5 cities selected (out of 305 submissions) that won the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayoral Challenge. The city will receive a $1 million dollar prize to get the ‘One Bin For All’ concept rolling, along with lots of high-profile publicity from the Huffington Post. Houston was also chosen as the Fan Favorite selection (presumably for having the most number of votes from the Huffington Post website poll), and will receive another $50,000 dollar prize for that. The top prize of $5 million went to Providence, and Houston is one of 5 winners at the $1 million dollar level. Here’s more information directly from the City of Houston Press Release…

“I am thrilled that Houston has been selected as a Mayors Challenge winner,” said Mayor Parker. “One Bin for All is a first-of-its kind innovation that will revolutionize the way we handle trash, achieving high-volume recycling and waste diversion, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and lower operating costs. I am anxious to begin implementation because I know this cutting-edge technology has the potential to improve health and quality of life not only in Houston, but around the world.”

“Recycling has often been treated as an individual responsibility, like paying taxes. But Mayor Parker’s innovative One Bin For All idea turns that notion on its head,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, philanthropist and Mayor of New York City. “Achieving a 75% recycling recovery rate in Houston would represent a huge leap forward in urban sustainability practices.”

One Bin for All utilizes game-changing technology to separate trash from recyclables, allowing residents to discard all materials in one bin. The anticipated end result is a dramatic increase in the amount of waste diverted from our landfills. Implementation will be achieved through a public/private partnership.

This got me thinking about just what makes Houston a great city. Definitely at the top of the list, is the willingness of our local government to reach out to area businesses and create ground-breaking Public/Private Partnerships. One Bin For All is just the latest, high-profile example, but Houston has been an international leader in innovative “P3s”… whether they be Discovery Green Park, the Bayou Greenways Initiative, or even vital services like Houston Transtar have been achieved through P3s. It’s one reason that Houston, and so many local governments are able to make things happen. The Public/Private Partnership model spurs innovation and leads to the creation of new industries. It makes life better and more interesting for us all.

Maybe our federal leaders should come down, spend some time in Houston, and help Washington work better!!

Houston Politics

Houston’s Rail-Less Future?

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As we continue to disseminate the long arms of the 2012 election, one particular result has altered the immediate future for Houstonian… The METRO referendum passed by an impressive margin. What’s good about the result is that it shows Houstonians support their public transit.

But the “devil” of this decision was in the details. The 2012 referendum was specifically designed to improve Houston streets, busses and bus transit infrastructure (bus shelters, signage, etc). None of the money can be used to build rail, and it essentially “frees” METRO from the bounds of the 2003 referendum. Thankfully the North, Southeast and East End lines should be completed as scheduled, but the future of the Uptown and University Lines are more uncertain than ever.

And let’s cut to the chase here… The referendum really wasn’t about METRO. This referendum was a deal that the board basically had to cut with the multi-cities… The small municipalities with Metro’s tax base such as the Villages, West University, Bellaire and others. Under the current tax structure, which was set to expire had this referendum failed, the multi-cities get tons of extra tax revenue to use to build their sidewalks and maintain their roads. They get more money than they pay in… in some cases, WAY more… while Houston residents LOSE money paying for their street upgrades. So make no mistake… The most important thing that was passed on November 6th was the ability of the multi-city governments to keep ciphoning from Houston’s tax base. Less rail and less money? Sounds like a ‘win-win’ to me.

But here’s what some Houstonians don’t recognize… Transit is not, and never will be an “either or” proposition. It’s not even today. Our city is the fourth largest in the United States… well over 2.2 million people, and still growing everyday. Our economy, thankfully is one of the strongest in the nation, and it shows no signs of slowing down. After a 2012 that saw Houston lead the United States in job growth, all signs indicate that 2013 will be an even stronger year.

And you know what else all of those signs indicate? TRAFFIC.

If you live in or have been recently to Houston, no one has to tell you that this city’s infrastructure is under immense stress. Even though we’re currently third in the nation for number of freeway miles per capita, we still don’t have enough room for all of the cars and people yet to come. Though we already spend more money per capita for road maintenance than any of the other top 10 US cities, our streets are still on the verge of crumbling.

We wear out our roads more than any other major city for one simple reason… Because we are so tragically far behind on alternative modes of transportation (i.e. RAIL). Houston is nearing a crisis point of how to manage its infrastructure. We can no longer afford to be a one-trick pony and rely solely on freeways to get around. The roads can’t take it, and the drivers don’t have enough time to wait.

The improvements to Houston’s bus system are sorely needed and will be welcome. It’s past time that critical bus investment is achieved. But as a city, Houston can’t drop the ball on comprehensive solutions to our transit needs. On November 6th, the citizens of Houston made vast commitments to the future of our city, passing record improvements for the Houston Independent School District, Houston Community College and yes, Metro busses along with the General Mobility Program. But these are just some pieces of the puzzle, and we continue to drag our feet on a very crtical part. If the local funding for rail is no longer a possibility, the next step for transit supporters is to go to Washington. For those concerned, now is the time to contact Congress members like Sheila Jackon Lee, Al Green, Gene Green and John Culberson to put Houston transit back on the agenda. Once the Fiscal Cliff situation is solved, infrastructure improvements are sure to be a top-level priority of the new (and decidedly more Democratic) Congress. Hopefully our Congressional Representatives will continue to fight for the sustainable growth of Houston.

Our future depends on it.