Tag Archives: Mike Morris Houston Chronicle

Houston City Council PASSES Payday Lending Reforms

Today Houston saw yet another huge ordinance brought forward, in what many are referring to as Mayor Parker’s post-election “Progressive cram”. Like college kids studying for the most vociferous of finals, the Houston City Council passed major regulations on Credit Access Businesses, or issuers of Payday and Auto Title loans. The ordinance proved to be one of the year’s most contentious issues, and CM Christie even attempted a last-minute amendment that would’ve essentially gutted the whole ordinance. It would scrap the requirement to pay a portion of the principal with each payment, and increase the amount of income used to calculate the loan. These issues form the purpose for the ordinance because it gives borrowers a pathway to break the cycle of debt for the loans. The amendment failed 11 votes to 6.

After much discussion, the Payday Lending ordinance passed by a vote of 15 to 2, with only outgoing Council Members Brown and Rodriguez voting against it. This brings Houston in line with other major cities across Texas have already passed payday reforms. But as Texas’ largest city, Houston’s passage will allow the reforms to have a significant impact.

The heart of the new regulations is as follows…

a) Creation of a new database that catalogs (and presumably monitors) all credit access businesses.

b) Loan amount cannot exceed 20 percent of gross monthly income for a payday loan. For an auto title loan, the amount borrowed must be the lesser of either 3 percent of the borrowers annual income, or 70 percent of the automobile retail value.

c) Loans must be paid off in a maximum of 4 installments, and each payment must reduce the loan principle by at least 25 percent.

d) Distribution of consumer credit counseling materials to all borrowers who seek to renew their payday or auto title loan.

The ordinance joins prominent legislation to combat wage theft, and an executive order extending employee benefits to same-sex spouses… all enacted after Parker’s reelection on November 5th.

Direct from Mike Morris of the Houston Chronicle

“Something must be done; something should be done,” Councilman Andrew Burks said. “Our Legislature, they had the ball and dropped it. I don’t like this, but I have to vote for it because … this is the only thing on the table, and it does do something.”

Councilwoman Wanda Adams, who said her office has helped seniors get back cars that had been repossessed after they defaulted on title loans, praised the outcome.

“I’m so proud to know we are taking a stand in protecting our constituents throughout our community,” Adams said. “I think this is something right.”

Yet more evidence that Mayor Annise Parker’s final term promises to be an exciting one for Progressive Texans. It was also a fitting final meeting for Wanda Adams, one of the Mayor’s strongest allies, as she concludes her tenure at City Council. Payday lending reform was one of the last major issues she wanted to tackle as a Council Member. Adams moves on to the HISD Board of Trustees.

Houston: City Employees Granted Full Benefits for Same-Sex Spouses

Today is a big day for Houston’s LGBT community… an emotional day as well. Directly from the Mayor’s Office, here’s the press release…

Mayor Annise Parker today announced that the city will begin offering benefits to all legally married spouses of city employees. This will apply to same-sex couples who have been married in a state where same-sex marriage is legal. The mayor’s decision is based on a city legal department interpretation of recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions and other relevant case law from the around the country.

A 2001 voter-approved City Charter amendment has previously been relied upon as the basis for prohibiting the granting of same-sex benefits. However, the amendment specifically permits benefits to be provided to “legal spouses” of employees. After a careful review of recent case law, the city legal department believes continued application of the charter amendment so as to deny same-sex spousal benefits would be unlawful because it treats employees differently on the basis of sexual orientation.

“Based on the right to equal protection under the law, it is unconstitutional for the city to continue to deny benefits to the same-sex spouses of our employees who are legally married,” said Mayor Parker. “This change is not only the legal thing to do, it is the right, just and fair thing to do.”

The city of Houston is following actions already taken by several federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, which announced in August that all legally married same-sex couples will be recognized as married for federal tax purposes, even if those couples reside in states that do not recognize same-sex marriage.”

As a result of this policy change, same-sex spouses of city employees will now be eligible for the same health care and life insurance benefits previously offered only to heterosexual married couples. It is unclear at this time as to how many employees will take advantage of the change because there is no way to know how many have legally recognized same-sex marriages. The new policy will not extend to domestic partners; it applies only to legally married couples.

The move notes some significant progress for Texas’ largest city, and provides a great example of something other municipalities in Conservative states can do to aid legally married same-sex couples. Under the current charter amendment passed in 2001, Houston is still unable to offer domestic partner benefits to unmarried same-sex couples. Houston

This is a proud moment for the Parker administration… something expected, but maybe not so soon after her reelection. I take it as a signal that she is serious on the advancement of equality for Houston. The issue’s bottom line is all about fairness. At yesterday’s Press Conference, Mike Morris of the Houston Chronicle asked an important question regarding the state-level Defense of Marrige Act…

Morris: “What would you say to a critic who might view this as your administration choosing not to enforce provisions [of state law]?”

Parker: “I’ll read you the exact language in the City Charter.

‘Except as required by state or federal law, The City of Houston shall not provide employment benefits, including health care, to persons other than employees, their legal spouses, or dependent children…’ It’s very clear… employees, legal spouses and their dependent children. The plain language [of who can and cannot be covered] is in the charter.

Morris: “Except as required by state law.”

Parker: “State or federal law, and federal law trumps state law.”

As our state’s Conservative leaders continue to hope pray that LGBT equality will go away, Houston continues to make progress towards a more equal society for it’s citizens.

In the wake of this important step, another fact deserves to be discussed. He may not have expected yesterday’s announcement, but I can guarantee you that fellow blogger Charles Kuffner of Off the Kuff had something to do with it. Through interviews with 35 Houston municipal candidates, including 10 currently elected officials, Kuffner was consistent in putting the candidates on record for their stance about domestic partner benefits. Thanks to his tireless work, this and other equality issues were kept at the forefront of the 2013 elections.

For more coverage on this topic, check out Off the Kuff, Texpatriate, and Brains and Eggs.

Parker’s Response to Hall: Just ONE Debate

Six debates?? Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That!!

I kid, I kid!! But in all seriousness…

I wrote previously about Ben Hall seeking 6 mayoral debates for the 2013 election. And now we have a response. From Houston Chronicle reporter Mike Morris, here’s what the Parker campaign actually thinks of Hall’s 6 debate challenge…

Parker has agreed to just one debate, said campaign spokeswoman Sue Davis, to include all mayoral candidates and all media. The event would be scheduled after the Aug. 26 candidate filing deadline, Davis said.

“All year long, Mayor Parker speaks daily about city issues to civic clubs, neighborhood groups and other organizations, holds tele-town halls and online chats and is available to the media,” Davis said.’

Ah, yes… the joys of incumbency. And to a point, it’s the truth. Once you’re elected to a high profile office like Mayor of Houston, you have a great advantage to actually set the agenda of which you want to discuss. Particularly in a time when most Houstonians have a favorable view of city government and they feel good about city’s immediate future, Parker has little reason to grant Mr. Hall’s or any other candidate’s request. Heck, Governor Rick Perry managed to weasel out of debating Bill White entirely in 2010, depriving Texans of a general election gubernatorial debate for the first time since 1990.

Sure, agreeing to one debate is better than Perry, but why strive to simply best the lowest of standards? I agree somewhat with fellow blogger Horwitz at Texpatriate on this issue… there should certainly be more than one mayoral debate. However, I’m optimistic that the response is just an “initial offer” like Hall made, and the campaigns will eventually meet in the middle.

The other point that should be made here? Holding just one debate would ultimately be a bad move for Annise Parker. Of course she hasn’t shared any future political aspirations, and wants to run “through the tape” in Houston’s highest office. But Parker is smart enough to know that if she decides to run for Senator, Governor or any other state-wide position, she’ll be the one vying for attention in the challenger’s seat. The record she assembles in Houston, no matter how impressive, won’t be enough to run on for the 25 million Texans outside Houston’s city limits, especially when facing the long-arm of entrenched Republican party infrastructure. I sincerely hope the Mayor would want a healthy, reasonable number of election debates, as that is what Houstonians expect and deserve from their local government. But I also hope that she recognizes the benefit of keeping her skills in tact for any future endeavors.