Taxpayer funded lobbying was a persistent theme throughout much of the 84th Legislative Session with the Texas Senate Research Center noting that over forty-two percent of registered lobbyists in Austin were representing city and county governments—that number...
Charles Blain
Barry Klein: Property Rights Protector
Klein says he “guides activists of all stripes on how to use direct democracy … to bring political reform at the city level.”
Houston Officials Hate Residential Tax Relief
For the second consecutive year Houstonians can expect to get a minor break on their property taxes. According to Houston City Controller Ronald Green, preliminary projections determine the city is expected to have to forego collecting $53 million in new property...
Houston Reforms
With the first three Houston mayoral debates completed, campaign rhetoric revolving around municipal reforms is heating up. Two ideas in particular warrant a deeper look—one directed at Houston’s crime lab known as the Houston Forensic Science Center (HFSC), and...
Michael Dougan: Fighting For His Values
Dougan uses every opportunity he can get to encourage others to be a part of the local political process.
Post Oak Bus Lanes
Imagine a gridlocked Rodeo Drive, or 5th Avenue in NYC filled with frustrated commuters. Speckled in this congestion are nearly empty buses intended to ease the traffic but are, instead, exacerbating the problem. That is what many in Houston are envisioning when...
Houston Police Department Incentives
Out of Houston’s 5,300-person police force, 57% live outside of Houston proper. Although common in many urban areas, this can partly be attributed to Houston’s high cost of living and relatively low starting salaries of department cadets. As a result, a new program to...
Mayor Parker’s Final Budget
Last week, Mayor Annise Parker revealed what she called her “lean and mean” conservative $5.1 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2016. Although the city has increasingly faced financial issues throughout Parker’s term, her latest budget, once again, offers no...
Laura Fillault: Encouraging and Engaging
Fillault’s passion for local politics is fueled by her desire to build a better country for future generations.
Road Bond Rhetoric
On Saturday Montgomery County voters overwhelmingly rejected the $350 million road bond presented by the county commissioners. Opposing residents warned for months leading up to the election that if the county did not listen to the residents and remove unwanted...