Big Jolly Politics

politics in Harris County and Texas

Mayor Parker Decries Fairness of Bills Applying Only to Houston; Forgets Public Employee Union Bill Passed in 2005 Was Only For Houston

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In the context of the debate over exempting churches, schools and non profits from payment of drainage fees after passage of Prop 1, Mayor Parker decried Texas Senator Dan Patrick’s Senate Bill 714 as “targeting” Houston. In this Houston Chronicle blog, Mayor Parker said “he’s (Patrick) putting special rules on a drainage fee that only apply to Houston. Well, that’s just not fair.”

Oh really?

Mayor Parker has forgotten another “special rule” that only applied to Houston.

During the 79th Regular Session, Senator John Whitmire sponsored HB 2866 authorizing any municipality with a population of over 1.5 million to meet and confer with its employees over wages, policies and other benefits. According to the House Research Organization, the bill, at that time, applied only to the City of Houston. (emphasis mine).

The bill was signed into law by Governor Perry on June 18th, 2005. In 2008 under Mayor Bill White and then City Controller Annise Parker, the meet and confer agreement between the Houston Organization of Public Employees (HOPE) and the City of Houston was signed.

The agreement is up for renewal June 30, 2011.

HOPE helped Jolanda Jones, Wanda Adams, Melissa Noriega, Sue Lovell, Ed Gonzalez and, of course Mayor Parker get elected.

How does Mayor Parker feel about THAT rule?

Go ahead, read the entire agreement. I did. Surely you can too, right?

HOPE Meet and Confer Agmt (FINAL)

Texas State Rep. Past Due On School Taxes After Receiving Over $1.4 Million From Houston Independent School District

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On March 9th I wrote in this post that the Miles Insurance Agency, owned by Texas State Representative Borris Miles, received over $1.4 million dollars of taxpayer money from the Houston Independent School District. Back in 2006 and most recently in February 2011, HISD approved the purchase of flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program through the Miles Insurance Agency.

Yesterday I learned more…. Texas State Rep. Miles is past due paying his Houston Independent School District taxes!

As of March 23, 2011 and according to HCAD records, Mr. Miles has failed to pay over $12,700.00 in Houston ISD taxes and failed to pay a remaining $15,400 in other City of Houston & Harris County taxes on a South Macgregor Way property. Further review of these tax records indicate Mr. Miles has accumulated over $2540.00 in lates fees.

Next time Borris tries to intimidate pollwatchers during elections, tell him to go pound sand and pay his taxes on time.

Houston ISD Tax Dollars At Work: Paying For National Rifle Association Memberships?

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Yesterday’s search of Houston ISD’s check register was by vendor names beginning with the letter “N”. The point of highlighting this expenditure is not to emphasize the amount, but to highlight the arrogance and blatant disregard for prioritizing common sense spending of tax dollars by the public sector.

From another search of HISD’s check register (click to enlarge):

HISD Check Register

It’s for a Junior Membership, too!

The Junior, Distinguished and Other Memberships section lists a one year Junior Membership for $15.00. Here’s a screen grab from the NRA website:

NRA Junior Membership

Are memberships to the NRA a spending priority of HISD?

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Houston ISD Tax Dollars At Work: Paying For National Rifle Association Memberships?

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Yesterday’s search of Houston ISD’s check register was by vendor names beginning with the letter “N”. The point of highlighting this expenditure is not to emphasize the amount, but to highlight the arrogance and blatant disregard for prioritizing common sense spending of tax dollars by the public sector.

From another search of HISD’s check register (click to enlarge):

It’s for a Junior Membership, too!

The Junior, Distinguished and Other Memberships section lists a one year Junior Membership for $15.00. Here’s a screen grab from the NRA website:

NRA Junior Membership

Are memberships to the NRA a spending priority of HISD?

 

UPDATE by David Jennings: This video is the perfect complement to Yvonne’s post. For all of you that are screaming (irrationally, btw) about school districts having to lay off thousands of teachers, please put your brain into gear and think about this for a minute or two. Okay?

Texas State Rep. “Disgusted” With Proposed Budget Received $1.4 Million From Houston ISD

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Texas State Representative Borris Miles, District 146, will “not stand by as the leadership of this state balances the budget on the backs of those that can least afford it”.

He must be referring to his own business, the Miles Insurance Agency.

According to Houston ISD’s online check register, the Miles Insurance Agency received $1,409,541 between March 31, 2009 and March 8, 2011.

Here’s the screen grab from the search:

Borris Milles

Back in 2006, the Houston ISD Board of Education approved the purchase of flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program through the Borris Miles Insurance Agency, effective March 10, 2006.

Pages 97-99 of Houston ISD’s February 10, 2011 agenda reflect the approval of the purchase of flood insurance for the HISD Flood Insurance Program submitted by the Borris L. Miles Insurance Agency.

Borris Miles says he wants to “Save Texas Schools”.

Of course he does.

The “deepest cuts” are already falling on his insurance agency.

NOTE: We’ll be moving BJP over the next few days. If you would like to comment,please click here to move to the new location. The RSS feed has also changed, click here.

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