Big Jolly Politics

politics in Harris County and Texas

Sylvia Garcia and Senator Mario Gallegos Unveil Alternative Harris County Commissioners Court Map

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Former Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Sylvia Garcia and State Senator Mario Gallegos unveiled an alternative Harris County Commissioners Court map to a group of 50 East End community members that Garcia asserts will “eliminate the only effective Latino opportunity precinct (Precinct 2) on the Commissioners Court”.

Before some of you BJP readers erupt in anger like Mt Vesuvius or Krakatoa over my use of the word “asserts”, I am not a demographer nor would I ever claim to be one. I use the word “assert” because I don’t possess the expertise to analyze the intended election outcome of this alternative map; and also because those are Sylvia’s words and not mine.

Here’s a copy of the map  that was distributed to the meeting attendees yesterday morning and the accompanying data.

Drawn in conjunction with Texas Democratic Party counsel Chad Dunn and political consultant Robert Jara, the alternative map presents a better opportunity for East End Latinos to elect a Commissioner of their choice, according to the distributed talking points:

Harris County Redist Talking Points

I’ll leave the analysis of & additional comments on the alternative map, which I have no doubt will be presented to the public during the Commissioners Court redistricting hearings starting tomorrow July 25th and ending Monday August 1, to my friend Greg Wythe over at his blog. The Commissioners Court public redistricting hearings schedule is posted here; hope to see you in attendance.

Some Thoughts on Congressional Redistricting

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Early this coming week, I am told that the Texas House will vote on the proposed Congressional Redistricting map.  The current version that I have seen would create a new Congressional District—District 36—that would run from Eastern Harris County through the Big Thicket Counties of East Texas to the Louisiana border.  This new district will include the part of Harris County where I live.  Having looked at it closely, I believe the current map is flawed and am asking that the legislature re-draw it, because it does not reflect the present and future interests of the communities that form the new district and the adjacent districts.

Essentially, the new map divides communities in the Galveston Bay area that share economic and political interests, while retaining an increasingly irrelevant bond between Sugar Land and the Johnson Space Center.  It appears that what our politicians have drawn is a map that divides the very Republican-leaning corridor of communities running through at least four counties (Fort Bend, Brazoria, Galveston and Harris) among three different districts to maximize Republican voting strength for at least two Republican incumbents.  However, if the lines were more appropriately drawn, those incumbents would still be protected, while the new district would be more likely to elect a Republican, too—but one who would represent the interests of a more integrated political community.

If properly drawn, Congressional District 22 should represent the growing communities of Fort Bend and Northern Brazoria Counties, which increasingly share economic and political developments that are unique in the Greater Houston/Southeast Texas region.  The economic areas of greater Pearland, Sugar Land and Katy deserve a strong and focused voice in Congress, which they would retain in the incumbent, Pete Olson, who resides in Sugar Land.

Meanwhile, Congressional District 14 has long represented the interests of coastal and rural interests.  Although the western boundary of that district has now shifted to the east, it should be further drawn to take in the rest of the coast line to Louisiana, and to the north of Beaumont and Orange into the Big Thicket to retain its representation of rural Texans.  Dr. Paul should be able to win this district and would know how to represent the interests of all the communities in the newly-drawn eastern portion of the district.

That would leave the new District 36 to represent the increasingly economically and politically integrated communities of the Galveston Bay area, including the key employment centers of the Johnson Space Center and the Port of Houston.  It should include Friendswood, League City, Clear Lake Shores, Kemah and Dickinson in Galveston County; the Clear Lake Area communities of Webster, Nassau Bay, Taylor Lake Village, Seabrook, and the Clear Lake portion Council District E of Houston; the communities that surround the Port of Houston, including Shoreacres, La Porte, Deer Park, Pasadena and Baytown; and the surrounding communities of Chambers, Liberty and Polk Counties.

Instead, all of these communities have been carved and shuffled among the three districts in a manner that makes no economic or political sense.  The residents of Taylor Lake Village, Seabrook, La Porte and Baytown have nothing economically or politically in common with the residents of the small communities in the Big Thicket, while they have been separated from their neighbors in Pasadena and Northern Galveston County, who live and work together at the Space Center, the refineries and the Port.  Meanwhile the interests of the residents of these communities that serve the Johnson Space Center increasingly have nothing to do with the growing interests of Sugar Land and Katy.

All of these communities need coherent, coordinated, and focused representation in Washington, which requires separate representation in Congress.  As the Texas House takes up this important issue over the next few days, I hope our representatives will reconsider the lines of these three districts and draw more appropriate boundaries.  If they do, they will retain and probably increase the number of Republicans elected to Congress from Texas, while giving the communities in this region proper representation over the next 10 years.

Deja Straus all over again

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We've all heard the expression "Nero fiddles while Rome burns", right? In Texas, we have an updated version of that old saying:" The Texas Senate burns money while a few self-described Tea Party people get their jollies attacking House Speaker Joe Straus". What the heck is wrong with these people? 

We know that this type of leadership was to be expected from Speaker Straus.  Are we going to stand by and let him get away with the dirty politics?

I say NO!—-Let's let his office know how we feel and turn the tables on him and his Rino tag-alongs. A new Re-Districting Plan had come out tonight. Now is the time to let Straus know we are not going away. 

That comes from our old buddy Ray Myers. It is really sad to see someone so misguided, so clouded by hatred of Speaker Straus (why?) that he can't see the truth. And the truth is that under Speaker Straus's leadership, the House passed a budget that did not use the Rainy Day Fund and spends about $15 BILLION less than one the Senate finance committee passed just this morning. Where was Mr. Myers? Under Speaker Straus, the House passed a real, meaningful sonogram bill while the Senate passed…something other than a real sonogram bill. Where was Mr. Myers? And his minions from a few North Texas Tea Party groups? 

Rather than focusing on the Senate, which is proving to be anything but fiscally conservative this session, Mr. Myers and team are worried that the House will pass a redistricting map that doesn't protect a few guys they like. Really? Is the purpose of redistricting to protect incumbents? Is that what the Tea Party has devolved to? No, it hasn't because Mr. Myers and minions are but a small percentage of people that attend Tea Parties and are tired of protecting incumbents. And they don't like it when people like Mr. Myers claim to be the be all and end all of all that is conservative. Heck, Mr. Myers can't even get basic facts right. For example, he says:

The truth of the matter is: Joe Straus has directed Committeeman Burt Solomon's to proceed with the retaliation plan to punishing anyone who opposes his agenda. 

Do not under estimate the value of reminding all that Straus promised no retaliation but in fact the large number of those paired did not vote for Straus and are strong conservatives .

Really, the truth of the matter? Um, no, there is no truth in that statement. If it were true, you would see many more "pairings". And I'd say don't overestimate your ability to bully Speaker Straus. But about your statement that "the large number of those paired did not vote for Straus", that is just plain wrong. Of the fourteen Republicans paired in Rep. Solomon's redistricting map, only five of them voted against Speaker Straus. Don't believe me? Here is the journal record of the vote. And here are the pairings:

  • Landtroop/Perry
  • Burkett/Driver
  • Hamilton/Ritter
  • Harper-Brown/R. Anderson
  • Scott/Torres
  • Flynn/Cain
  • Chisum/Hardcastle

The five that voted against Speaker Straus are Landtroop, Perry, Burkett, Flynn, and Cain. BTW, I find it hard to believe that Burkett can't beat the ethically challenged Driver – same goes for Cain against Flynn. If you want good analysis of the plan that Rep. Solomons has put forth, check out Matt Stiles' column over at Texas Tribune. Whatever you do, don't listen to people like Mr. Myers. Remember, he was going to "crush" Speaker Straus the first time around too.

It is misinformation like this that is making people hesitant to attend Tea Party rallies. The turnout at last weekend's Tax Day rallies in Houston was very small, especially compared to the enthusiasm of previous years. And it isn't because people are embracing tax and spend ways – no, they are still very much resolved to change the system. But why attend a rally that focuses on the wrong people as the villains? If these people don't get their heads in the right place, the Senate just might win the battle of spending. How about a little help for Speaker Straus instead of spreading lies about him?

Oh, and if you find yourself frequently using the term "RINO", don't expect to be taken seriously. Okay?

 

Group desires sanity in redistricting process

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Press release from Texans for Redistricting Reform:

TEXANS DESERVE A FAIR REDISTRICTING PLAN

According to The Texas Legislative Council, "No Texas constitutional or statutory provisions address congressional redistricting." The only restraints on congressional redistricting result from rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court requiring equal population in the districts and the federal Voting Rights Act protecting minority populations.

No bills establishing comprehensive fair redistricting principles have been passed for the last 30 years. The results have been costly litigation and decades of partisan excesses, such as political gerrymandering and super majorities, leading to decreased voter interest and lower voter participation in elections for both parties.

Every Texan deserves an equal opportunity to cast an effective vote, regardless of political affiliation, race or language group. Please ask your Texas legislators to support a Congressional plan (and future legislation) based on fair redistricting principles as summarized below:

  • Respect Texas’ geographic regions as defined by its 24 Councils of Governments
  • Create geographically compact districts
  • Do not unnecessarily split counties or cities
  • Do not unnecessarily split communities of interest
  • Do not split census tracts, smallest unit for redistricting
  • Do not use any partisan data, including homes of incumbents

Texans for Redistricting Reform is a nonpartisan group of Texans dedicated to providing fair and effective representation for the people of Texas through the legislative enactment of fair redistricting principles and a fair redistricting plan based on these principles. We wholeheartedly endorse the legislation1 and redistricting plan2 prepared by A. J. Pate, CPA.

A. J. Pate, CPA has spent the last 20 years fighting for fair redistricting and is one of only two Texans who have submitted redistricting plans for consideration in past Legislatures, including the "Owens-Pate 1991 Redistricting Plan" cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case of Bush v. Vera (1996). Additional citations and legislation are available upon request.

For more information, please contact:

Texans for Redistricting Reform and A. J. Pate Email: [email protected]

Also, see us on Facebook at  Texans for Redistricting Reform

1 See legislation text available for filing in future sessions, by bill number search for SB 1556 and SJR 43 at http://www.legis.state.tx.us/.

2 View an interactive version at http://gis1.tlc.state.tx.us/ (open Select Plans menu, choose Base Plan, open Category menu, choose Plans submitted by Public and search for PLANC106 – Pate Statewide Congressional Plan).

 

Gov. Perry forgot the colonias!

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Wow. I knew Gov. Perry was a special dude but I had no idea he was in charge of the U.S. Census. I thought that the U.S. Census Bureau was. Apparently, I was wrong because the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC) filed a lawsuit against the world's foremost killer of coyotes:

Historically, the Census Bureau has recognized that some populations are more difficult to count than others. One hard-to-count population are the Texans living in suburban unincorporated subdivisions primarily located along the Texas-Mexican border, often referred to as the colonias.

Hmm. Let me guess: a large part of that population would be people that are in this country….without proper documents. Isn't that the politically correct term for illegal?

Why laugh when you can cry?

Observations from the District D Redistricting Town Hall

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Representatives from the City of Houston Planning & Development, along with Mayor Annise Parker and District D City Council Member Wanda Adams, fielded questions and comments from approximately 250 Houstonians, as the first of 10 redistricting town halls got underway last Thursday evening. The City Planning & Development website invited individuals to “attend and comment at any convenient meeting”, so after attending & commenting at the District D meeting I’ll share some observations.

Handicapped Accessibility: The District D town hall was held at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston in the Brown Auditorium Theatre of the Law Building. Although the MFAH website identifies this area of the Museum as wheelchair accessible , it struck me as a truly handicapped inaccessible venue for giving public comment. Once inside the theatre, Houstonians with disabilities were restricted to the back wall of the theatre due to the steep stairs and stadium seating nature of this venue. To give public comment, one woman had to rely on another meeting attendee to bring the microphone from the microphone stand almost halfway down the rows to her seat against the back wall. Even District I City Council Member James Rodriguez, acknowledged by Mayor Parker as “on crutches”, was restricted to sitting in the last row of permanent seats inside the theatre.

No witness cards for public comment: I attended both the November 20th redistricting hearing at the University of Houston and the February 18th Senate Redistricting meeting in Austin. The public was asked to complete and sign a witness card at these two hearings. In contrast, the District D town hall used no witness cards; a smart move for officials who might wish to thwart enterprising citizens from requesting copies of the cards (and the contact information on them) via an Open Records Request.

Mayor Parker invited the public to speak, yet she interrupted the public when they did speak. Mayor Parker asked attendees to limit their remarks or questions to three minutes. Ninety seconds into my comment, I was interrupted by Mayor Parker when she asked me what voting precinct I live in. I continued my statement though after answering her question and letting her make a comment.

Super Neighborhood List. Five or so citizens, myself included, suggested the City consider the use of the Department of Planning & Developments Super Neighborhood List to the greatest extent possible. Section 3 (d) of the City Resolution No 2011-1 does stipulate “communities of interest should be maintained in a Council District, and attempts should be made to maintain neighborhoods”. My own community, currently divided across two City Council districts, would be unified into one if the Super Neighborhood Map was used for the reconfiguration of the Council District boundaries.

You won’t see a map. The town hall agenda covered an introduction by the Council Member and Mayor, a short 12 minute video, introduction of key staff including the City Attorney, followed by public comment and closing remarks. The District D town hall started on time (6:30 pm) and wrapped up on time. (8:00 pm)

Lastly, how difficult would it have been for someone in City leadership to bring an American flag to the theatre so we could stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance?

If these observations are examples of how the City planned, developed and executed on a town hall how in the world are they going to plan, develop and execute on the redrawing of the Council boundaries in a manner we can all have confidence in?

Maybe some City leaders are focusing too much on keeping their job versus focusing on actually doing their job.