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November 28, 2006
Tough To Swallow
Today's Houston Chronicle has a very troubling piece on the increasing liklihood that the Houston area will fail to meet its federally mandated 2010 deadline for reducing ozone. Apparently state officials now say 2018 may be a more realistic deadline for meeting new standards, perhaps solidifying for another decade Houston's dubious distinction of having some of the dirtiest air in the country.
That TCEQ is now backing away from a deadline that is still four years away is a bad sign, but not surprising considering that last year Governor Perry expedited the permitting of 16 new coal-fired plants, which will only increase carbon emissions across the state. (Question: Why has this issue gotten more coverage in the national press than here at home?) Ironically, as the national unease about global warming, air & water quality, and energy inedependence continues to crescendo, Texas seems to be moving in the opposite direction.
If you are wondering why, the Chronicle piece quotes one local environmental activist saying that the political will "so far hasn't been there" to tackle the local pollution problem, despite a Houston Mayor and City Council that have demonstrated a real commitment on the issue. It is hardly a stretch to say a similar lack of will exists across the state, despite consistent, solid public support for improving the enivronment.
And so, a confrontation is brewing. Will the state ram through these new coal-fired plants, plants that do not employ the cleanest, most up to date technology? Will the state allow scheduled improvements to Houston's air quality to backslide? It's cities and municipalities versus the State of Texas, and while the Governor can still count on a friend in the White House, new Democratic control of Congress clouds predictions on how (if at all) the federal government may come down. After all, the Clean Air Act is their deal, right?
Industry and the state have tried to sell these proposed new plants to the public -- just like they did utility deregulation -- as key to lower rates for consumers. Well, most folks seem to be figuring out that so far deregulation has meant higher utility rates, not savings. For opponents of the new plant permits and relaxing federal standards, current public skepticism may be useful in growing organized opposition.
For ordinary Texans who are concerned about this state's environmental quality (and consequently) public health going forward, the most important action is to make noise. Be sure friends, neighbors, family and colleagues understand what is happening and what is at stake. Of course Texas needs increased capacity to meet the needs of a growing population, but not at the expense of public health. Hold your government accountable to do this the right way.
Posted by houtopia at 10:32 AM
November 21, 2006
A Holiday Victory
Yesterday afternoon the news broke in Houston that striking janitors and building management had reached an agreement to end a month-long strike over increasing wages and benefits. Just days before Thanksgiving, the agreement is a victory.
Currently, janitors in Houston make an average of $5.30 per hour, work only four-hour shifts and receive no health benefits. The deal, which apparently was brokered with help from Houston Mayor Bill White, will incrementally increase wages to $7.75 per hour over the next three years. Additionally, longer shifts will be implemented and janitors will become eligible to purchase health insurance for themselves and their families beginning in 2009. Today's Chronicle gives the rundown on the new deal.
Aided by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), janitors began striking a month ago, and employed some disruptive tactics -- like blocking traffic near the Galleria -- to draw attention to their situation. Their plight is but an example of the dire circumstances faced by millions in this country who work low-wage jobs.
The federal minimum wage -- $5.15 per hour -- has not been raised since 1997. Meanwhile, the costs of housing, health care, fuel and other basic staples of life have risen precipitously, leaving millions of working poor on the edge of bankruptcy, homelessness, and total despair.
Several states around the country have passed increases to the minimum wage in the last few years -- polls show about 75-80% of the American public supports a miniumum wage raise. Sadly, Texas has not yet followed suit. State Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) plans to introduce a minimum wage bill in the next legislative session. Whether that bill ever sees the light of day in the Republican-controlled legislature remains to be seen (don't count on it.)
More promising is a likely attempt in the new Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to at least $7.25 per hour. Would President Bush veto such a bill, which is likely to pass both houses of Congress? Will this "compassionate conservative", who loves to preach about responsibility and morality turn his back on those Americans most in need? We certainly hope not.
We also hope the Republicans in charge of the Texas Legislature surprise us and let a state minimum wage increase bill come to the floor for a vote, and that they allow rural members, most of whom are Republicans but who represent districts where people are really struggling economically, to vote the interests of their constituents rather than the party line.
People who work hard every day deserve to be paid a living wage -- no ifs, ands or buts about it. Will the political leadership, at the state and federal level, regardless of party, do the only moral thing and require employers to pay people a decent wage for honest work?
Let's hope they think long and hard about it during this season of giving.
Posted by houtopia at 03:17 PM
November 19, 2006
The Girl Can't Help It
Did things around City Hall seem a little quieter than usual this week? That's because our local perpetual political train wreck, otherwise known as Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, has temporarily left Houston for derailment in environs to the north and east -- Washington D.C. to be exact.
Our favorite dermatologist has taken her gift for public service and winning personality to the nation's capitol, where Sekula-Gibbs' one-woman show is getting rave reviews -- well, maybe in the tabloids.
In less than a week the good doctor has managed to run up thousands of dollars in hotel bills (at taxpayer expense), throw a fit over certain high-level officials (think 1600 Pennsylvania Ave) not attending her swearing-in reception (who could turn down punch and cookies with Shelley?), and drive away her predecessor's entire staff after accusing them of illegally disposing of office files. Quite a first week, no? Well, since she only has a few weeks to serve, she's got to make the most of the time, right?
Today's Chronicle leads with a piece suggesting Sekula-Gibbs' colorful behavior may have permanently damaged her prospects for holding the 22nd Congressional District seat in 2008. Ya think?
Shelley doesn't see a problem, chalking it up to "disgruntled employees who object when the status quo changes." Those "disgruntled ones" would be Mr. DeLay's former staff, the head of whom said that never had they been treated with "as much disrespect and unprofessionalism" as those days last week. She sure knows how to make a first impression, don't she? It's just Shelley being Shelley, right? The girl can't help it.
Capitol Hill is getting quite a first look at Sekula-Gibbs. Temper tantrums, wild accusations, political pandering, and effortlessly taking both sides of an issue depending on the circumstances. Ah, that's the Shelley we know and love here in Houston. We can still hear the faint echo of her dulcit tones around City Hall.
Please don't send her back.
Posted by houtopia at 08:17 AM
November 13, 2006
Taking Stock
We are now nearly a week removed from the 2006 midterm election -- a remarkable one, to be sure. As the sleep-deprived slowly return to reality, we begin to blog again (finally!) and take a look at what actually happened on November 7th.
Nationally, it was quickly clear that the middle of the electorate stood up and said, enough. That the GOP got itself to this point has always been a bit of a mystery to us. After the tragedy of 9/11, the country craved unity from its elected officials. Reasonable governing from the middle would have nearly guaranteed Republicans continued control of the American political system. Instead, the pursuit of radical, ideological foreign and domestic policy landed the GOP in the Congressional minority.
Karl Rove's vaunted strategy of playing to the "base" left his team in the dugout for the remaining two years of George W. Bush's presidency. Let the quacking begin.
Here in Texas, the story is more mixed. Unpopular Republican governor Rick Perry limped into another term, mostly because the underfunded Democratic nominee could never reach enough Texas voters to even let them know he was on the ticket. For two successive gubernatorial election cycles here, major Democratic donors have bet wrong. Many were sold a bill of goods this year that a repeated party-switcher with no real base could dethrone Governor Good Hair. 0 for 2, guys... Maybe time to reconsider the advice you're getting?
On the plus side, Texas Democrats defended every incumbent member of the Legislature and gained 5 State House seats to boot. This is real progress, and in our judgment a large share of the credit goes to the combined efforts of the Texas Democratic Trust, the state party, the House Democratic Campaign Committee, and Annie's List. They all recognized early on that taking seats in the State House offered the best chance to make gains, and they put their money behind those efforts. Boy, did it pay off. So for everybody who loves to bad-mouth what the state Democratic leadership is doing, look past the governor's race debacle to these successes. (The Statesman just ran this excellent piece on the subject.)
Locally, there were big successes as well. Nick Lampson took Tom DeLay's 22nd District Congressional seat, looking like a genius after taking a long shot race on a year and a half ago. By winning a 52% majority in this Republican-leaning district, Lampson signaled he may not be as easy to vanquish in two years as GOPers would like to think, particularly if they can't come up with a better candidate than Shelley Sekula-Gibbs to run against him.
The hottest inside the Loop race this year was for State House District 134, where newcomer Ellen Cohen soundly thumped incumbent Republican Martha Wong. The combination of a strong challenger opposing a controversial, personally acerbic imcumbent in the most educated and affluent district in the state, along with a bad year nationally for Republicans spelled doom for Wong, who's campaign got worse and worse with every day. Kudos to Team Cohen for running a great race.
Further to the southwest, House freshman Hubert Vo handily beat back a pathetic return to glory attempt by Talmadge Heflin. Heflin ran a disgracefully racist and bigoted campaign, and deserved to lose. I think we've seen the last of Mr. Heflin as an elected official.
Now that we've covered what went right in Harris County, let's talk about what went wrong. Turnout was down significantly from the 2002 election (from about 650,000 to 590,000), particularly in base Democratic areas. Even so, Democrats nearly won several countywide seats for the first time in over a decade. Even a modest effort countywide to improve turnout would almost certainly have resulted in some judicial wins for the Democrats, so an opportunity was lost.
In reading Gary Polland's latest Conservative Review newsletter, it is clear that local Republicans noticed just how close Democrats got in Harris County last Tuesday, and they have already begun planning for 2008. The question is, will local Democrats? We must begin now to recruit quality countywide Democratic candidates for 2008, and to put the resources in place to turn out our base vote and win countywide seats in two years.
Read it here, folks. Harris County should be completely Democratic by 2010. Will we accept the challenge and make it happen, or still be making excuses afterward for why it didn't? The numbers are there, and it's up to all of us to make it a reality. It was a good night on Tuesday, for the first time in long time. But now is not the time to rest. There is much work yet to be done.
Posted by houtopia at 06:55 PM