Category Archives: Local Governmental Entities
Make It Count, Texas: Participate in the U.S. Census
With the 2020 Census looming, the Census Bureau is currently working to make the process more efficient, but it’s important that Texans do their part. Here’s how the census works; the Census Bureau mails out forms to each household which are to be filled out and returned. Citizens can also opt to respond to… Read More »
On the Eve of the First Hurricane Season Since Harvey, Is Houston Ready?
The 2018 hurricane season officially starts in a month. Houston residents, municipalities, and politicians don’t seem to have noticed. Eight months post-Hurricane Harvey and little, if any, progress has been achieved regarding long-term plans (or short-term plans) for the way Houston development should occur to avoid flooding of homes and businesses. The terms 100-year… Read More »
Make Your Vote Count in the May 5 Texas Election
Well, it’s election season again in Texas. Two uniform election dates occur each year in the Lone Star State: (1) the first Saturday in May, and (2) the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. That makes next Saturday, May 5, 2018, the big day for candidates running for public office all across… Read More »
How Are Gaming Rooms Regulated in Texas?
Gambling is generally prohibited in Texas but there are many exceptions to the general rule. Game rooms are generally authorized so long as they do not have illegal gambling devices. Specifically, so-called “eight-liner” machines are illegal gambling devices, unless the prizes awarded are non-cash items that are worth no more than 10 times the… Read More »
Tax Incentive Provisions for Local Governments in Texas Set to Sunset Next Year
Attracting new businesses is a major point of emphasis for many Texas cities. New business means a growing community and new job opportunities. In Texas, cities and counties currently have a powerful instrument at their disposal to entice new businesses to join their community, but that may not be the case going forward. Under… Read More »
Changes to Texas traffic laws: Autonomous vehicles, Cell Phones and Child Rescues
If you are a licensed driver here in Texas, chances are you have received a traffic ticket at some point in your driving history. If you are a driver in a large city, like my home Houston, odds are you may have gotten a traffic ticket from one of several law enforcement agencies. If… Read More »
Texas Cities Pass Dog-Friendly Ordinances to Restrict Tethering
At some point in your life, you’ve likely seen a dog tied to a stake in the ground or tethered to a pole. Granted, sometimes it is necessary to restrain your pup. After all, we can’t just leave dogs free to roam around the city. That can be dangerous, and in many instances, against… Read More »
Go Vote, Texan!
Today is Go Texan Day here in Houston, Texas. Yep, it is a real day as proclaimed by our mayor and many mayors before him. Go Texan Day has been a real thing since the 1950s in Houston and surrounding cities. Historically, the Friday before the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo begins, when there… Read More »
When the Barking Won’t Stop: Man’s Best Friend or Public Nuisance?
I’m of the belief that dog is man’s best friend. But when the pup in question isn’t yours, sometimes they can do some pretty annoying things. Many of us have awoken in the middle of the night due to the woofs and howls coming from the yard next door. Perhaps you’ve gone out to… Read More »
Resign to Run? If a City Official in Texas Runs for Another Office, Is Resignation Required?
It seems a day does not pass without speculation or news about elected officials announcing retirement and/or facing challenges for office, on the national level and here in Texas. What happens if a city official announces his or her intent to seek another office? Must they step down from their current position? Generally speaking,… Read More »