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Bill King has been writing about public policy issues, politics and economics for decades. This blog is a compilation of his previous posts, editorials and columns and a continuation of that tradition.
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Spend Every Penny of the Drainage Fee on Drainage
The Day 126 Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Doctors and Executives Contributed Nearly $90,000 to Turner’s Campaign
This week Channel 13’s Ted Oberg reported that early in the Turner administration 126 doctors and executives with Kelsey-Seybold Clinic made campaign contributions of nearly $90,000 on the same day. Kelsey, which is one of our City’s outstanding medical institutions,...
The City Does NOT Have a Balanced Budget
At last night's SN12/Garden Oaks mayoral forum, Turner repeated yet again the false statement that he has balanced the City's budget. I corrected him, pointing out that according to the independent auditor last year the City ran a deficit in its general fund of $435...
Turner Owes Houstonians an Explanation for Why He Told Fire Fighters to Stay Home During Harvey
About this time two years ago, many Houstonians were stranded in flooded homes, desperately awaiting rescue. Social media was overflowing with individuals begging for help. Many were forced to flee to any nearby high ground, including freeway overpasses. Some waited...
The Sleaze Just Keeps on Flowing from City Hall
In case you missed it, Amy Davis at KPRC Channel 2 reported Monday on the City Hall connections to the owner of a towing company recently convicted of running a racket that snared scores of Houstonians. Richard Gonzalez was selected by the City to participate in its...
Where is the $350 Million Houstonians have Paid for Drainage Since Harvey?
In case you missed it, Amy Davis at KPRC Channel 2 reported Monday on the City Hall connections to the owner of a towing company recently convicted of running a racket that snared scores of Houstonians. Richard Gonzalez was selected by the City to participate in its...
Turner’s Imaginary Memorial Detention Project
The Turner Administration has conceded that little has been done to prevent future floods since Harvey. Turner and his surrogates have attempted to excuse their neglect by blaming the federal government for not giving them the money to do the necessary work. Turner...
A Plan to Mitigate Flooding in Houston
There are a number of areas around Houston that chronically flood. One of these is south of the Katy Freeway near Memorial City. The City for years allowed intensive development along the freeway without requiring sufficient detention. As a result, neighborhoods to...
City Flood Czar says Houston is No Better Prepared than Before Harvey
When I was nine years old, my family was forced to evacuate Kemah ahead of Hurricane Carla. We returned to find Kemah pretty much wiped off the face of the map. Twice in my adult lifetime my homes have been flooded. So, since childhood and throughout my life I have...
Four Years Late and $435 Million Short
The city’s chief recovery officer/flood czar Steve Costello made this stunning admission this week: “When people ask us today if we’re more prepared now than we were prepared for Harvey, the answer, unfortunately is no. . .” It is hard for me to get my brain around...
City’s Sweetheart Deal with Strip Clubs is Not So Sweet for Victims of Human Trafficking
Four years after Sylvester Turner took office, Houston continues to kick the can down the road when it comes to fixing city finances. The city should have moved toward zero-based budgeting by now, but instead one-time fixes, deferred maintenance and depletion of our...
Bill King’s Seven-Point Ethics Reform and Transparency Plan
In 2013, the City of Houston entered into an agreement with sixteen of Houston’s most notorious strip clubs. The agreement settled some longstanding litigation between the City and the strip clubs over the City’s rules about the operation of such businesses. The...