Texas Renters

Fox 26’s “What’s Your Point” crew this past Sunday morning discussed the proposed Harris County Uplift Harris program. You know, the program that provides $500 per month for 18 months to 1,900 low-income families. I am guessing most of these families are renters. The “What’s Your Point” crew pooh poohed the program.

Let’s see. The State of Texas’s largest source of revenue is the sales tax. Everyone pays the sales tax including homeowners and renters. During the last State of Texas budget cycle, we had a huge surplus.  The legislature gave a refund to homeowners through property tax relief. Texas renters got zilch. Nada. A big zero. I didn’t hear the “What’s Your Point” crew pooh pooh this giveaway. Oh, well.

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This is one of the better tweets yesterday on Donald Trump’s trial:

Hillary testified for 11 hours during a Benghazi hearing.

Biden had a five-hour interview with Robert Hur.

Trump fell asleep after an hour in court.

Sleepy Donald.

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I did not know this. See this from the Chron:

Jhair Romero is the Latino communities reporter for the Houston Chronicle’s community/inequity team.

Here is Romero’s latest story:

In a milestone moment for the city’s long-awaited Hispanic History Research Center, more than 200 Houston residents packed into a dilapidated warehouse Saturday in the East End for a community forum to discuss the future of the promised Latino-focused archival library.

Hosted by Council Members Mario Castillo, Joaquin Martinez and Julian Ramirez, the self-coined “Three Amigos” and the city’s Latino council members, the forum was the first opportunity for community input on a project that has been in the works for years but has, until now, made little progress. 

And this:

“For several years, we got no (updates) from the leadership of the library, from the mayor and city council,” said activist and historian David Contreras, who has long been vocal on issues concerning Latino communities and the city’s Hispanic archives. “I think this is going to be absolutely beautiful.”

The Hispanic History Research Center is meant to house the library’s embattled Latino archives, a trove of local history that sat at the Julia Ideson Building downtown for decades as other archives, such as the African American, genealogical and local history collections, thrived. 

Here is the entire read: Hundreds show up for forum on Houston Hispanic research center (houstonchronicle.com).

I am glad to see this move forward. Good luck.

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In cleaning up my files, err archives, I ran across the featured photo. It is from 19 years ago. They were warned.

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This is also from the Chron hard copy front page:

Houston’s municipal workers union, HOPE AFSCME Local 123, is demanding larger pay raises, improved safety measures, and greater transparency in hiring and promotions as it enters a new cycle of labor contract negotiations with the city.

HOPE leaders are set to begin negotiations with Mayor John Whitmire’s administration just as the firefighters union wrapped up its contract talks. The current labor agreement for municipal workers will expire this summer, and union representatives are scheduled to begin their “meet and confer” process Tuesday, according to HOPE President Sonia Rico. 

HOPE represents about 11,000 municipal workers, ranging from 311 operators and library workers to Solid Waste drivers and Public Works crews. Its members do not include police and firefighters, who have their own unions. A new deal this year would mark the sixth labor agreement the young union has secured since its establishment in 2005.

During their last round of negotiations in 2021, HOPE leaders initially sought 18% across-the-board raises for city workers over three years but settled for 9%. This year, Rico said, her team would aim for higher salary increases than previously achieved.

She also highlighted the need for safer work environments, healthier departmental cultures and greater involvement for rank-and-file employees in city decisions that impact them.

Here is the entire read: HOPE, Houston’s city workers union, is asking Whitmire for more (houstonchronicle.com).

Of course they want a pay raise. Let’s hope they get what they deserve.

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Our season is only 18 games in, and our vaunted closer Josh Hader has a 9.39 ERA. The first five hitters he faced last night reached base. On the bright side, José Altuve leads MLB with a .403 batting average.

We need some Ws.