After three seasons in the bigs, Alex Bregman is getting a $100 mil contract for five years. How many career dingers does he have?
Commentary is reminded of the flick “A Few Good Men” when Colonel Jessep says “you can’t handle the truth.”
Some local far righties can’t handle Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo being the face of an emergency. Just another young Latina face, I guess. Check out this Chron Op-Ed by Texas Monthly’s John Lomax here: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Lina-Hidalgo-and-the-politics-of-the-Deer-Park-13703192.php?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=sftwitter&utm_medium=referral.
Get used to it, folks.
The Prop B mess just keeps getting messier. Check out today’s Chron take from the E-Board here: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/.
Here is from the E-Board take:
The mayor’s office cites a 2017 study presented to City Council that found the city could get by with hundreds fewer firefighters, especially if HFD’s role in providing ambulances and emergency medical service could be lightened.
The findings, part of a 10-year city financial plan by consultants at PFM Group, found that among major U.S. cities, Houston has one of the lowest-staffed police departments, but its fire department ranks second only to New York in full-time employees per capita. The report recommended numerous efficiencies, considering: 64 percent of HFD responses were for emergency medical calls in 2015, structural fires accounted for only about 29 percent of fire incidents, and 1 in 8 calls for service was a false alarm.
Here are what folks are asking. If we can be A-Ok without 375 firefighters, why not do away with them a year or so ago and not go through this stuff today? Just asking.
Now the H-Town Mayor has put Council Member Dwight Boykins’ garbage fee proposal on the table for consideration. Check this from the Chron:
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday said he would put a proposed garbage fee on next week’s city council agenda, but will not vote for it.
Turner agreed to put the idea promoted by Councilman Dwight Boykins as a way to to offset the cost of firefighter raises mandated by Proposition B to a council vote, even as he called it “regressive” and said it would hurt low-income Houstonians.
“I will put it on the council agenda next week to let council members have their say, but I will not vote to impose this fee on the people of Houston,” he said on Twitter.
Under Houston’s strong-mayor format, Turner decides what goes on the council agenda.
Here is the entire Chron article: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-city-council-could-vote-on-garbage-fee-13704573.php.
Here is what CM Boykins put out yesterday:
“I would like to thank Mayor Turner for agreeing to place my pay parity solution on next week’s City Council agenda which will allow for an up or down vote on this very important matter. As the only member of City Council to put forth a proposal that creates a steady revenue stream while preventing massive and destructive layoffs, I welcome the opportunity for my colleagues to be heard.
“My proposal is an alternative that secures public safety while saving the jobs of up to 500 firefighters, 200 police officers and up to 300 city employees. It’s an opportunity for city leaders to lead, and I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this measure.
“Together, we can move this city forward, keep our citizens safe, and maintain the quality of life that we have all come to expect and enjoy.”
Here is what Commentary is asking. If the Mayor is opposed, why put it on the agenda? Oh, well.
Alex Bregman has 58 career dingers of course.
I wonder how much a Saint Arnold will cost at The Yard this season. I will find out Monday evening.
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