Tag Archives: Alief ISD

A Look At The Election Results

Posted on November 3, 2021 | 1 comment

Although a power outage at the vote count HQ cramped the style of those of us clicking “REFRESH” all night (and that of many more election workers), some of us decided to go to bed right after the early vote came out. As of this morning, it looks like folks in Houston will need to return for a run-off, while in Alief, the results on the bond and school board seem finalized as they do not require a run-off.

Alief ISD voters, all 5000+ of them, approved 3 of the 4 bonds, with the stadium bond going down in flames, 47-53. The other sports-related bond seems to have passed by less than 100 votes. The biggest bond, which would go to improve and build facilities won overwhelming support from the voters, as did the technology bond. It would seem that voters, at least the 5000+ who voted, knew their priorities and less than $20 million in stadium improvements were not a part of it.

In Alief ISD board races, Darlene Breaux will return after handily defeating Debby Pepper. Harvey Anh Tong earned over 45% of the vote to earn his place on the board. Incumbent Jennifer Key returns to her position after a huge win. And with 56% of the vote, Gregg Patrick, a local pastor, will take his place on the board.

So, yes, I went 3 of 4 on the bond, although I was also iffy on the stadium, and I went 0 for 4 on the board races. It seems the 5000+ who cared enough to vote want the status quo. As long as they don’t mess things up, I guess, right?

At HISD, it looks like run-offs are the order of the day with District I’s Elizabeth Santos taking on Janette Garza Lindner; Sue Deigaard (V) just missed the 50% mark and will take on right-wing-supported Caroline Walter; Holly Flynn Vilaseca (VI) will need to take on Kendall Baker after a surprisingly tight race; and Ann Sung (VII) is also headed for a run-off after a 2nd place finish against her main and well-funded opponent Bridget Wade. Meanwhile, Myrna Guidry (IX) will take her place on the board after finishing with 60% of the vote.

In HCC District 3, Adriana Tamez defeated Brandon Cofield, while Eva Loredo will be in a run-off with Jharett Bryantt in District 8. Meanwhile, since no one stepped up in District 6, the bigoted Dave Wilson will return to the board probably earning more complaints and stepping up his right-wing whining.

In San Antonio’s special election in HD-118, Democrat Frank Ramirez was defeated by vendido republican Lujan. Will the results change in 2022 when they do this all over again? We shall see. The race had 11% turn-out.

Austin defeated a measure that would “super” fund the Austin police department. That’s a good thing.

While there were some great victories in Philadelphia, Pittsburg, NYC, Boston and other places, the results in Virginia were pretty sad. A state which went 20% for Biden over Trump handed Democrats a stingingly close loss. When you have a recycled Dem dude at the top of the ballot…well, anyway. Democrats refuse to learn how to take on racist republicans. I think all this squeamishness started when Hillary Clinton apologized for calling the racists “deplorables,” thinking she could earn their votes. Anyway…

Regarding the power outage in Harris County, I agree with Kuff that these glitches give the County a chance to fix things so we can avoid them when everyone shows up next November. Election chief Isabel Longoria deserves some kudos for testing the whole system to ensure nothing was lost in the process before releasing vote counts; however, those who suffered were the precinct and alternate judges who were delivering their equipment to the counting station. Democracy can suck sometimes and those folks who work a 12-hour day at voting locations deserve a lot more than our thanks.

Anyway, stay tuned for the upcoming fireworks in the HISD run-offs. Although it’s all about turn-out, there is bound to be some deep reaches into opposition research in an attempt to change one or two minds.

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Posted in Accion, Cultura, Education - K12, Elections, Harris County, Higher Education, Local Politica, Media

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Early Voting Has Begun – Oct 18 – 29, 2021

Posted on October 19, 2021 | 1 comment

Early Voting around Harris County has begun and will run through October 29, 2021. You can vote early at any location in Harris County. You can find your sample ballot by clicking here.

On the ballot are eight (8) state propositions and you may also have local school and college board trustee races on your ballot, so, your sample ballot is the best way to find out what’s up.

My ballot will look like this:

State Propositions (Ballotpedia Explains The Propositions)

Prop 1 – Adds pro rodeo foundations to list authorized to hold raffles. (FOR)

Prop 2 – Allows counties to issue bonds to finance redevelopment of towns and cities. (FOR)

Prop 3 – Forbids local government from prohibiting or limiting religious services (when something like COVID-19 or some sort of disaster occurs and the decision is made for the protection of residents). (AGAINST) (Explanation)

Prop 4 – Changes the eligibility requirements for judges to run for office. (FOR)

Prop 5 – Extends State Commission on Judicial Conduct’s power over judicial candidates. (FOR)

Prop 6 – Allows group home residents to name an essential caregiver with visiting rights. (FOR)

Prop 7 – Allows surviving spouses, 55 or older, of disabled persons a limit on school district property taxes. (FOR)

Prop 8 – Allows surviving spouse of military member killed in action to a property tax exemption. (FOR)

ALIEF ISD

Position 4 – Debby Pepper (Endorsed by TSTA)

Position 5 – Randal Stewart

Position 6 – Ronald Franklin (Endorsed by TSTA)

Position 7 – Damon Barone (Endorsed by TSTA)

Bond Prop A – FOR (Bond Descriptions)

Bond Prop B – FOR

Bond Prop C – FOR

Bond Prop D – FOR

While I do not reside in Houston ISD, I do have some favorites.

District I – Elizabeth Santos

District V – Sue Deigaard

District VI – Holly Flynn Vilaseca

District VII – Anne Sung

And, while I await the outcome of whatever is going on with my own HCC trustee, my favorites for whom I am not able to vote are:

HCC District 3 – Adriana Tamez

HCC District 8 – Eva Loredo

Get your voting done early. Otherwise, you can vote on November 2.

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Posted in 2021, Accion, Cultura, DC Promo, Education - K12, Elections, Harris County, Health Care, Local Politica, Texas Lege

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The 2021 Alief ISD Bond

Posted on October 9, 2021 | 1 comment

Along with a few races for school trustee, we Alief ISD voters get to decide on over $500 million in bonds to address aging facilities and buses, athletics upgrades, modernization of the stadium, and more technology. With a small tax increase and no tax increase for 65 and older, this kind of investment is needed for this growing district. Sounds good enough, so, let’s dive a little into it.

According to the district, it has been six years since the last bond and that bond came in on time, on target, and under budget. I must say, it’s nice to see the new buildings that have gone and are going up at the moment that address student career needs, staff development needs, and transportation needs. Currently, the average age of school buildings is 35 years, so, it is time to continue upgrading to ensure equity around the district.

The bond has been broken up into four parts (state law, I’ve been told by a committee member).

Prop A is for $482.6 million to pay for safety and security upgrades for school entrance and more funds for ISD police; two replacement schools; a new agri-center on the site of the Alief Community Garden; all sorts of renovations; for Fine Arts, new instruments, sound-proof practice rooms, dance flooring, and theater lighting.; new equipment for Career and Tech Education programs; and new buses to transport students.

I like Prop A and will vote for it.

Prop B is for $9.1 million in athletic upgrades to include tennis court resurfacing; dugouts at Hastings HS baseball field; gym scoreboards; resurfacing baseball/softball fields; replacement of football turf; and replacement of outdoor scoreboards.

The wealth seems to be spread around the various sports, so, I’m thinking YES on this one. Better turf means increased safety for athletes and less maintenance needs.

Prop C calls for $19.4 million to modernize Crump Stadium. According to the district, the stadium is almost 50 years old and has not had much in investment in improvement. The stadium was also built when enrollment was less than 20% of what it has become. So, they are asking for this cash to build a new press box, new turf, new track, new locker rooms, and one of those fancy video scoreboards.

When I cruised around the district, the first thing I noticed was how modern the stadium was, considering it was 50 years old. It seems they were ahead of the game when it was built. New track and new turf not only ensures safety, but it also makes the stadium attractive for playoff and other community events. It is stuff that is needed, but it is also pricey. The first time I voted against a bond, I lived in Humble ISD because it was too football-centric, but the total package here seems to be about the students. I’m trending toward supporting Prop C because why should the “fancy” school districts get all the nice stuff? Also, at least they didn’t ask for some $200 million monstrosity.

Prop D calls for $30.6 million for technology upgrades. A reminder that there are now over 50,000 students and staff at Alief ISD and they are deserving of the best. The bond ensures the district keeps a tech replacement schedule for the next three years. The bond includes classroom instructional technology; campus iPads and desktops.

Yes, I’m for it. I wish it would have been twice as much!

Anyway, that’s my take on the Alief ISD bond. Early voting begins October 18 and runs through October 29. Election Day is November 2. I’m still trying to find more information about candidates for school trustee. There are a few of those races on the ballot, which makes up a good chunk of the board being chosen, so, this is important.

Thanks to all those neighbors who participated in the bond committee–89 strong, working for 6 months, and over 2000 hours. It is said that if passed, Alief ISD will save over 65 million bucks in escalating construction costs and inflation. I know I have that in mind, especially as the pandemic continues.

For more information, visit the bond website!

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Posted in 2021, Accion, Cultura, DC Promo, Education - K12, Local Politica, Media

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Early Voting for Houston ISD and HCC Begins Today

Posted on November 29, 2017 | Comments Off on Early Voting for Houston ISD and HCC Begins Today

That’s right, some of y’all need to vote, again.

First of all, I misblogged the other day when I stated Alief ISD would have a run-off. In reality, the candidate with the most votes wins. So, DC-endorsed Natasha Butler, who won by 11 votes, joins Breaux, Nguyen, and Key on the board. Congrats to all of them. Serve the kids and the rest of us well.

Meanwhile, as many as 78,000+ voters will have the opportunity to elect a new HISD Trustee in District I. Voters will choose between Elizabeth Santos, who earned 45% of the vote in Round 1, and Gretchen Himsl. Another 55,000+ voters in District III will get to pick between Jesse A. Rodriguez and Sergio Lira. Almost 10,000 and over 3500 voted in District I and III, in Round 1, respectively.

As far as nods are concerned, I’ll say most of my friends are supporting Elizabeth Santos in District I, and my friends seem split in District III, but I’ve been rooting for Jesse A. Rodriguez.

In HCCS District IX, Preta VanDible Stalworth is the progressive candidate in the mix. And that’s all I’ll say about that. District IX is in Southern Harris County and stretches from around the Southwest Freeway to beyond 288 to zip code 77048. Around 100,000 voters get to choose in this one, though a little over 10K voted in Round 1.

With just a fraction of local voters eligible to vote in these races, you might ask yourself:  Can I vote in this one? Check and see if you have a ballot here. Then find your early voting location here.

So, get out and vote. It really does count in these low turnout elections.

 

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Posted in Accion, City of Houston, Cultura, Education - K12, Higher Education

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It’s Election 2017 Season! [Alief ISD Edition]

Posted on October 9, 2017 | Comments Off on It’s Election 2017 Season! [Alief ISD Edition]

Well, it’s that time again–2017’s election season. Believe it or not, you have lots to vote on, whether it is amendments to the Texas Constitution, local school and college elections, and even some big bonds. This first post on the 2017 elections, I’ll talk about Alief ISD. One thing is for sure, one has to love the diversity on the ballot in all the races.

ALIEF ISD

With various district races for Houston ISD school board leading the local excitement, I’m lucky to live in Alief ISD. There’s four races in that one and I get to vote in everyone of them since we don’t have single member districts. I’m still trying to get to know the candidates on the ballot since they rarely attempt to get to know us inside of the beltway (I’m only a block away from Houston ISD).

Position 4 is a race to fill a vacancy left by the untimely passing of Dedre Jefferson. Darlene Breaux and Jesus Zamora are in the running.

Position 5 has G. “John” Nguyen and Donald Murphy Guillory in a race to replace Nhi T. Ho.

Position 6 has Jennifer Key and Anton Dowls in a race to replace Sarah Winkler.

And Position 7 has Soren Velarde, Natasha Butler, and Janet Spurlock in a race to replace Tiffany Thomas.

I’ll be studying the candidates more, although by the looks of some who are DACA supporters or progressive-minded on other issues, some may be easier to choose than others.

If you’re an ALIEF ISD voter, click on the links for each candidate, get to know them, and contact them with questions. They answer to you!

Voter registration ends on October 10. Early voting is October 23 thru November 3, so, click on the link to find your nearest early voting center. Election Day is November 7, so you can find your location and print your ballot at this site.

 

 

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Posted in Accion, Elections, Local Politica

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VOTE ALIEF PROUD; VOTE YES ON BOND; Info on Alief ISD Position 4

Posted on April 26, 2015 | Comments Off on VOTE ALIEF PROUD; VOTE YES ON BOND; Info on Alief ISD Position 4

As I mentioned previously, I support the Alief ISD Bond. It is long overdue, much needed, and the investment will reap returns for students and families. Read more about the bond here, then vote early.

Alief ISD Position 4

There is also a special election for Position #4 of the Board of Trustees. On the ballot are:  Celia Morgan, Gigi Myung, Dedre Jefferson, and Natasha Butler.

Morgan is a former Alief ISD teacher; Myung works with a local automotive retailer; Jefferson, according to the internet, has worked for Alief ISD as an educator; and Butler describes herself as a single working mom on her website and has been involved in the Bond committee and PTOs.

Morgan published her response to AFL/CIO questionnaire and to Alief TSTA.

UPDATE:  Richard Shaw of AFL-CIO informed me that Natasha Butler earned their endorsement.

I haven’t decided whom to support, so, I’ll be doing some more research and getting back to you.  I will say that the sample ballot PDF took a long time to load which is why I barely found out about this particular election.

Click on image below to find your early voting location.

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Posted in 2015, Alief ISD, Elections

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Alief Bond: I Just Moved And Already I Have an Election Coming Up!

Posted on April 14, 2015 | Comments Off on Alief Bond: I Just Moved And Already I Have an Election Coming Up!

I’m an avid voter, so, as soon as I moved into my new place, I registered and found who was representing me. To my surprise, I found out I have a few more Democratic representatives, but I also found out I now reside in the Alief ISD (barely, as mine is on the northeastern corner of the ISD). I even have an election coming up in which I will be voting FOR the Alief bond.

There is all kinds of growth out my way and the Alief schools have been no different. Student achievement at AISD is high; they boast a 95% graduation rate; and the vast majority of students are graduating on a recommended plan. Alief hasn’t had a bond since 2003 which means they are way overdue for improvements and new facilities. Now is the best time to get this done.

The Alief bond is mostly about new facilities with 67% of the $341 million bond going to new construction, including classroom space for full-day Pre-K, a Career Center, Professional Learning and Performance space, and expansion of some current facilities.

30% of the bond is going to security enhancements across the district, as well as facility improvements, like new roofs and improved A/C units, new entrances to schools, a softball field at Elsik HS, handicap accessibility, a library expansion, etc. Finally, the rest of the bond is for school bus replacements, which means safer, better running buses.

All-in-all, this is a sound investment which will still keep Alief ISDs taxes among the lowest in the area. And, it’s for the kids.

Early voting is April 27 thru May 5, while Election Day is May 5. Find your voting location here.

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Posted in 2015, K-12 Education

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