Comments on: Closer scrutiny will follow Texas expenditure of $1.3 billion in hurricane relief http://texashousers.net/2008/11/29/close-scrutiny-necessary-on-state-expenditure-of-13-billion-in-hurricane-relief/ working together to make low-income housing and community development a priority in Texas Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:28:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Texas disaster plan - a pork barrel for local politicians « Texas housers http://texashousers.net/2008/11/29/close-scrutiny-necessary-on-state-expenditure-of-13-billion-in-hurricane-relief/#comment-599 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 23:45:49 +0000 http://txlihis.wordpress.com/?p=1387#comment-599 [...] like this new one actually got released is a huge disappointment. There were warning signs however. I predicted that the plan would have problems when I learned that the Governor had entrusted disaster recovery [...]

]]> By: Patrick H Herndon http://texashousers.net/2008/11/29/close-scrutiny-necessary-on-state-expenditure-of-13-billion-in-hurricane-relief/#comment-566 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:16:25 +0000 http://txlihis.wordpress.com/?p=1387#comment-566 There are seat/vote partisan gains in both the Tx House & Tx Senate this election cycle, but not enough to provide a clear vote majority to change the Speaker. That may happen, but it is unclear how and who. The coming battle will be who controls the Tx Legislature in 2010, and thus has the most control of redistricting in 2011. The Governor has, prior to this most recent election, been soliciting contributions and support for a rerun (3rd) in 2010.

Whatever past history obtains, it should be understood that the local discretionary allocation of FEMA, or any other federal funds to Texas will be used to leverage maximum political patronage for the 2010 elections. Check out the cronyism in the ReadingFirst monies in public education to see local Haliburton style contracting at home. The 2010 election will include all statewide offices, one US Senate seat, and, of course, the legislature and Tx Congressional delegation. Since the two parties are becoming more even in representation and redistricting is upcoming, maximum partisan leverage will be applied to any and everything. ORCA is just one venue to that end, and the Houston/Galveston area has been moving away from the current partisan dominance. Texas has had a “reconstructionistic” legislature and St government for a century and a half. Housing needs to get ready for a fight.

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