From Houston Public Media: Galveston County Holds First Ever Transportation Conference

Area rep Randy Weber attended, along with other national, state and local figures. Transportation is one of the policy areas impacted the most by federalism. Not only is each level of government involved, the impact is horizontal as well since the decisions of one local government impact the traffic in others. This was an attempt to begin an ongoing dialogue among the stakeholders in Galveston County.

One take-away: more constriction on I-45!

A second: It's tough to tell people when they can and can't evacuate from a hurricane.

- Click here for the article.

The U.S. Census Bureau says Galveston County’s population grew by close to 11-percent between 2010 and 2015.

And while the county is happy to add to its tax base, local officials say there’s still worried: How do you evacuate all those people before a major hurricane?

That was one of the big topics at the first-ever Galveston County Transportation Summit.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Joe Giusti says it’s extremely important for Galveston to evacuate first. Because history shows that it will be very difficult for residents to leave the coast.

“Then I have a situation like we did during Hurricane Rita when Galveston County’s at the back of a stack when Harris County and everybody else is leaving early,” Giusti says. “And we have people dying in traffic, that’s my biggest fear.”

But officials say some new road projects should help more people evacuate faster.
In 2019, TxDOT hopes to start the process of widening I-45 from FM 1764 to the Galveston Causeway. It will go from six lanes to eight.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Ken Clark believes it will help

“If we can get people to leave in a staged fashion, it should really make an evacuation not only efficient but very smooth also,” Clark says.
State Highway 146 is also being widened in Seabrook and that includes a new bridge near the Kemah Boardwalk.

What does Robert's Rules of Order and the Galveston Seawall have in common?

Apparently the same person - an engineer - was responsible for both.

Henry Martin Robert was the subject of today's Engines of our Ingenuity.

- Click here for it.

For more from Wikipedia:

- Henry Martin Robert.
- Robert's Rules of Order.
- Galveston Seawall.

Week Three Written Assignment - GOVT 2302 / 2306

Last week I asked you to look at the relationship between the national government and Texas, specifically the conflict over the Voting Rights Act and its impact on recent changes in Texas' election laws.

This week I want you to look at an interesting conflict between the national government - specifically the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) -  and a nearby local government: the one in Galveston.

Among the things destroyed by Hurricane Ike was public housing on the island. None of it has been rebuilt because of conflicts over how it was to be rebuilt. HUD wants the 569 units destroyed by Ike rebuilt, but a majority in city government want vouchers to be issued which eligible residents can use to get apartments.

The controversy has engulfed the island, and led to a mayor being voted out of office, so its quite the big deal. It also tells us something about the nature of conflict between the national and local governments. I want you to do some research and detail the nature of the conflict. What relevant laws are driving it? What political disputes fuel it? Feel free to take your won approach to the question.

Here are some recent links that might help get you going:

- Galveston Housing Authority.
- Galveston moves toward compliance with HUD ultimatum.
- GHA chairman resigns but decides to stay on.

- Isle voucher advocates may have had their last win.

There's much more.

Galveston mayors race hinged on housing policy

The incumbent - as well as a member of the city council - appear to have been defeated because of their support of a Galveston Housing Authority proposal to rebuild subsidized housing rather than provide vouchers for rental units.

Its been quite the story on the island - and it hits many nerves including race.

Defiant Galveston city manager gets the ax

From the Chron:

The 14-year-term of powerful City Manager Steve LeBlanc, who became a face of Galveston's recovery after Hurricane Ike, ended Wednesday during an acrimonious City Council meeting in which police ejected several rowdy Le-Blanc supporters.

A divided council voted 5-2 to fire a defiant LeBlanc after several said the city manager had damaged his relations with the council too severely because of his public criticisms of council members and his political efforts to save his job leading up to the special meeting. The council appointed Assistant City Managers Carolyn Cox and Brian Maxwell as co-acting city managers.

The Texas Open Beaches Act and the Economic Recovery of Galveston

Recently the Texas Supreme Court weakened the Texas Open Beaches Act by making it more difficult for the state to acquire the land necessary to allow the public access to Texas beaches. This has caused the Texas Land Office to decide against replenishing Galveston beaches - especially on the west end - which may hamper the city's economy.

In response to requests, the Supreme Court has agreed to rehear the case.

- Branna v. State of Texas.
- Texas Land Office: Coastal Issues.
- AAS story.

Jaworski Learned From Obama Campaign

The Galveston County Daily News details Joe Jaworski's convincing victory in the Galveston Mayors race and notes that the campaign was run by a woman who learned campaigning from Obama's 2008 race. Heavy emphasis was placed on block walking and communication.

Crisis, Opportunity, and Galveston, Texas

Here's some back and forth on the future of Galveston post - Ike: Texas Sparkle wants gambling, which has been promoted by others in the past, but might have legs now that Galveston is losing revenue from other sources.

The comments include some worries about the impact of casinos and a "sin" economy in general-- mixed at best in other places -- but Galveston has a colorful history that includes gambling among many other things. Comparisons to post Katrina New Orleans abound. Some think Galveston should try to diversify, but I think its past time to admit that Galveston will be a tourist based town from now on. The city should accept and make the best of it.

We'll see whether the legislature -- especially the social conservatives -- is warm to casino gambling idea this spring.

In a related, and very negative note, The Texas Observer wonders whether Galveston city fathers are using the damage caused by Ike to try to kick out Galveston's poorer, meaning African American, population. Little effort has been made to rebuild the public housing damaged by the storm. The same thing has been happening in New Orleans.

Bio Lab in Galveston

Why did a bio-laboratory which handles the most dangerous viruses in the world get approved to be built in hurricane prone Galveston without a hitch? Here's an interesting story in democratic decision making -- or non-decision making.