Texas Politics News

Clear Lake teabaggers are going to have a rally on the 4th of July with special guest speaker Paul Bettencourt, the same Bettencourt who quit as Harris County Tax Assessor just two weeks after winning the election. His topic will be "Sticking it out during hard times".

Bettencourts' former office has come under fire recently concerning the Assistant Voter Registrar who has been moonlighting selling voter data on the side.

Those interested in teabagging each other are encouraged to attend. If you need a teabag partner, one will be provided.

(I, along with 3 other members of consumer organizations, had an opportunity to sit with Chancellor Mike McKinney when he was the Chief of Staff for Governor Perry to discuss mandatory binding arbitration. He was a complete arrogant jackass. Seems that the Texas A&M faculty thinks so too.) From the Valley Morning Star:

COLLEGE STATION - The Texas A&M University faculty has given the system chancellor a ``no confidence'' vote.

The Faculty Senate passed a resolution directed at A&M System Chancellor Mike McKinney just weeks after the resignation of university President Elsa Murano. Murano, the first female and first Hispanic in the university's history, resigned after McKinney gave her first 17 months on the job a dismal review.

The troubles with Murano came shortly after McKinney said the regents were considering combining his job with that of the university president to save money. That suggestion angered many faculty members.

Thanks to the Houston Chronicle Clear Lake section for posting this lost cat notice.

Lost cat in Bay Knoll Subdivision in Clear Lake

Name: Squeeky.

Lost: June 20, Cardinal Creek Court in Bay Knoll subdivision, north side of Clear Lake area in Houston.

Description: Black, short hair, green eyes, female. Has her claws. Very friendly. Meows alot.

Contact: johncoby@sbcglobal.net

The Citizen had a great article on the upcoming college tuition increases in the area. but first:

A bit of history
Prior to 2003, the Texas Legislature had the regulatory authority to set tuition rates, generally mandating that the same statutory and designated tuition rate be charged across the state. In 2003 the 78th Legislature passed HB 3015, amending TEC §54.0513 to allow governing boards of public universities to set different designated tuition rates. There is no upper limit on the amount of designated tuition that a university may charge and the amounts may vary by program, course level, and academic period. Tuition deregulation became effective September 1, 2003, and universities began increasing designated tuition in spring 2004
The results? (based on 2007 rates)
In short, we got screwed with deregulation again.