Monthly Archives: July 2018
Texas Homeowners’ Association Rules vs. Municipal Ordinances
Houston, Texas, is a sprawling municipality, encompassing 655 square miles, the largest land area by far of the 10 most populated American cities. [1] When you travel our city, you quickly realize there are no true commercial, residential or high-rise areas of town, as there are no strict “zoning” laws that regulate development. There… Read More »
Poison: Conflicts of Interest for Texas Local Public Officials
There’s a saying in toxicology: “the dose makes the poison.” This saying is derived from the concept that any substance, including water and oxygen, can become toxic at high enough concentrations. Well, a similar concept can be applied to conflicts of interest. Virtually any action taken by a public official can have some positive… Read More »
Texas Law Supports Women’s Right to Breastfeed in Public
Recently, the United States surprised many by opposing a World Health Assembly resolution to promote breastfeeding as preferable to baby formula substitutes. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesman told the New York Times earlier this month that the position was taken to be considerate of women who are unable to breastfeed…. Read More »
Blueprint for Good Governance: Review Your City Charter
A City Charter establishes a town and sets up the municipality’s form of government. In a sense, a City Charter can be thought of as a town’s constitution. So what happens when the city charter is unclear, or even worse, the Mayor or Council fail to uphold the rules of the Charter? The City… Read More »
Top 14 Ways to Drive Your City Attorney Crazy (or Make Him Take a Vacation)
A wise mayor once told me that you train people how to treat you. He also told me that an accountant’s job is to reduce cost, a lawyer’s job is to reduce risk, but an owner’s (manager’s) job is to grow the business by taking risk and wisely spending money. I thought about those… Read More »