Author Archives: J. Grady Randle
The ABCs of Economic Development: It’s Easy as 1,2,3….
The Jackson Five number one hit in 1970 was the song “ABC,” knocking The Beatles hit “Let It Be” off the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Draft the proper economic development agreement and you can be in the Hot 100. So, as the lyrics go, You went to school to learn, girl, Things… Read More »
Free Speech in Texas Depends on Where You Stand, Literally
Have you watched the recent town hall meetings? Congressmen and senators getting yelled at by either paid protestors or angry constituents. Is this democracy? Do you have a right to address your leaders? Must you be civil or can you exercise a little Civil Disobedience à la Thoreau? Do you, like me, have a… Read More »
Will Writing: Have You Lived a Simple Little Life?
What would you do as a lawyer if your client, an astronaut, was in an accident while in space that prevented his return and he called you wanting a will? This was a real question asked on my exam in law school for my Will and Trust class back in the early 1980s. I… Read More »
How to Count a Majority for Voting
“How do we know its majority rule in your city?” asked an assistant attorney general reviewing a bond application for a city I represented. What? You mean are we a democracy? I asked. Yes, prove it, the AG said. How do you know white is white or one plus one equals two? How do you prove a… Read More »
Why Is It So !@#$%^ Hard to Get Information out of My City?
Everyone believes in transparency in government, but the rub comes in implementing it. On the federal level, Congress passed the Freedom of Information Act – commonly known as FOIA – that applies only to the Federal government. On the state level, the Legislature passed the Texas Public Information Act. This Act provides for the… Read More »
Urban Chickens: How Not to Get Flocked
A city council I represent recently deadlocked on whether to allow chickens to be raised by homeowners within the city limits. This was not a rural city but one that abuts Houston’s city limits. Amazingly, raising urban chickens has developed in to a cottage (dare I say coop) industry where for the price of… Read More »
Free Speech and the Texas Open Meetings Act: Wide Open Country
“Do I have to sit here and take this?” After a particular contentious city council meeting over a public golf course, during which insults about making sandwiches where hurled at a councilmember who happened to own a Subway sandwich shop, he asked me that question. Though sandwich making has nothing to do with the… Read More »
Economic Development or Honey I bought a HEB
Do you think public-private partnerships as an economic development tool is a new 21st century concept? Corporate welfare a creation of the 20th century? Have you ever been to Pittsville, Texas? An economic engine of the late 19th century was the railroad companies. Failure to donate land to bring the railroad to your town… Read More »
My Mayor Has Super Powers?
Texas law sets out various powers of mayors and city council. However, what super powers does a mayor have in an emergency or disaster? There are three types of city governments allowed under the Texas Constitution: (1) Special law cities created by the Republic of Texas; (2) general law cities operating under the general… Read More »