Last week I covered two – really three – events that were full-court presses for their respective goals.
One was two of three public hearings in Matagorda and Bay City on the Port of Bay City Authority’s proposed $68 million Matagorda Harbor expansion and the other, a community meeting on saving and preserving the Luther Hotel.
A hearing in Matagorda last Wednesday at Fireman’s Hall drew about 150 people and another good-size turnout at Bay City Civic Center the following night.
The meeting at Matagorda reminded me of other hearings that brought angry voices in about 20 years ago when LCRA announced plans to develop the mouth of the Colorado River.
Looking at what LCRA has built at the mouth – the LCRA Matagorda Bay Nature Park - that 1,333-acre park and nature preserve provides ample outdoor activities, educational opportunities, an RV Park and now beach bungalows overlooking the Colorado River.
Last week’s sessions weren’t quite as angry as the ones over LCRA’s plan, but it was getting heated as speaker after speaker raised their voices to question the port authority’s plans for Matagorda Harbor.
The harbor expansions – please see my front-page story about the meetings – are aimed at providing year-round economic development.
Another session was planned Wednesday evening in Sargent.
As I’ve often mentioned, I’m not a fan of the Texas Legislature.
But I certainly was relieved to see the Texas House pass an amendment 86-52 to ban funding for Gov. Greg Abbott’s proposed voucher program.
While the Texas Senate approved the plan that Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are trying to foist on the state, the Texas House – as of this Monday writing – has not followed.
Good for them.
I still believe the voucher program will pull badly needed tax support of public spending for education and divert it into private schools.
Abbott continues to say he’s trying to give more power to parents.
Since his aims are to help private schools, I would assume those are the parents he’s talking about empowering.
The Texas Tribune reported Monday that despite the house opposition to vouchers, Abbott said the fight isn’t over.
And the senate is likely to strip the house amendment to ban the funding before the final budget is passed.
But the Tribune noted it does show how the house might vote on the issue when similar legislation comes to that chamber.
