This was originally posted on Live Oaks on October 14, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. When an individual abandons principles he approaches each issue in isolation from other issues. He has no way to integrate or connect seemingly separate issues, and deals with each on a case-by-case basis. The resulting conclusions are often contradictory,…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on October 13, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. The American Planning Association recently named Houston’s Montrose one of its “10 Great Neighborhoods” for 2009. The Chronicle laments this award, because the planning that has occurred in Montrose was conducted privately, rather than by the city: As the…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on October 2, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. Earlier this week Chronicle columnist Lisa Falkenberg provided us with a look into the state’s food stamp program. Texas isn’t coming close to meeting federal requirements to process food stamp applications within a month. Last month, about 38,000 new…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on September 29, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. Last week the Chronicle reported that Mayor White offered some advice to the city’s voters (HT: blogHouston): White, who has shied away from endorsing or even offering tacit support to those vying to replace him, weighed in last week…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on September 15, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. On Saturday, the Chronicle reported that Spec’s Liquor gave up its fight over its Washington Avenue store. A city ordinance prohibits liquor stores from being within 1,000 feet of a school. The store in question is about 665 feet…
This was originally posted as a series on Live Oaks in September 2009. Comments have not been migrated. That is what I mean when I say that “right” is the same thing in all states, namely the interest of the established government; and government is the strongest element in each state, and so if we…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on September 2, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. In the aftermath of the city granting permission to Buckhead Development to build the Ashby High Rise, Houston bloggers have jumped in with a variety of suggestions for avoiding similar conflicts in the future. One of those suggestions comes…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on August 21, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. Economists and pundits like to defend certain government interventions–such as the regulation of utilities and the provision of roads–on the grounds that “perfect” competition cannot exist for certain services. The argument is similar to that used to defend “natural”…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on August 20, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. During the debate over zoning in Houston in the early 1990s I sponsored a booth at a convention on Houston development. Among the literature we distributed was a pamphlet that described how zoning operates in other cities. One of…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on August 13, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. A recent piece on the KHOU web site asks if zoning is in Houston’s future. While the article does not come to a definitive conclusion, it implies that more restrictive land-use controls will be necessary. Or, as urban planner…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on August 14, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. I am simultaneously amused and disgusted with politicians who do verbal gymnastics to support a particular position while ignoring its implications. Tax holidays are one example. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia now offer tax holidays in the…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on August 7, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. Barack Obama has repeatedly told us that we are our brother’s keeper. Now the state of Texas is telling us that we are also our brother’s children’s keeper. According to the Chronicle, Texas taxpayers will soon be on the…