Among a strong field of candidates for Houston City Council District C – the district that includes Montrose, Meyerland, Braeswood, Oak Forest, Southampton and parts of the Heights – Ellen Cohen’s track record separates her from the rest. We endorse Cohen on the strength of that record. Continue Reading »
News Articles
New Endorsements, Important Deadline
I have some wonderful campaign news to report. The Houston Police Officers Union, the Fire Fighters Association, and the Houston Association of REALTORS® have all recently endorsed me for Houston City Council Member, District C! I couldn’t be more proud to have the backing of these influential groups, the members of which play such a pivotal role in our city. Their support will carry weight in this race, as will yours. I hope you’ll consider lending your name to the Cohen Campaign supporters list.
Lend Your Name to the Cohen Campaign
This new support, along with our detailed ground game plan that includes mail, block walks, phone banks, and meet and greets, means we have a strong foundation upon which to execute a strong campaign. But we need resources – from extra phones to rubber bands. What’s more, I’m facing a critical fundraising deadline this Thursday at midnight. I’ll then be required to submit my contributions in a finance report – a report that is viewed as an important indicator of the strength of my campaign.
Please make a financial gift to the Campaign today
I believe that I’m uniquely qualified to be your next City Council Member, and I’m confident that we’ve built a top-notch campaign. I hope you’ll make an investment with us today!
Do you live in District C?
I know it’s a lot to process.
As a voter, you are challenged to learn about issues and candidates, find out what races are run and when, and navigate polling hours and locations. This election year is made even more challenging because it follows the 2010 census, thus the legislature’s redrawing of Texas political districts — from congressional to Houston City Council.
Many Houstonians are unaware that two new city council seats have been added. Others may be aware of the change, but are not sure how it affects their district.
Find out if you live in District C.
For the past 5 months, I’ve been campaigning throughout District C, which includes Oak Forest, parts of the Heights, Washington/Memorial, Upper Kirby, Montrose, Braeswood, Southampton and Meyerland, among others. Each area has its unique attributes but concerns about police presence, infrastructure and fiscal responsibility are common to all.
Are you a District C Voter? Join Team Cohen!
Houston made some tough decisions when it passed this year’s budget. These systematic cuts resulted in reduced services and employee layoffs – and that affects us all. On Council, I’ll work to increase efficiencies and streamline programs as a solution to our financial challenges. Fiscal responsibility and smart investments in our communities will lead to an even better quality of life for all of us. The new District C has a bright future and I hope you’ll help me make it a reality by participating in Early Voting beginning October 24, or by casting your ballot on Election Day, November 8.
Sincerely,
Ellen
Cohen Receives Houston Association of Realtors Endorsement
(Houston) –Ellen Cohen is honored to announce the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) endorsement for her City Council District C race. “Owning a home is a vital part of the American dream, and I am thrilled that HAR made the decision to support me,” said Cohen. “I understand the concerns of homeowners and look forward to working with the real estate community.”
The Houston Association of REALTORS® is comprised of 26,000 professional members and is the largest individual membership trade association in Houston. Ellen has worked closely with HAR in the past. Carlos Bujosa, HAR’s Chairman of Board, noted that “her openness and willingness to make a positive difference demonstrate her character, integrity and leadership.”
Cohen previously served in the Texas Legislature as the State Representative for House District 134. She was President and CEO of the Houston Area Women’s Center (HAWC) for 18 years. Prior to leading HAWC, she was Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for 10 years.
###
September 2011 Cohen Connection
In This Issue…
- A Note from Ellen
- Committing to Save Lives
- Ellen’s Widespread Support Continues
- Central Northwest Candidate Forum
Lawmaker cheers court OK for strip club fee
Overturning two lower-court decisions, the Texas Supreme Court on Friday gave state officials the go-ahead to continue collecting a special $5-per-customer tax on strip clubs.
The so-called “pole” tax, collected upon entrance to any club that features nude dancing and alcohol consumption, was ruled unconstitutional by a state district judge in Austin and the 3rd Court of Appeals. The law was passed by the Texas Legislature in 2007, and so far about $15 million has been collected. The money has not been disbursed because of the earlier court rulings.
The bill’s author, Ellen Cohen, wrote the law so that the first $25 million in proceeds from the tax would go to programs that help victims of sexual assault. After that, the funds are earmarked for health care programs for uninsured people.
She praised the court’s decision.
Finding resources
“I’m thrilled by it,” said Cohen a two-term state representative who lost her re-election bid in the Republican landslide of 2010. “The whole idea was to find a way that would not be onerous and would find resources for victims of sexual assault and spread the word about their needs. In light of politics being what they are, I am happy that this Supreme Court saw the value of the bill.”
The Texas Entertainment Association, comprising many of the state’s adult cabarets, brought the lawsuit on grounds that such a fee infringed on First Amendment protections. Attorney Stewart Whitehead, who represents the organization, said he was disappointed that the Supreme Court disagreed with the lower courts.
“We think they picked the wrong test to evaluate this law,” Whitehead said, arguing that the justices focused on previous zoning cases instead of tax cases. “We’re assessing our options as to whether to take this option to the U.S. Supreme Court or to go back to Texas state district court and address other claims that were not addressed in this opinion.”
Constitutional issues
The association also had claimed the strip-club law violated the Texas Constitution because the fee amounted to an occupational tax, a quarter of which is dedicated to education funding.
The state Supreme Court, however, focused only on whether the fee amounted to an illegal infringement on freedom of expression.
In its opinion, the court said the fee was too small to be burdensome or amount to significant infringement, and that the state has a right to be concerned with the “secondary effects” of adult businesses.
“The fee in this case is clearly directed, not at expression in nude dancing, but at the secondary effects of nude dancing when alcohol is being consumed,” the ruling stated. “An adult entertainment business can avoid the fee altogether simply by not allowing alcohol to be consumed.”
Owners deny any link
How any secondary effects of such entertainment are related to sexual assault victims was not addressed by the court.
Club owners deny there is evidence of any link between the two, and Cohen acknowledged that she was simply using sexually oriented businesses as a funding vehicle for programs that help victims of sexually oriented crimes, not passing judgment on the morality of topless bars.
“That’s not what it was about,” said Cohen, who currently is running for Houston City Council. “I’m not in the business of telling businesses that they should close or not close or what to do. All I did was use my 18 years at the Houston Area Women’s Center to say this was a way of getting funds that were badly needed.”
The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault lobbied hard for the fee to help provide resources for groups that often operate on a shoestring.
The state comptroller’s office projected a biennial total of $86 million as a result of the special fee.
mike.tolson@chron.com
New University of Texas at Austin Study Reveals Gaps in Services for Sexual Assault Victims in Texas
AUSTIN, Texas — A new University of Texas at Austin statewide study reveals significant gaps in services for sexual assault victims and calls for improvements, including additional funding.
Increasing the availability of local sexual assault services and lessening emergency room wait times will lead to stronger cases for prosecution, the researchers said.
The study, funded by the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the Governor, is the first statewide needs evaluation for adult victims of sexual assault in Texas, according to Dr. Noël Busch-Armendariz, associate professor in the School of Social Work and lead investigator.
Researchers interviewed victims, rape crisis center advocates, nurses, law enforcement officers, victim services professionals and prosecutors across Texas. They found there is a substantial need for more funding, including additional support for those who serve victims.
“Sexual assault crimes persist as a social problem in Texas and the need to propel this issue to the public’s attention is pressing,” said Busch-Armendariz. “Little is known about the factors that promote or hinder victims to seek services from law enforcement and or victim service organizations. And, less is known about how these gaps in services impact a victim’s experience for a return to full physical, mental and emotional health.
It is critical to develop strategies so that victims can come forward.”
When they did come forward, Busch-Armendariz said many victims of sexual assault told researchers that they left emergency departments when they discovered that the wait times for the forensic exam was several hours.
The researchers recommend more funding for sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE), who generally work through hospital emergency departments and are specifically trained to provide medical attention and evidence collection in a victim-centered manner.
The study estimates that Texas spends $42.8 million annually in costs to law enforcement, rape crisis centers, SANE nurse programs, district attorneys and crime victim compensation.
“We believe that the estimates obtained are the most reliable we have in Texas to date, although they are surely an underestimate,” said Busch-Armendariz.
To achieve better service, the researchers suggest:
Make adequate and stable funding available to all the organizations whose missions are to provide direct services to sexual assault survivors and work on efforts to prevent sexual violence.
Strategize innovative ways to enhanced collaboration and communication among organizations that assist sexual assault victims.
Recruit and retain the most seasoned professionals in the field.
Extend accessible and competent services to all victims of this crime.
Initiate courageous victim-centered approaches to all stages of the process.
Develop revolutionary educational campaigns to broaden the understanding of this crime and decrease its stigma.
The study was conducted through the university’s Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (IDVSA) where Busch-Armendariz is director. Dr. Shetal Vohra-Gupta, IDVSA post doctoral fellow, was project director.
The research follows Busch-Armendariz’s 2003 study, which found that 1.9 million adult Texans (20 percent of women and five percent of men) have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime. The 2003 study was the first accurate look at sexual assault rates in Texas, and revealed a much larger problem than previously indicated by crime reports.
“We hope the new study serves as a catalyst and direction for future efforts in addressing sexual assault in Texas,” said Busch-Armendariz.
For more information, contact: Nancy Neff, Office of Public Affairs, 512 657 6602; Dr. Noël Busch-Armendariz, 512-751-8337.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office Commits to Save Lives – This Time Through Organ Donation
Sheriff Adrian Garcia Says “Yes” to Donation
Public servants dedicate themselves to serve their community and protect the lives of others. Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia took that commitment a step further today by announcing that the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) – an entity of more than 4,000 employees – will formally become an advocate for saving lives through organ and tissue donation. Sheriff Garcia made the announcement today during a press conference hosted by LifeGift, the local not-for-profit agency that recovers organs and tissues for lifesaving and life-enhancing transplants. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office makes this commitment as the donation community recognizes the dire need for transplantable organs and tissue among multicultural populations as noted during National Minority Donor Awareness Day, which occurred on Aug. 1. Continue Reading »
Council Votes To Turn Off Cameras
The City Council passed a resolution today to turn off the city’s red-light cameras immediately. It also repealed the city ordinance that authorizes use of cameras in general.
Only Councilwoman Sue Lovell, who has repeatedly warned that such a vote shouldn’t be taken without knowing how much it could cost the city in potential legal damages, cast the only vote against the resolution.
The resolution is non-binding. The mayor has the authority to turn the cameras off herself. However, City Attorney David Feldman said it will help him in federal court to have a united City Council behind him. He said he expects that the red-light camera vendor, American Traffic Solutions, will ask a judge to enjoin the city from turning off the cameras.
Feldman said he and Police Chief Charles McClelland had already prepared an order to ATS asking the company to shut off the cameras at 12:01 p.m. ATS attorney Andy Taylor said that could take several days.
“It’s time now that the people rejoice. The City Council has finally voted and this mayor has voted to do what we had asked them to do last November and that was to honor the will of the people and to take down these cameras,” said Michael Kubosh, an organizer of the ballot initiative through which voters citywide rejected the cameras.
The repeal ordinance essentially outlaws the use of red-light cameras in Houston.
Taylor confirmed that the company will seek to block the turn-off in federal court. ATS will argue that the Council’s action is invalid and void.
“If this is held to be invalid, then the cameras stay up,” Taylor said.
ATS has said that if the city shuts off the cameras, it could cost the city $25 million in damages. Yesterday, Feldman called that estimate ”a pure fantasy.”
Written by Chris Moran; courtesy of the Houston Chronicle
A Plan to Keep Mentally Ill Out of Jail
Three Harris County Sheriff’s deputies will have new partners riding shotgun soon, if county officials approve a pilot program pairing them with mental health workers to deal with mentally disturbed suspects.
Sheriff Adrian Garcia said he wants to treat the mentally ill, not jail them.
“This will help keep those in crisis from becoming a greater danger to themselves or another, and if they get the right treatment and services, they will be less likely to behave in a way that attracts the attention of the police again,” Garcia said recently.
The proposal was welcomed by families of local mentally ill residents slain in violent confrontations with law enforcement.
“When incidents occur like this, I think that some type of medical professional should come along with officers to help the situation. Really, just to calm the person down or whatever they’re dealing with,” said Patricie Alexander, whose brother was shot 29 times by six Houston police officers after he crashed his car into a police substation two years ago.
In another incident this June, Steven Hayes died after Nassau Bay police shocked him three times with a Taser. Hayes, 55, who had a history of mental illness, was yelling and pounding a coffee table in a hotel at which he was not a guest when police were called. Hayes’ brother, Edward Hayes, a professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, attended Garcia’s recent presentation to Harris County Commissioners Court to show his support.
Better for everyone
On Tuesday, the court will consider allowing the sheriff to hire three deputies for the pilot program. The deputies would respond to calls in the unincorporated parts of Harris County, accompanied by a clinician from the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority.
The three Crisis Intervention Response Team units would add to the round-the-clock coverage provided by 10 such units now operated by the Houston Police Department. Those units have responded to crisis calls outside city limits, said HPD Lt. Mike Lee, but only rarely.
When the mentally ill interact with the criminal justice system, everyone loses, Garcia said.
“When these calls involve nonviolent minor crimes or disturbances, it is better for the suspect, better for the police, better for the public, and better for the criminal justice system to arrange medical treatment for the suspect rather than charge them with a crime and then take them to jail,” Garcia said.
County Judge Ed Emmett noted the staggering cost of incarceration, adding, “It’s such a desperately needed program.”
The sheriff’s office estimates that a quarter of the county jail’s 10,000 inmates take medications for some type of mental illness.
Professor Larry Hoover, who heads the Police Research Center at Sam Houston State University, strongly supports the concept, which he said has been successful in many other cities.
“One of the things you’re trying to accomplish is to change the police mind-set that every situation has to be resolved quickly,” he said. “Frequently, it is police compulsion to draw a situation to a close which leads to tragedy.”
Mental health workers also are able to access an offender’s case file, if one exists, MHMRA deputy director Barbara Dawson said.
“They’re better informed as a team going to the scene,” Dawson said. For example, “you know that they missed the last three appointments, and they’re probably off their medications.”
‘A proven product’
Less than 1 percent of the suspects HPD’s CIRT teams encounter go to jail, Dawson said. Roughly a third are brought in for treatment, she said; the remaining incidents are resolved at the scene.
Between 400 and 500 low-level, mentally-ill offenders are diverted from the county jail each month by HPD’s CIRT teams, according to a letter to Commissioners Court from MHMRA Executive Director Steven Schnee.
“There’s no doubt in my mind it’s going to work. No doubt,” Lt. Lee said. “It’s a proven product.”
mike.morris@chron.comjames.pinkerton@chron.com