Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog 6/30/2021
This sounds like a naked power grab by Harris County Democrats:
In a 3 to 2 party-line vote on Tuesday, Harris County Commissioners Court approved a proposal from Judge Lina Hidalgo to dramatically realign county government and grant expansive decision powers to an appointed administrator despite public outcry asking for more time to consider the consequences.
“We have enormous challenges in Harris County and the crux is we have to modernize our organizational structure,” said Hidalgo.
The new administrator will have an initial budget of $2 million and wield the authority to appoint and dismiss many employees, including department heads. One exception included is for department heads or positions that state law says must be appointed by commissioners court. In those cases, Hidalgo’s plan calls for the commissioner’s court to appoint, but on the recommendation of the county administrator.
Hidalgo’s motion to create the new office also immediately named current Budget Management Director David Berry to the post. He will continue to serve in both capacities until a replacement can be found for the budget management department.
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This has all the hallmarks of a naked power grab by Democrats. I suspect this enabling law will let the new hard-left SuperAdministrator:
• Direct more money to leftwing activist groups.
• Entrench victimhood identity politics (Critical Race Theory, radical transgenderism, etc.) as county policy without messy public hearings.
• Fire any county officials not onboard with the radical agenda.
• Get their hands more thoroughly in control of election machinery in advance of state reforms.
• Lay the groundwork for defunding/takeover of departments they can’t directly control, such as the Sheriff’s Department and Constable’s Office.
• Let the SuperAdministrator do things behind closed doors the Harris County Commissioners Court would never be able to get away with in public.
• Probably a half dozen more abuses I haven’t thought of yet.
This seems ill-conceived, dangerous, and possibly illegal. I wonder if Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton can look into stopping this anti-Democratic move…
More:
https://www.battleswarmblog.com/?p=48546
