Meet Helena Brown and Brenda Stardig, the two Candidates Running for Houston City Council District A in the Saturday, December 14, 2013 Runoff Election

Houston City Council -- District A
Brenda Stardig vs. Helena Brown

HOW BRENDA AND HELENA MADE THE RUNOFF: On Tuesday, November 5, 2013, the incumbent, Helena Brown was forced into a runoff by former Houston City Council District A Councilwoman Brenda Stardig. Other candidates who were on the ballot seeking to unseat Brown were Amy Peck, Ron Hale, and Mike Knox. Helena Brown ended the night with 4,613 votes for 38.04% of the vote to finish first. Brenda Stardig ended the night with 3,538 votes for 29.17% of the vote to force the Saturday, December 14, 2013 runoff.


GET TO KNOW HELENA BROWN
CLICK HERE TO VISIT WEBSITE

 According to her website, Helena Brown is a twenty-three-year resident of District A. She is also a lifelong community activist and volunteer within the district.
Prior to her being elected to represent the residents of District A, Brown worked in City Government at Bunker Hill Village. Her website states that she is a business professional with more than 10 years of experience in administration, marketing, and technology.

 Helena Brown is also a member of the Houston Property Rights Association -- Co-founder; Pachyderm Club of Northwest Houston -- Board Member & Past President; Moritz Village Townhomes Association --Leader and organizer of numerous church, political, and community groups and projects.

 Brown, according to her website is also an honors graduate from the University of St. Thomas here in Houston, Texas.

 She’s also a Board Member of the Institute of Hispanic Culture of Houston; a Houston City Council Member - District A (2012-2013); and serves on these committees: Budget & Fiscal Affairs, Ethics, Elections & Council Governance, Public Safety, and Quality of Life.


GET TO KNOW BRENDA STARDIG
CLICK HERE TO VISIT WEBSITE

 According to her campaign website, Brenda Stardig is an influential leader who has lived alongside old friends and new neighbors in District A of the City of Houston for more than forty years. She has helped her community by devoting time and resources to improving west Houston. Her compassion for her community is shown through her actions.

 Native:

 Meet-BrendaBorn and raised in District A, Former Houston City Council Member Brenda Stardig has worked alongside old friends and new neighbors to become an influential leader in Houston.

 Problem Solver:

 During her previous term as District A's representative, former Council Member Stardig devoted time and resources to improving west Houston by meeting with City of Houston Departments, community leaders and business owners. Stardig worked with organizations like CrimeStoppers and HPD to provide crime prevention tips and awareness to the District A community and also hosted well-attended community gatherings, including movie nights and various town hall meetings. As a Council Member, Stardig always looked for opportunities to rid neighborhoods of unsafe buildings and to find new businesses to enhance the quality of life for the residents of District A.

 A licensed Realtor, Stardig has made appropriate residential development and land-use policies a priority. Among her noteworthy achievements: a much-needed clean-up and demolition of three apartment complexes that had fallen into disrepair and threatened neighborhoods by becoming havens for drug trafficking and other criminal activities.

Community Leader:

 Former Council Member Stardig has a strong past in community involvement. She has worked her way through the ranks as a Civic Club President of 1,000+ homes for 9 years, a president of one of the largest Super Neighborhoods in Houston, a Spring Branch Education Foundation Director, and a Chamber of Commerce Director and alternate member of the Houston-Galveston Area Council's Transportation Policy Council. Council Member Stardig has received praise for her tireless efforts, including the Keep Houston Beautiful Mayor's Award Certificate of Recognition and the award for Leadership Excellence in Neighborhood Development from Bank of America. She is also a multiple award recipient of the Spring Branch ISD Good Neighbor Award for her involvement with the school district.

Businesswoman:

 In addition to her neighborhood leadership, former Council Member Stardig is an accomplished businesswoman. She worked in the financial industry 20 years prior to her successful transition to residential real estate broker. Recognizing the importance of being inclusive, Brenda has learned sign language and regularly collaborates with the hearing impaired community and supports the ADA.

 Innovator:

 Improving the quality of life for District A residents also led Stardig to help convince the city to purchase the Inwood Forest golf course, which will provide much needed flood control and green space. Her office also sponsored the application that won $350,000 in federal funds to improve Schwartz Park. Indeed, the conservative Stardig, returned The Neighborhoods Matching Grants Program to the city budget on an amendment she sponsored.

 Passionate:

 Council Member Brenda Stardig has dedicated her life to expanding opportunities for others and preserving a desirable quality of life for the people of District A. She has never forgotten where she came from — nor the faith and dedication that have brought her here thus far.


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Could Black Voters Get Tricked Again in the Saturday, December 14, 2013 Runoff Election between Andrew C. Burks Jr. and David Robinson for the Houston City Council At-Large Position 2 seat?

There were three candidates on the Tuesday, November 5, 2013 ballot seeking to unseat Council Member Andrew C. Burks, Jr. in the Mayoral Election. David Robinson finished first among all candidates in the race having received 49,597 votes. Council Member Andrew C. Burks, Jr. finished second with 45,457 votes. Moe Rivera finished third with 19,781 votes. And Trebor Gordon finished fourth with 7,639 votes. Click here for your complete 2013 City of Houston Election returns.


 

Could African American Voters Get Tricked Again in the Saturday, December 14, 2013 Runoff Election Between Burks and Robinson?

By Aubrey R. Taylor

President of Aubrey R. Taylor Communications

Publisher of Houston Business Connections Magazine

There is “NO” doubt about it, African American voters were played like a fiddle by Dave Wilson, the newly elected Houston Community College District II Board Trustee. However, many people in the community are not laughing. Many are “OUTRAGED” and “UPSET” at the fact Wilson (a white candidate) used misleading and deceptive campaign tactics to fool voters in the largely African American populated district into believing that he was a black candidate.

HERE'S THE RADIO SPOT DAVE WILSON USED AS PART OF HIS STRATEGY TO FOOL BLACK VOTERS INTO VOTING FOR HIM
 


IN THE VIDEO BELOW DAVE WILSON EXPLAINS HOW HE WAS ABLE TO FOOL BLACK VOTERS INTO BELIEVING HE WAS BLACK

COULD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN?

On Saturday, December 14, 2013, Houston voters will be headed back to the polls to decide several races for Houston City Council and the Houston Community College Board of Trustees from the Tuesday, November 5, 2013 General Elections where no candidate received a majority of the vote.

 THE KEY RACE TO WATCH

Pay close attention to the Houston City Council At-Large Position 2 runoff between (first-term) incumbent Andrew C. Burks Jr. and his challenger David Robinson.

Houston City Council -- At-Large Position 2
David Robinson vs. Andrew Burks, Jr.


 A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

      *The David Robinson running for Houston City Council At-Large Position 2 in the Saturday, December 14, 2013 runoff election is not David Robinson the hall-of-fame basketball star who played for the San Antonio Spurs.

      *The David Robinson running for Houston City Council At-Large Position 2 in the Saturday, December 14, 2013 runoff election is not a relative of former Houston City Council Member, and current Houston Community College Board Trustee for District IV Carroll G. Robinson.

      *The David Robinson running for Houston City Council At-Large Position 2 in the Saturday, December 14, 2013 runoff election is not a relative of Houston Area Urban League President and CEO Judson Robinson III.

     *Please be aware that at the time this post was written, (the date of this blog post) the David Robinson running for Houston City Council At-Large Position 2 did not have a picture of himself or any of his supporters posted on his website.

     *Please understand that there is nothing illegal about a candidate not publishing their photo prior to an election to give voters an idea of who they're voting for. Sometimes, candidates choose to not run photos of themselves because they simply don’t feel that it’s in their best interest to do so. However, sometimes, candidates use this political maneuver as a very deliberate attempt to fool an uninformed electorate. Such was the case in the KHOU Channel 11 video featuring Dave Wilson, a newly elected Houston Community College Trustee for District II who deceived voters into thinking he was an African American candidate trying to unseat a 24-year African American incumbent by the name of Bruce Austin.

FEATURED 2013 RUNOFF RACE

There were three candidates on the Tuesday, November 5, 2013 ballot seeking to unseat Council Member Andrew C. Burks, Jr. in the Mayoral Election. David Robinson finished first among all candidates in the race having received 49,597 votes. Council Member Andrew C. Burks, Jr. finished second with 45,457 votes. Moe Rivera finished third with 19,781 votes. And Trebor Gordon finished forth with 7,639 votes.

HERE'S A LITTLE INFORMATION ON DAVID ROBINSON:
According to his campaign website, early in his architectural career, David Robinson assisted with the new U.S. Embassy in Amman Jordan and then contributed to the development and production of the master planning document for the campus of the Texas Children’s Hospital. In 1999, he started his own company as a sole practitioner with an emphasis on building large commercial and institutional buildings. As a small business owner, David has kept his practice going through good times and lean. Currently, he is fortunate to have a healthy list of projects mostly located in the Houston area. He also teaches a graduate level course here in Houston for Texas Tech University on planning and development called "Infrastructure in the Urban Environment."

Along with his architectural practice, David has been actively involved with neighborhood issues, serving eight years as an officer of the Neartown (Montrose) Association, including a couple of terms as president. With the nomination of civic club representatives from across Houston, he was elected to serve as chairman and president of the citywide Super Neighborhood Alliance to a maximum two year term that concluded in January 2013. While serving on the board of directors of the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects, David was appointed to the City of Houston Planning Commission by Mayor Bill White in 2007 and re-appointed by Mayor Annise Parker in 2009 – becoming the first licensed architect to serve the city as a commissioner since the 1970's.

David Robinson received a BA in Architecture from Yale College and earned a Master of Architecture degree from Rice University in 1993. David is the proud father of Elissa, a 13 year old who attends the Lanier Middle School. They are active members of Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church and love living here in the great city of Houston, TX.

HERE'S A LITTLE INFORMATION ON ANDREW C. BURKS, JR. 

According to the City of Houston website, Andrew C. Burks, Jr. is a native Houstonian with a passion for making Houston the best city in the country to live, do business and raise a family. Growing up, Andrew’s parents instilled in him high moral values and taught him the importance of giving back to the community. Andrew grew up in Houston’s Third Ward and graduated from Jack Yates High School. Andrew continued his education at San Jacinto Junior College, Houston Community College and later Texas Southern University.

Andrew Burks served in the United States Air Force, and is a proud military veteran. Andrew’s commitment to community extends to his leadership with the YMCA and Red Shield Boys’ Club. Having served as president of his local civic club, Councilman Burks understands neighborhood quality of life issues. Andrew has dedicated his time to understanding constituent concerns and solving problems for Houstonians.

A successful small business owner, Andrew achieved entrepreneurial success in launching Am-PM Telephone Service, Inc., the first African American owned telephone company in Houston. Andrew continues to serve as CEO today.

Leading Our City Forward

Andrew Burks is committed to Houston’s future. As a small businessman, Andrew is focusing on economic development and job creation. As a veteran, Andrew is especially interesting in veterans’ quality of life issues. As a member of City Council, Andrew is working to bolster small businesses, international business, tackle homelessness, increase the quality of life for Houston seniors and boost tourism. Andrew is making sure the city uses resources responsibly and ensures the financial health of Houston for years to come.

Creating jobs and honoring our veterans and seniors is an important focus for Councilmember Burks. Working together, Andrew is moving toward making Houston a world class city for individuals of all backgrounds. To that end, Andrew brings religious and community representatives to the table from all walks of life to help create policy benefiting all Houstonians.

Andrew’s interests on City Council include a strong dedication to working with civil clubs, super neighborhood organizations and local non-profit organizations, increasing accountability and cooperation between City Hall and neighborhoods.


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HCC Trustee Carroll G. Robinson Discusses the Saturday, December 14, 2013 Runoff Election Candidates for Houston City Council and the Houston Community College Board of Trustees


*Carroll G. Robinson is an Associate Professor at Texas Southern University. He is a former At-Large Houston City Council Member and currently serves on the Board of Trustees of HCC and the Houston Firefighters’ Retirement and Relief Fund.

BEWARE – NOT VOTING MATTERS

By Carroll G. Robinson*

 

Now that challenger, Dave Wilson beating twenty-four year incumbent Houston Community College System (HCC) Trustee Bruce Austin has become national news, hopefully now people will pay more attention to who the candidates are, what they stand for, and will vote in local off-year elections like they vote in presidential elections.

The reality is that local elected officials have more of an impact on people’s quality of life than the Governor or President.

City Council, County Commissioner, School Board and Community College elections matter.

It’s not good enough for people to be upset and complain after the votes are cast. Dave Wilson’s election must be a wake-up call. The NAACP Houston Branch and other local African-American organizations must engage in year-round voter education and empowerment campaigns.

They need to consistently share candidate, office holders and policy information on Radio, TV, the Internet, in print ads and through auto calls and community meetings.

It also has to be said that a twenty-four year incumbent getting beat by an “imposter” says something about the need for African-American elected officials to pay more attention to their constituents’ needs than to big donors and special interest insiders.

If an elected official is connected to the concerns, needs and interests of their district, no imposter can beat them, because the voters will know who the incumbent is and that the officeholder is on their side.

Now that everyone’s eyes are wide open and we are all paying attention, let’s talk about the Saturday, December 14, 2013 Run-Off Elections.

 Houston City Council -- District I

Graci Garces vs. Robert Gallegos

This is not only a race for city council, but a proxy battle for political power in the Hispanic community. Graci Garces is supported by State Representative Carol Alvarado and outgoing incumbent council member James Rodriguez.

 Robert Gallegos is supported by State Senator Sylvia Garcia.

 The winner of this race will help tell us about which way the political wind is blowing in the Hispanic community.

 Where this district’s voters go in the At-Large run-offs will probably determine the winners.

Houston City Council -- District D

 Georgia D. Provost vs. Dwight Boykins

This is a race between the generations, a campaign between two Third Ward based candidates in a race where the South Union/Sunnyside community will have a big impact on deciding the winner.

 Georgia D. Provost is a 30 year resident and small business owner in District D. Mrs. Provost has been endorsed by most of the candidates who didn’t make the run-off. Dwight Boykins is a small business owner and lobbyist. He raised the most money and was the highest vote getter on Election Day.

 Not only will District D elect a new council member as incumbent Wanda Adams is term limited, it will also have a big impact on the citywide run-offs, especially the Andrew C. Burks, Jr. vs. David Robinson At-Large run-off.

 Houston City Council -- District A

Brenda Stardig vs. Helena Brown

This is a run-off between Tea Party Republican Helena Brown vs. Establishment Republican Brenda Stardig.

 Stardig is the former incumbent who was beaten by Brown in 2011. This race will also impact the citywide run-off results. This will be the case especially in the Michael Kubosh vs. Roy Morales At-Large run-off.

 Houston City Council -- At-Large Position 2

David Robinson vs. Andrew Burks, Jr.

 Andrew C. Burks, Jr. is the incumbent council member running for re-election for the first time. He is a small business owner and pastor.

 His opponent David Robinson (no relation to me) is a leader in the city’s Superneighborhood Council.
 

Both are Democrats.

 Houston City Council -- At-Large Position 3

Michael Kubosh vs. Roy Morales

This is a run-off for an open seat. Both candidates are Republicans.

 Michael Kubosh was a leader of the fight to eliminate red light cameras. He fought to make sure that Houstonians could help feed the homeless and he also opposed the last city bond election. He has built strong relationships in the African-American community.

Roy Morales has been a candidate for city office on a number of occasions.

 Houston Community College (HCC)

 There are three HCC run-off elections to be determined.




Aubrey R. Taylor Communications, the publisher of Houston Business Connections Magazine is urging you to encourage your family, friends, and co-workers to actively participate in the Saturday, December 14, Runoff Election.

Houston Community College -- District I

Yolanda Navarro Flores vs. Zeph Capo

 Trustee Flores is the incumbent. Zeph Capo is an official in the union representing HISD teachers.

On election day, Trustee Flores was the top vote getter.

Houston Community College -- District III

Adriana Tamez vs. Herlinda Garcia

 Herlinda Garcia is the incumbent in this race. On election day, Adriana Tamez was the top vote getter.

 Both candidates have been principals in HISD. Garcia is currently a lead principal in HISD.

Houston Community College -- District V

Phil Kunetka vs. Robert Glaser

This is a run-off for an open seat. On election day, Robert Glaser was the top vote getter.

 Glaser is a Democrat and Kunetka is a Republican.

 Both candidates are small business owners.

 !!!WARNING!!!WARNING!!!WARNING!!!

 

 GOOGLE the candidates and check out their website. This article is simply a summary overview. Do your homework and VOTE ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2013.

 If you don’t vote, complaining after the election won’t change the results.

 # # #

 *Carroll G. Robinson is an Associate Professor at Texas Southern University. He is a former At-Large Houston City Council Member and currently serves on the Board of Trustees of HCC and the Houston Firefighters’ Retirement and Relief Fund.

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