Houston Matters for Friday, August 16, 2013

Texas Governor Rick Perry in April 2013 when he announced a four-point plan to provide nearly $1.6 billion in tax relief to all Texas businesses currently subject to the state’s franchise tax. The governor was joined by lawmakers, the Texas Association of Business (TAB), National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute for the announcement. (Image by Governor Perry’s Office)

Retailers in Texas encourage Governor Perry to veto a Texas version of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Bad actors in the energy industry do environmental harm that might possibly have been avoided in a state with more stringent regulations. In general, business is booming in Texas – especially here in Houston – but does it come with too high a price? Can there be such a thing as a city and a state being too business friendly?

On this edition of Houston Matters, we discuss some examples of things that happen in Texas that might not happen in other states, which have implications for workers’ salaries and benefits, health care, the environment, and more, as we contemplate whether there’s a downside to being so outwardly “business-friendly.”

Also, from an Astrodome vote to a restaurant’s no kids 7 and under after 7 policy, we ask a panel of Houstonian non-experts to sort out the good, bad, and ugly in the news of recent weeks.

We visit Houston’s Health Museum to play with giant animatronic bugs. And today is National Rum Day. With RumFest Houston about to kick off, we catch up with a Carribean chef who argues rum is much more than just something to mix with Coke.