Hello Houston – The Commuter Cut (July 23, 2026)

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Bob Ford talk with Houston City Council Member Alejandra Salinas, who tells us all about the "Right to Air Conditioning" ordinance she introduced that would require rental properties to provide and maintain air conditioning in all rental units.  Next, we hear from Judge David Fleischer of the Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 5, who discusses why he continues to livestream his courtroom proceedings and his tough but fair approach to interacting with defendants.Also, Bill King, a Fellow in Public Finance at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, shares his thoughts on the financial challenges ahead for Harris County as it prepares to adopt its next budget.