Press Release: Citizens Task Force On Ethics Reform Calls For Sweeping Changes In Ethics Policies
Call For Ethics Review Board, Lobbyist Registration & Tighter Controls on Campaign Contributions
"The members of this task force volunteered many hours of their time to ensure greater transparency and greater confidence in Harris County government. I truly appreciate their sacrifice, and I hope we can adopt much of what they are recommending." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Mark Sloan Appointed To Head Revamped Office of Emergency Management
Judge Ed Emmett Reorganizes Emergency Office To Streamline Responsibilities & Response Times
"I knew right away that the best candidate for this job was only a few offices away. Mark has already been nationally recognized for his efforts in organizing 60,000 volunteers during the Hurricane Katrina response and for building up the county's all-volunteer Citizen Corps. Pairing him with Bill Wheeler gives county residents two experienced and innovative leaders who start their new jobs with a deep working knowledge of state, regional and county emergency preparedness issues." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Legal Preparedness Task Force Receives Model Practice Award
County Judge Emmett Commends Task Force For Their Achievements In Legal Emergency Preparedness
"It is an honor to announce that the Harris County Legal Preparedness Task Force received a national award for their outstanding legal emergency preparedness program. Their collaborative efforts have produced a successful public health preparedness program that will not only benefit Harris County, but also other public health departments throughout the United States." - Judge Emmett

FOX 26 Houston: WEBCAST: Preparing Your Family for Chemical Plant Disasters
If your family lives in the same area of a chemical processing plant, you'll want to be prepared for any emergencies that could occur. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett has the tips every household needs to know.

Press Release: Judge Emmett to Attend Discussion on 21st Century Threats with DHS Sec. Michael Chertoff
"Harris County's support of the Houston-Harris County Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council is one of many strategic partnerships that strengthen our region's approach to homeland security by fostering collaboration between public officials, civic leaders and the business community." - Judge Emmett

FOX 26 Houston: WEBCAST: Harris County Prepares for Hurricane Season
Watch the webcast as Harris County Judge Ed Emmett visits FOX 26 Morning News to explain the severe weather plans for the county.

Press Release: Judge Emmett Nominates Edgardo Colon To Chair Sports And Convention Corporation
"Edgar Colon has experience in law, banking, economics and politics, making him uniquely suited to represent county residents on the sports and convention corporation board. One of Edgar's major strengths is his background in issues surrounding large construction projects." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Judge Emmett Recognizes Student Finalists In "Do The Write Thing Challenge"
Middle School Students Share Their Ideas To Stop Violence
"It was a great honor for me to recognize these young students for their outstanding ideas and insights to our community. Their writings and suggestions may provide solutions to help others make better decisions if faced with difficult, sometimes violent situations. I'm proud to chair the local Do the Right Thing Challenge and help give our youth a voice in helping create a safer Harris County." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Home to Five of Fortune's Top Stock Picks
"Fortune" Magazine Highlights Continued Vitality of Local Economy
"Strong private-sector growth, combined with conservative and disciplined management in government, can help us keep our local economy on track, providing us with the quality high-paying jobs and the services we need. It's just another reason we can be glad we live in Harris County." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Rating Agency Boosts Harris County Bond Rating To Highest Possible "AAA"
Standard & Poor's Rating Will Save Taxpayers Millions Of Dollars In Lower Borrowing Costs
"I'm happy to see that Standard & Poor's recognizes what I've known all along, that Harris County has an exceptionally strong financial management team. Commissioners Court has set in place a clear, long-standing policy of conservative budgeting, and that policy is paying off nicely for taxpayers. Whether it's through tax rate cuts or better bond ratings, the commissioners and I are committed to lowering the cost of county government while ensuring that we continue to provide the necessary services to keep our residents safe and the local economy strong." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: County Judge Ed Emmett Responds to 2008 Hurricane Season Forecast: "We're Ready"
"Whether forecasts are right or wrong, it only takes one hurricane to devastate a community. The forecast we plan, practice, and prepare for is the one that tells us that there is a hurricane in the gulf and that it is coming here. If that day comes, we are ready." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Plays Host To Three-Day "Big City" Emergency Managers Forum
Emergency Officials With Nation's Top Cities Meet Here This Week
"Emergency managers from our country's largest cities are always preparing for the next big disaster, and they are here to exchange ideas and talk about what works best so that our nation is better prepared as a whole. This is how the best get better." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: County Judge Ed Emmett To Deliver Meals To County's Needy Seniors
Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and Elliot Gershenson, president and CEO of Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston's Meals on Wheels program, will deliver meals to needy senior citizens Wednesday morning to highlight the National March For Meals Awareness Campaign. The meal deliveries come at a time in which the local program is expanding its services. An additional 600 seniors will be added to daily delivery schedules by June.

Press Release: U.S. Housing Agency Awards Harris County Nearly $15 Million In Housing Grants
HUD Praises Development Strategies In County's Housing Plan
"I'm always gratified when these reviews confirm that Harris County housing officials have laid out a logical, comprehensive and effective strategy for economic development. Now we can put this federal money to work here locally to help shelter our neighbors and allow more of them to achieve the American Dream of home ownership." - Judge Emmett

Do the Write Thing: Houston/Harris County Do the Write Thing Challenge
"I am honored to be the Chairman of the Houston/Harris County Do the Write Thing Challenge. The Houston/Harris County Do the Write Thing Challenge is an outlet, through which this at-risk age group can express themselves. It is a youth anti-violence and academic program that provides these students with the opportunity to think profoundly about the issues surrounding the problems of violence. They examine and discuss the causes of violence, the effects on their lives, and communicate in writing what they think should be done to build a healthy civil society." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Commissioners Court Approves Larger Tax Exemption For Seniors
Exemption Eliminates County Taxes On Homesteads Valued At $200,000 Or Less.
Because the exemption can be combined with the standard 20 percent homestead property tax exemption, disabled taxpayers and those with an over-65 exemption will pay no Harris County taxes on homesteads assessed at $200,000 or less. The exemption also applies to Harris County Hospital District, Harris County Flood Control District and Port of Houston Authority tax bills.

The Tribune: Judge Emmett Speaks on Transportation, Annexation and Health Care
"Harris County is the third-largest county in the nation. There are more people living in Harris County than in 23 of the states. Transportation and mobility are what make us work. The better the flow, the better the economy." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Officials Give Green Light To Prospective Astrodome Suitors
"Commissioners Court is in complete agreement. We want the Astrodome redeveloped into a profitable venture once again - one that respects the history of the stadium while recognizing the needs of the Harris County taxpayers who own it." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Judge Ed Emmett's Statement on Rosenthal Resignation
"Although I truly appreciate Mr. Rosenthal's years of service as a Harris County prosecutor and district attorney, I am grateful that he has chosen today to put the interests of Harris County above his own. With the recent distractions surrounding Mr. Rosenthal now removed, the Harris County District Attorney's Office can return to its mission of seeking impartial justice on behalf of all our residents." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Judge Emmett Announces Citizens Task Force on Ethics
"The Citizens Task Force is the cornerstone to genuine ethics reform in Harris County government. I appointed these task force members because I know them to be among the most honest and civic-minded residents in all of Harris County. I have asked them to search nationwide for the best practices in local government ethics and to recommend the necessary actions and legislation to adopt strict and effective measures here in Harris County." - Judge Emmett

Houston Chronicle: Emmett Focusing on Transportation and Infrastructure
"Quite simply, I want to establish that the county government functions the way county government in the third-largest county in the United States should function, that it provides service efficiently and ethically."
- Judge Emmett

Greater Houston Partnership: WEBCAST: 2008 State of the County Address
Watch the webcast of the 2008 State of the County Address by County Judge Ed Emmett at the Greater Houston Partnership website.

Press Release: Harris County Judge Ed Emmett Unveils His Top 10 Priorities For 2008
"We must always act to assure the public that government officials and employees are good stewards of their trust," he said. "We must have a commitment to a process that allows all businesses, small and large, to have full access to county work. Open, transparent government is a necessity, so the public will have confidence." - Judge Emmett

Houston Chronicle: County Judge Calls for Investigation into Rosenthal
Harris County government chief Ed Emmett today called for Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott's staff to conduct an independent investigation of local District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal...
...Earlier, Emmett told KTRK Channel 13 he will seek to have Rosenthal removed from office if the DA can't give him an acceptable answer about how he and others in his office are spending time funded by the taxpayers.

Press Release: Commissioners Court Seeks Reimbursement For Prosecuting Federal Cases
"Simple fairness demands that, if the federal government is not going to prosecute these cases, it should at least reimburse Harris County taxpayers for doing so. Many of those arrested are here illegally, peddling drugs and becoming involved in violent crime. In Harris County, we will continue to jail and prosecute these people, but we will also ask the federal government to at least reimburse us for our costs." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Judge Ed Emmett Files to Run
"Since I was first elected to office in 1978, I have worked for conservative causes - government deregulation, lower taxes, strong ethics, common sense. I've always spoken up on these issues. The people of Harris County deserve a leader who has always been engaged. I'm running to do the job, not just to hold an office. I'm not a career politician. One of the strongest qualifications I have is that I bring a private sector, outsider view to county government." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: County Judge Ed Emmett Unveils Resource Directory For Returning Veterans
"Our returning veterans represent the very best our nation and our county have to offer. We owe it to them to ensure that their transition back to civilian life is as easy as possible. This really is a basic governmental responsibility - to assist the men and women who left their homes and families when their country called." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Judge Emmett To Tour Proposed Superfund Site With EPA
"Although this property is no longer active as a waste site, it remains extremely dangerous. We have reports of area residents fishing and crabbing in waters contaminated with dioxin and other hazards, both of which are extremely hazardous substances. We are asking the media to help us get the word out to residents to avoid the area and to please not fish or swim there." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Declared Disaster Area for Damage from Tropical Storm Erin
"Harris County residents will now be able to seek federal assistance for damage to their homes and businesses caused by Tropical Storm Erin. Erin created significant damage to portions of southeast Harris County and this is a critical step in the recovery process." - Judge Emmett

KPRC (Channel 2): New Ordinance Cracks Down On Selling Animals
"The treatment of those animals is just deplorable. We, the county, lobbied the legislature to give us the right to ban the sales." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Judge Emmett Awarded Presidential Service Medal in Tribute to Harris County Citizen Corps
"This award recognizes the incredible number of hours that our volunteers with the Citizen Corps devote to help ensure that Harris County can prevent, prepare for and respond to a long list of potential natural and man-made disasters. I'm proud to accept it on behalf of all county residents." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Judge Emmett To Thank Volunteers On 5th Anniversary of Harris County Citizen Corps
"Harris County is a safer place to live because of the 11,000 volunteers who have trained with Harris County Citizen Corps to help their neighborhoods prepare for, respond to, and recover from disaster." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Commissioners Court Extends Nighttime Juvenile Curfew For Three Years
"Sheriff Tommy Thomas and other law-enforcement officials have told us repeatedly that the nighttime curfew is a powerful tool in combating gang violence and juvenile crime. County residents have no tolerance for juvenile crime, and they want us to do everything we can to prevent it. The curfew is a perfect example of that kind of prevention, with officers in Harris County issuing nearly 2,500 curfew-related citations in the past three years alone." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Judge Ed Emmett Denies Permit To Nuisance Bar In East Houston
Harris County Judge Ed Emmett signed an order Tuesday denying a wine and beer license to the owner of the Saturno Ballroom, an East Houston nightclub that police and state investigators say has been the site of numerous drug, firearms and prostitution complaints in recent years.
"Given the Saturno Ballroom's long history of legal problems involving firearms, prostitution and sales to minors, I have no intention of allowing this club to continue operating as a nuisance and a danger to the families living in the Houston Harbor neighborhood. Harris County has no tolerance for businesses that jeopardize neighborhood safety." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: County Judge Ed Emmett Votes To Delay Overpass Construction At Bellaire/Hwy 6
"Area residents and business owners have questioned the need for this work and are concerned the overpass will actually damage their community. By delaying the project, we get a chance to determine the validity of these complaints without jeopardizing funding for the work." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Harris County Commissioners Court Places Bond Package on November Ballot
"Voters right now are in no mood for a tax increase, and I have to agree with them on that. County policy has been, and continues to be, to maintain the current property tax rate." - Judge Emmett

KRIV (Channel 26): Fox 26 "Site of the Day" - County Website Tracks Rainfall, Water Levels
The Harris County Office of Emergency Management has it together when it comes to tracking water levels by providing detailed rainfall and bayou water level maps. Fox 26's "My Tech Guy" Doug Delony explains in 'Site of the Day.'

KHOU (Channel 11): Local Hurricane Dean Preparations
"At this point the entire Texas coast is a potential impact area as early as Wednesday. What we're doing is asking residents of the area to make preparations. Fill up your vehicles, anything that you think you could be driving. Get a supply kit in order. Even if you're going to shelter in place make sure you have water, canned food, all the necessities. Make a plan. Make sure you know where all your family members are." - Judge Emmett

Houston Chronicle: Hurricane coming? Know if you should go
"The government can only do so much. The first person you must turn to is yourself. Individuals have to make sure they're prepared." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Judge Emmett Honored With Prestigious Anchor Award For Transportation Excellence
"I'm honored to receive the Anchor Award, I've devoted most of my career to studying transportation issues, and it's always humbling to be honored by your colleagues." - Judge Emmett

Houston Chronicle: Harris County starts weighing bond issue proposals
"We're working from the approach that there will be no tax increase and whatever bond we put before the voters for November, we need to work from that premise." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Ed Emmett To Attend Graduation For Middle School Students Trained As Disaster Responders
"Nobody wants to think about our children having to face a disaster, natural or man-made, but we owe it to them to ensure that they are educated and well-trained on how to respond. In many cases, these students will be better trained than their parents in coping with the immediate aftermath of a disaster." - Judge Emmett

KRIV (Channel 26): Hardy Toll Road Briefly Closed During Jet's Emergency Landing
"Our emergency officials put their many hours of emergency training to good use this morning, ensuring that county residents were protected from what could have been a dangerous situation. Fortunately, the plane landed safely resulting in only a minor inconvenience to area motorists." - Judge Emmett

KRIV (Channel 26): MyFox Houston - Hurricane Briefing Webcast
Harris County Judge Ed Emmett answers viewer questions regarding how Harris County will deal with a hurricane. (This is an archive of the live webcast on July 26.)

Press Release: Ed Emmett Unanimously Elected To Board of Directors of County Executives of America
"I'm honored that the County Executives of America would appoint me to such an important position. I look forward to working with my colleagues across the nation as we take on some of the most important issues facing local government." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: Commissioners Court Approves 'Significant Improvements' To Sam Houston Tollway
"As the county continues to grow, the need for state-of-the-art solutions to transportation problems becomes even more important. Agreements like these are not only a great benefit for motorists, they come as a bargain as well." - Judge Emmett

Houston Chronicle: Houston area to get more federal anti-terror dollars
"Obviously, it is a recognition of the critical nature of the infrastructure we have here. The petrochemical complex, the Port of Houston — we are critical to the nation's economy. Clearly, they recognize the growing importance of Houston. And I am glad they recognize that." - Judge Emmett

KUHF (88.7FM): Planning for Children's Mental Health Needs
"We now live in a world where mental health is getting its due and it's no longer a situation where family members are kind of pushed to the side and we don't talk about that." - Judge Emmett

Press Release: www.newsrouter.com/NewsRouter_Uploads/
Judge Emmett Asks Harris County Marine To Throw First Pitch At "Harris County Night With The Astros."

Houston Association of REALTORS(r): Judge Emmett addresses HAR June Board Meeting
County Judge Ed Emmett spoke to the HAR of his top three priorities for the county: emergency management, transportation, and healthcare.
"The county's needs and challenges are not partisan issues. They are real everyday challenges we need to fix." - Judge Emmett

Houston Chronicle: Harris County won't warmly welcome strip clubs
County Judge Ed Emmett said he applauds the city's tough stance on the clubs but wants the county to be ready to prevent them from setting up outside city limits.
"I want to make sure all of them don't move out of the city into the county." - Judge Emmett

Houston Chronicle: Legislative session helps Houston area
"By controlling our own toll roads, we can use that money to build other access roads and free roads in Harris County. It means our toll roads will be built quicker and more efficiently, tolls will be lower and money will stay in Harris County." - Judge Emmett

KHOU (Channel 11): ZIP code plan unveiled for hurricane evacuations
"All of these evacuations need to be staggered. We have got to let the people south of Houston and Harris County clear first." - Judge Emmett

KPRC (Channel 2): New Hurricane Evacuation Plan Released
"All evacuations need to be staggered. There can't be a situation where someone says, OK everybody out, let's go." - Judge Emmett

KTRK (Channel 13): Harris County's hurricane evacuation plan unveiled
"Those who are in danger of losing their lives to water, we've got to get them out of the area before anyone else gets on the highway." - Judge Emmett

KRIV (Channel 26): Officials Say They're Prepared for Hurricanes
"We can always do things better and that's why the staff has been working everyday since Rita -- saying 'okay, what did we do that could be done better?'" - Judge Emmett

KTRK (Channel 13): Control over toll roads prompt Harris County pullout of the I-69 NAFTA Superhighway
"The main chip for us is maintaining control of our own toll road system and that our money stays here. We do not want the state taking money away from us and sending it somewhere else in the state." - Judge Emmett