Houston's new head honcho, John Whitmire, hit the ground running, vowing to bolster public safety, mend the city's infrastructure, and improve fundamental services like permit processing and waste disposal. Sworn in today as Houston's 63rd mayor, Whitmire succeeds Sylvester Turner with grand plans of his own, including maintaining some of Turner's legacy in city officials and initiatives.
According to Houston Public Media, Whitmire's chosen to retain Turner's pick for police chief, Troy Finner, stating, "Chief Finner is a good police chief. I’ve known and worked with him for a number of years. But I want him to be a great police chief, and I think he can do that under my administration." The new mayor's strategy involves collaborating with various law enforcement agencies, from Metro to Harris County constables, to fight crime.
In an effort to stem the city's red ink, the fiscal watchdog and incoming City Controller Chris Hollins highlighted a daunting reality: "We are spending, as a city, somewhere between $200 and $300 million more than is coming in on a recurring basis every year," Hollins explained. Whitmire plans to bring the former city controller Chris Brown on board as part of the solution, looking to angle cuts in the budget and improve financial transparency. The mayor also isn't shying away from tax hikes for public safety, noting the public would back the move for the sake of a well-staffed police and fire department.
Meanwhile, Whitmire stands on the shoulders of Turner's policies regarding public spaces. James E. Muecke, a Houston resident, expressed in an opinion piece for the Houston Chronicle a strong desire for Whitmire to continue Turner's 50/50 Park Partners initiative. This program, which matches corporate donations with city and county funds for park renovations, has been a boon for local communities, as demonstrated by the overhaul of aging parks like Freeway Manor Park. Citizens like Muecke hope Whitmire will encourage further cooperation from corporate entities to rejuvenate more of Houston's numerous public parks.
No stranger to politics, Whitmire, a former Texas senator, seems ready to handle the changes brought on by a recently passed charter amendment which shifts some powers from the mayor's office to the city council, allowing a trio of councilmembers to place items on the city's agenda. "The Council has received additional powers," Whitmire acknowledged. "I welcome that. As a legislator, I understand. I never had to ask anyone's permission to introduce a bill or offer an amendment. I just did it." With infrastructure, safety, and service delivery on Whitmire's agenda, Houstonians are watching to see if this handover of city leadership will yield results or if the new mayor's promises will fall into the Gulf.
