[TAG Houston Region: State of Mobility 2024]
[00:00:13]
WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, ALL OF OUR MEMBERS.
UH, JUST A, A REALLY, REALLY QUICK ASK.
THERE IS A QR CODE ON YOUR TABLE.
IF YOU'RE NOT A MEMBER, WE WOULD SURELY LOVE FOR YOU TO BECOME A MEMBER.
SNAP THAT QR CODE AND YOU CAN BECOME A MEMBER TO HELP US CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR GREAT CITY, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE, REMAIN, REMAIN THE NUMBER ONE CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO LIVE, WORK, IN, PLAY, UH, AND WE, AND WE WANT, UH, WE, WE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, UH, IN ADVOCATING FOR OUR FAIR SHARE OF OUR DOLLARS.
UM, AND SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL, IF YOU'RE NOT A MEMBER, PLEASE JOIN.
IT'S MY HONOR TODAY TO, UH, INTRODUCE, UH, THE, THE GUEST OF HONOR.
UM, WE ALL KNOW TODAY'S GUEST, UH, FROM AS MANY YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, INCLUDING DEAN OF THE TEXAS SENATE, WHERE HE DEMONSTRATED HIS SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP FOR TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY CAUSES, INCLUDING THE I 45 HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE HIM CLOSER TO HOME AND NOW IN OUR MIDST TODAY AS WE WELCOME TO THE STAGE, THE 63RD MAYOR OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, THE HONORABLE JOHN WHITMEYER.
YOU, YOU ARE IN A ROOM FULL OF FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS, UH, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT YOUR VISION FOR TRANSPORTATION.
UH, TRANSPORTATION AFFECTS SO MUCH OF OUR LIFE.
UM, AND SO I, I WANT TO JUMP RIGHT IN AND I WANT TO KIND OF, UH, ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS AND MOBILITY.
YOU'VE, UH, YOU HAVE A LONG CAREER OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE.
AND SO AS YOU, UH, TAKE ON THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WHAT KIND OF PARTNERSHIPS DO YOU WANT TO STRENGTHEN AND, AND HOW DO YOU WANNA BRING THE REGION TOGETHER? WELL, THANK YOU.
THAT'S A, UH, VERY APPROPRIATE QUESTION.
BUT BEFORE WE GO INTO THE MOBILITY QUESTIONS, UH, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
ABOUT HALF OF YOU ARE TRYING TO GET IN TO SEE ME.
SO LET, LET ME JUST TELL YOU THIS COUNTS, OKAY? SO ENJOY IT.
THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS IS GONNA BE OUR ABILITY TO COLLABORATE WITH ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT Y'ALL WERE DOING SATURDAY MORNING THIS PAST SATURDAY AT EIGHT O'CLOCK, BUT I WAS WITH THE HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER STEVE ALVIS, EIGHT O'CLOCK FOR TWO HOURS.
WE DROVE THE ROADS OF HOUSTON AND OUR FREEWAYS TALKING ABOUT HOW TECH STOCK COULD FURTHER HOUSTON'S MOBILITY.
SO WE'VE GOTTA PREPARE FOR IT, PROTECT OUR MOBILITY, GIVE FOLKS OPTIONS, HAVE A GOOD TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT IS RELIABLE, SAFE, AND ON TIME.
BUT WE'VE ALSO GOTTA FIND RESOURCES AND WE'RE GONNA DO WELL THERE TOO.
I HAVE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP AS WE TALK WITH THE LEADERSHIP IN AUSTIN, DON BUCKINGHAM, WHO HAD NO RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
IN FACT, IT WAS VERY ANTAGONISTIC ON WHEN GEORGE W. GEORGE P WAS THERE WAS, SHE WAS AT CITY COUNCIL THE OTHER DAY REACHING OUT, GIVING US FURTHER HUG RESOURCES, MORE TIME TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.
JOHNNY MATA, LONGTIME CIVIC LEADER, WAS THERE AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, SAID IT WAS HISTORIC, THAT A STATEWIDE REPUBLICAN OFFICIAL WOULD BE AT HOUSTON CITY HALL BASED ON RECENT HISTORY.
LET ME TALK ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THERE'S THREE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE MET WITH ME AND GIVEN ALREADY RESOURCES.
BREAS IS GONNA DO A MULTIPURPOSE CENTER IN MEMORIAL PARK, A COMBINATION OF CITY AND COUNTY RESOURCES.
TOM RAMSEY'S TOLD ME THAT HE WILL PAY HALF OF THE COST
[00:05:02]
OF IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION ROADS, SIDEWALKS IN HIS PRECINCT.AND OF COURSE, ADRIAN AND I ARE LONGTIME FRIENDS AND ARE COLLABORATING.
SO THERE'S A LOT TO BE EXCITED ABOUT TODAY IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND MOBILITY.
AND MY MISSION TODAY IS TO GET YOU TO LEAVE HERE.
AS FIRED UP AS I AM ABOUT HALF OF YOU, I'D LIKE TO THINK FOR SHAPING AND MOLDING IN MY CAREER, GIVEN ME THIS OPPORTUNITY.
INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES.
METRO, SO IMPORTANT, ONE OF THE BEST APPOINTMENTS I'VE MADE.
AND ELIZABETH BROCK IS GONNA BRING, IS GONNA BRING THE FUTURE, HER BOARD, THE COUNTY APPOINTMENTS, MS. MUELLER, I CAN GO ON AND ON.
THE NEAT THING ABOUT MY BEING IN OFFICE IS THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT GO BACK OVER 50 YEARS.
AND MANY OF YOU, I SAW JACK DRAKE WALK UP.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING HERE TODAY THAT I'VE WORKED WITH SUCCESSFULLY ON THEIR PROJECTS? AND LET ME THINK.
TAG, WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT TAG TODAY? WE WOULDN'T BE GATHERED LIKE THIS TO BRAINSTORM AND PLAN HOUSTON'S FUTURE.
SO LET'S GIVE TAG A SHOUT OUT.
THEY WOULD REGULARLY COME TO MY SENATE OFFICE.
SO EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE FIRED UP ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A GREAT CITY, GREAT REGION, JUDGE KEO, AND I'VE MET MAYOR SILVERMAN AND YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHERE I WAS.
MONDAY MORNING, YALE STREET PHARMACY MEETING WITH THE MAYOR OF MORGANS POINT, DEER POINT IN BAYTOWN.
THE OPENNESS, THE TRANSPARENCY.
I WILL TELL YOU OUR PROBLEMS. YES, A LOT OF IT'S FINANCIAL.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, NOT ONLY IS IT FINANCIAL BECAUSE OF YEARS OF NEGLECT AND KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, I'M GONNA PAINT A PICTURE.
I DID IT WITH THE BUDGET YESTERDAY AND GOD BLESS THE CHRONICLE, BUT THEY CAN'T GET ANYTHING, RIGHT? WE DID NOT.
WE DID NOT CUT PUBLIC WORKS OR PLANNING AND WE DIDN'T SAY WE WEREN'T GONNA RAISE TAXES THIS NEXT YEAR.
WE SAID WE'RE GONNA REVIEW THE DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR EFFICIENCIES, THEIR DUPLICATION.
WE'RE GONNA REACH OUT TO THE COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY, THE STATE, AND THE FEDS.
THEN WE MIGHT, WE'RE NOT GETTING IN GOOD CONSCIENCE IN A RECORD OF SHOWING WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT THERE.
WE'VE REMOVED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, THE DUPLICATION, THE WASTE AFTER I'VE DONE EVERYTHING TO GET THE CITY IN THE BEST ORDER IT COULD BE.
THEN I'LL GO TO THE CITIZENS AND PAINT THEM AN ACCURATE PICTURE.
AND THAT'S WHERE I'M GONNA NEED EVERYONE IN HERE.
PEOPLE COME UP TO ME IN RESTAURANTS IN THE EVENING, DON'T TELL MY SECURITY, I GO WITHOUT THEM.
BUT THAT'S HOW I STAY IN TOUCH WITH HOUSTONIANS.
AND THEY COME UP AND THEY SAY, WE'RE EXCITED.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU? AND I TELL THEM, I'M NOT IN A CAMPAIGN, SO I DON'T NEED CAMPAIGN SUPPORT, BUT I NEED YOUR SUPPORT WHEN I COME OUT WITH BOLD PROPOSALS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I NEED FROM EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM.
WE HAVE A GREAT REGION, GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, AS I WAS SPEAKING THIS MORNING, WE WERE DOING PREPARATION FOR OUR STORMS THIS SUMMER WITH A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF LOCAL CIVIC AND OFFICIALS.
I HAVE DISCOVERED IN MY FIVE MONTHS.
AND YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND, I GREW UP IN HOUSTON.
I'VE GONE DOWN OUR STREETS AND ROADS.
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THERE WASN'T A SIX 10.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THE GREATNESS OF OUR CITY IS OUR INST OBVIOUSLY OUR PEOPLE.
BUT IT'S OUR INSTITUTIONS, IT'S OUR ACADEMIC, IT'S OUR FAITH, IT'S OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS.
WE'RE DOING SO GREAT AND RECOGNIZE WORLDWIDE FOR OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
OUR MED CENTER, OUR PORT, OUR SPACE PORT.
BUT I'VE LEARNED IT'S ALSO, IF WE CAN GET CITY GOVERNMENT AT THE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE THAT WE DESERVE, THERE'S NO LIMITATION TO HOUSTON'S GROWTH, OUR MOBILITY AND THE ABILITY TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I RAN FOR OFFICE.
I'VE HAD A GREAT POLITICAL CAREER.
IF I HADN'T BEEN CALLED BY HOUSTONIANS TO CONSIDER AND THEN ASKED TO RUN, I'D BE IN AUSTIN.
[00:10:01]
QUITE FRANKLY.THEY PROBABLY NEED ME OVER THERE.
YOU NEED YOU HERE AFTER THIS ELECTION CYCLE.
BUT I HAD TO JUDGE WHERE COULD I BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE? I LOVE HOUSTON.
I LOVE THE SENATE, BUT I LOVE HOUSTON MORE.
WE, YOU AND I HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE,
I'M GONNA DO BOLD THINGS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA CONTINUE A PAY AS YOU GO, WHICH IS NOT THE WAY WE'RE GONNA PLAY CATCH UP.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
WE'RE GONNA GET RESOURCES FROM OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
AND YES, WE'RE GONNA COLLABORATE WITH METRO.
I UNDER SOME, SOME I UNDERSTAND SOME OF YOU'RE NOT DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICANS.
I HAD AN ENGINEER TELL ME, HE BELONGS TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE PARTY.
THIS WILL BE A BETTER CITY WHEN WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
THE METRO GROUNDBREAKING OF WESTHEIMER THE OTHER DAY, $12 MILLION.
AND LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITMENT I HAD.
I WAS SHOWN THE INTERSECTION OF HOUSTON AVENUE IN WASHINGTON.
THE FIRST NIGHT I WAS IN OFFICE.
I RODE WITH THE POLICE AND THEY SAID, THIS IS DANGEROUS.
THE PREVIOUS PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS DROPPED CHUNKS OF CONCRETE RIGHT THERE AT WASHINGTON BY MUNICIPAL COURT.
TRINITY EPISCOPALS BEEN THERE A HUNDRED YEARS.
THEY COULDN'T TURN OUT OF THEIR PARKING LOT.
NAP CHEVROLET COULDN'T TURN INTO THEIR SERVICE CENTER.
FIRE TRUCKS FROM HIGH STATION SIX ON WASHINGTON COULD NOT TURN RIGHT TO GET UP ON 45 TO GO SOUTH.
THE, THE POORLY DESIGNED ANTI-CAR ACTIVISTS THAT HAD BEEN IN PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION SPENT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS DROPPING THE CONCRETE.
I WISH YOU HAD PICTURES OF BEFORE AND AFTER DRIVE BY THERE.
TODAY WE HAVE SPENT 1.2 MILLION TO DO IT CORRECTLY.
THEY DIDN'T DO THE FOUNDATION WHEN WE STARTED TAKING THE CONCRETE AWAY.
THERE'S A GAS LINE THAT WAS SIX INCHES UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE INSTEAD OF SIX FEET.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND OUR RESOURCES WISELY AND WE'RE GONNA ENSURE AND INCREASE MOBILITY.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE OPTIONS.
YES, I'M, I'M SENSITIVE TO BIKE RIDERS, OF COURSE, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA SACRIFICE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
WE'RE NOT GONNA SACRIFICE OUR MO GENERAL MOBILITY FOR RECREATION.
I'M GONNA BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
SOMEONE SAID, WHITMEYER, YOU'VE GOTTA RUN FOR MAYOR.
'CAUSE YOU CAN BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S NOT ONLY WHAT I PLAN TO DO.
IT'S EVIDENCE IN MY TEAM THAT I BROUGHT TOGETHER THE LEGISLATORS.
ARMANDO CAROL, WE'RE GONNA GET THINGS DONE.
JUST TO BUILD ON WHAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, UM, THAT COMES IN THE CONTEXT OF DIFFERENT ROAD USERS.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? LIKE JUST LITERALLY TALKING TO THE CHURCHES, TALKING TO THE FAITH GROUP, TALKING TO, THINKING OF PEDESTRIAN THINKING OF BIKE RIDERS.
THE WHOLE DISCUSSION OF V VISION ZERO, RIGHT? WHERE, FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT, WHERE DO YOU, I THINK YOU WERE GETTING TO IT, RIGHT? LIKE IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
WELL, I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE FIVE MONTHS AND I WISH I HAD THE TIME TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU REALLY CAN'T PLAN FOR.
THE, THE JANUARY FREEZE LAKEWOOD TRAGIC SHOOTING.
THE KINGWOOD FLOODS TWO WEEKENDS GOING.
AND YOU TALK ABOUT COLLABORATION, WE'VE GOT TO REALIZE WE HAVE TO WORK OUR ISSUES FROM A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE.
I WAS ON THE PHONE TALKING TO JUDGE KEEL CONROE, SANDY CITY RIVER AUTHORITY, URGING THEM NOT TO RELEASE ANY MORE WATER OUTTA LAKE CONROE THAN WAS NECESSARY.
THEY WERE UNDER PRESSURE 'CAUSE THEY WERE FLOODING AROUND THE LAKE.
THEIR DAN WAS IN DANGER OF BEING COMPROMISED.
WE, WE WERE TALKING TO PEOPLE AS FAR NORTH AS LIMESTONE COUNTY, MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
AND WHEN WE WEREN'T GETTING THE RESULTS WE WERE LOOKING FOR, I CALLED SAM KIDD, NIM KIDD IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
SO PROBABLY NOT ANY TIME IN RECENT HISTORY THAT WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS THE CONTACTS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
[00:15:01]
NOT ONLY ON LOCAL ISSUES, BUT CERTAINLY WORKING WITH THE REGION.AND THAT'S GONNA PAY GREAT DIVIDENDS FOR HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
WE'VE GOT TO REALIZE FLOODING, PUBLIC SAFETY, MOBILITY ARE NOT LIMITED.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT A NUMBER I I WOULD, I WOULD CHALLENGE SOMEBODY.
BOBBY AND I WERE TALKING A MOMENT AGO, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE DRIVE INTO HOUSTON EACH DAY? NOT HOUSTONIANS.
THERE ARE FRIENDS IN THE SUBURBS OR OTHER COMMUNITIES.
WE GROW EVERY DAY BY ANOTHER THIRD.
THERE'S 715,000 PEOPLE DROVE TO HOUSTON TODAY.
AND YOU'D THINK THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GET READY.
I DROVE TO CHAPEL HILLS LAST SATURDAY.
DON'T TELL MY SECURITY THAT EITHER.
BUT IF YOU GO, IF YOU GO FROM HERE TO WALLER, EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, GREG, EVERYWHERE IN THE PRAIRIE OF WALLER COUNTY IS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE GOT TO GET OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE.
WE'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH OUR EDUCATION SYSTEMS. AND IT'S NOT JUST MOBILITY, IT'S OUR WATER SYSTEM.
I REGULARLY TALK TO MY TEAM, WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT? WHAT WOULD SHUT DOWN THIS CITY? I REFERENCED JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.
THEIR WATER SYSTEM FAILED THEM LAST YEAR AND THEY WENT MONTHS WITHOUT THE USE OF THEIR WATER SYSTEM.
NOBODY TALKS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANTS AND OUR WATER SYSTEMS. THE EAST SIDE WATER PLANT IS BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH BAIN WIRE AND TAPE.
AND THAT'S NOT AN EXAGGERATION.
WE HAVE TO HAVE BOLD PROPOSALS TO ASK HOUSTONIANS TO HELP PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND USE.
YOU KNOW, AUSTIN'S GOT A SURPLUS RIGHT NOW.
I'VE APPROACHED THE LEADERSHIP, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PEOPLE THAT I HAVE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH.
WE DO A GREAT JOB FOR RURAL TEXAS.
WE HAVE THE BEST FARM TO MARKET ROAD IN THE NATION.
WE HELP 'EM WITH THEIR BRUSH CONTROL, THEIR WATER SUPPLY.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN PLAY A ROLE.
MOST OF YOU HAVE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DEPARTMENTS, YOU HAVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
SO I'M GONNA WORK WITH A FORMER COLLEAGUE, KIRK WATSON OUT OF AUSTIN, ERIC JOHNSON IN DALLAS.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO AUSTIN IN JANUARY AND GIVE THEM A PROPOSAL TO HELP US WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY CAN ALSO HELP US WITH OUR SOCIAL SERVICES.
THERE'S NO REASON THE STATE SHOULDN'T ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
ABOUT A THIRD OF THE HOMELESS ARE COMING OUTTA THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM RELEASED FROM HUNTSVILLE WITH NOWHERE TO GO RELEASED FROM THE COUNTY JAIL AT MIDNIGHT.
'CAUSE THEY GET CREDIT FOR THE NEXT DAY.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT BUSINESSES TO COME TO HOUSTON, YOU OUGHT TO RIDE WITH ME AT 10 O'CLOCK TWO DAYS AGO, DOWN PIERCE, ABOVE THE PIERCE, ELEVATED PEOPLE PASSED OUT ON THE SIDEWALK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
NOW THAT'S NOT AN INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE, BUT YOU BETTER BE CONCERNED ABOUT IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOSING BUSINESSES TO DALLAS, AUSTIN, EVEN FORT BEND.
BOB LANIER UNDERSTOOD THAT, AND I HOPE EACH OF YOU UNDERSTAND THE INFLUENCE THAT HE HAD ON ME AS A YOUNG STATE SENATOR.
HE WANTED PEOPLE TO NOT ONLY WORK IN HOUSTON, BUT LIVE IN HOUSTON.
AND THAT'S GOING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYEES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON.
WHEN I ROLL OUT BOLD INITIATIVES, REALIZE I'VE STUDIED THEM.
I'VE SURROUNDED MYSELF WITH SOME OF THE SMARTEST AND BEST PEOPLE WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM, I WAS JOKING WHEN I SAID THIS COUNTS AS A MEETING.
I KNOW YOU MEANT IT
WE GOT A GREAT TEAM AND, AND YOU KNOW, THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT YOUR SCHEDULE IS PACKED.
AND I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT HOUSTON'S NOT JUST THE FORT'S LARGEST CITY, THE BIGGEST CITY IN TEXAS, BUT IT'S THE HUB, RIGHT? SO YOU ARE IN A SENSE, A LOT OF TIMES A REGIONAL LEADER, NOT JUST, NOT JUST FOR HOUSTON.
AND I SEE THAT'S YOUR SCHEDULE AS YOU KIND OF, WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH THIS GREAT FLOODING THAT'S, THAT HAPPENED UP NORTH IN THE KINGWOOD AREA AND YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME OUT THERE.
I KNOW YOU SPENT TIME WITH FIRST RESPONDERS THERE TOO.
AS WE GET PREPARED FOR THIS HURRICANE SEASON, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED IN THAT, THAT
[00:20:01]
WILL BE HELPFUL TO US AND TO YOU AS WE LOOK AHEAD? WELL, AT NINE O'CLOCK AT THE CHASE BANK ON SOUTH MAIN, ANGELA BLANCHARD, ONE OF OUR REAL HEROES AT THE, UH, RIPLEY BAKER INSTITUTE, HAS BEEN SHEPHERDING MY PLANS FOR THE STORM.ALL SPRING, MY STAFF HAS BEEN MEETING WITH THE COUNTY JUDGE'S STAFF.
WE'RE MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S STAFF, BUT WE HAD A ROUND TABLE THIS MORNING, 35 INDIVIDUALS.
QUITE FRANKLY, I TOLD ED WE MISS HIM.
BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY BECAUSE HE HAS SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE OF GETTING THROUGH A STORM.
AND HE STARTED OUT SPEAKING, BOB HARVEY WAS THERE.
I SAID, I UNDERSTAND YOU RETIRED, BUT NOW YOU'RE BACK.
WE'RE ATTRACTING PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT OUR REGION.
SO WE'RE PREPARED FOR THE STORM.
WE HAVE NO CONTROL WHERE THE LORD SENDS IT NATURE, BUT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE READY.
UH, I, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE BASED ON OUR CONTACTS, THE HISTORY OF THE STORMS, AND CERTAINLY WE'RE DEALING WITH DRAINAGE FROM TRAVELING ACROSS HOUSTON AND BEING A HOUSTONIAN ABOUT A, A THIRD OF OUR DRAINAGE PROBLEM IS FROM LACK OF MAINTENANCE, ILLEGAL DUMPING.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THE BLOCKAGE OF OUR DRAINAGE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T MAINTAINED OUR SANITATION AND THERE'S ILLEGAL DUMPING.
SO, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE DAY, BUT I AM DOING MY JOB TO PAINT AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF HOW GREAT THIS CITY IS AND THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE IF WE COME TOGETHER AND WE CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSITY.
BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN PROJECTS WE NEED TO BE HOUSTONIANS.
YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT RESTRICTED TO ONE COMMUNITY.
FLOODING, TRANSPORTATION, RELIABLE BUS LINES, AN AIRPORT.
I AM PROUD OF MY APPOINTMENTS.
THEY'RE DIVERSE, THEY'RE EXPERIENCED, AND THEY'RE CAN DO PEOPLE.
AND THIS ROOM IS FULL OF CAN DO PEOPLE.
SO LIKE I SAID, MY MISSION TODAY IS FOR YOU TO LEAVE HERE.
AS FIRED UP AS I AM, I'M GONNA LEAVE HERE A BETTER MAYOR THAN THE MAYOR.
IT GOT HERE BECAUSE OF THE ENERGY IN THIS ROOM.
THERE IS A LOT OF FIREPOWER IN THIS ROOM.
IF WE WOULD ALL WORK TOGETHER AND REALIZE THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE IN BUSINESS, YOUR EMPLOYEES, WE'VE GOTTA CARE FOR 'EM.
IF WE'LL ALL WORK TOGETHER, UH, HOUSTON'S GREATEST DAYS ARE IN FRONT OF US.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED JIM, WE HAD AN EVENT FOR JIM, AND, AND HE, HE'S A GREAT APPOINTMENT AND A LOT OF STUFF IS HAPPENING AT THE AIRPORT.
WE MENTIONED EARLIER ELIZABETH BROCK, SOMEBODY WILL TELL US WHAT, WHAT THIS MEANS.
UM, YOU MENTIONED, UM, ELIZABETH BROCK AND, AND THE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD A, A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, I THINK THROUGH A GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
I GOT SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY SAID, FIRED UP, LITERALLY
UM, WE, WE'LL TRY TO IGNORE IT UNTIL SOMEBODY TELLS US, UH, FROM THE BACK.
SO, SO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATIONS YOU'VE HAD, ELIZABETH ABOUT METRO, THE, THE FUTURE OF METRO, UH, FUTURE OF BRTS.
LIKE WHERE'S THAT HEADED? WELL, OBVIOUSLY, UH, I'VE WORKED WITH ELIZABETH FOR YEARS IN MY OFFICE.
I KNEW OF HER ABILITY, HER PEOPLE SKILLS, BUT HER ALSO ABILITY TO LEAD.
SO WE WANT A METRO THAT IS RESPONSIVE.
I, LET ME JUST TELL YOU, THERE'S NOT A THING I'M SAYING TODAY THAT I DIDN'T SAY DURING MY CAMPAIGN.
IN THE CAMPAIGN WE SPOKE ABOUT METRO LISTENING TO RESIDENTS, AND THAT'S WHAT WILL BE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR METRO OR MY ADMINISTRATION.
SO JUST A, JUST A QUICK THING, MAYOR, I JUST HAD SOMEBODY KIND OF POINT TO ME SAYING THAT THAT'S JUST A, UH, IT'S NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.
UH, BUT WE'LL PROBABLY HEAR THIS STUFF FOR A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO IGNORE IT.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT I WON'T, I WON'T METRO BUT YOU, BUT YOU CAN'T SAY FIRED UP ANYMORE BECAUSE
[00:25:01]
EVERY TIME YOU SAY FIRED UP THIS, THIS CAUSES DISTINCTION, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO NOT, UH, GO THERE.PASTOR P PRESTON REPRESENTING PARISHES THAT NEED TO COME TO CHURCH.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA USE MORE TECHNOLOGY, MICRO TRANSIT.
WE WANT A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT RESPONDS TO THE PUBLIC NEEDS.
AND THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S, THAT'S ALMOST EVERY DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO FORWARD, UH, BEING SMART, QUIT WASTING MONEY.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW AT METRO TO SPEND 30 MILLION PAINTING RED BUDS LANES DOWNTOWN.
I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE OF Y'ALL WANT THAT CONTRACT, BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE RED LANES AND PUT 'EM INTO BUS SHELTERS, MAKING IT MORE RELIABLE, SAFER TO CATCH THE BUS.
AND, UH, WE'RE JUST GONNA MAKE SMART DECISIONS AND I'M NOT RUNNING IT.
UH, I'VE GOT A VERY CAPABLE BOARD.
AND, UH, WE'LL LISTEN TO YOU, YOU'VE GOT EXPERIENCE.
I'M, I, I CAN START NAMING THE FOLKS THAT HAVE DONE WORK WITH METRO PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP, BUT I HOPE Y'ALL DON'T THINK I GOT IT OFF AS JUST TO RUBBER STAMP WHAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION DID.
WE'VE ASKED FOR A PAUSE ON MOST PROJECTS TO REVIEW THINGS LIKE THE HOUSTON AVENUE, WASHINGTON PROJECT.
WE'LL MAKE 'EM LARGER BETTER, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE RESPONSIVE TO THE PUBLIC.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LIKE THE BRTS? IS THERE, UM, A A A VISION YOU HAVE OF THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WANT THAT TO GO TO? THE BRTS IS DONE MORE TO TARNISH METRO'S CREDIBILITY AND NAME BRAND RIGHT OUT WITH OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.
IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT THE THIRD CRITICAL THINGS THAT PEOPLE TALK TO ME ABOUT ACROSS HOUSTON.
THEY KNOW THAT THE POST OAK LINE IS NOT EFFECTIVE.
METRO JUST TWO WEEKS AGO WANTED TO TAKE THE PICKUP OF THE, OF THE POST OAK LINE FROM 12 MINUTES, EVERY 12 MINUTES TO EVERY 20 MINUTES, AND ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.
BUT IF YOU LISTEN TO METRO LEADERSHIP, IT SHOULD BE ONCE AN HOUR.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S THE FIRST LEG OF GREATER THINGS TO COME, BUT FOLKS, BACK TO THAT PAUSE OF ASSURING THE PUBLIC THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS RIGHT, COST EFFECTIVE, NOT WASTEFUL AND MOVING PEOPLE.
AND WE'VE GOT TO START DOING PROJECTS THAT PEOPLE WILL USE AND THAT OUGHT TO BE ACROSS OUR REGION, HAVE PROJECTS THAT PEOPLE WILL USE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU BUILD SOMETHING AND PEOPLE DON'T COME, IT HURTS YOUR ABILITY TO DO THE NEXT PROJECT.
MOBILITY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, AND IF WE WORK TOGETHER, WE'LL GET IT DONE.
UM, AND, AND, AND WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT TO THE OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT HOW EFFECTIVE WE ARE AS YOU.
UH, CHRISTINA WAS MENTIONING ABOUT OUR HUSBAND FLYING BACK TO SEE YOU AT THE POLICE WEEK.
I HEARD THAT, UH, UH, HE WAS COMING BACK FROM THE POLICE WEEK THAT IN, IN DC TALK TO US ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HAD THE SIRENS HAPPEN.
IT'S A REMINDER TO ALL US ABOUT FIRST RESPONDERS, RIGHT? AS SOON AS YOU HEAR THE SIRENS, REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE, YOUR HEART BEATS A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THAT STUFF? YOU CAMPAIGN, UM, ON THAT ISSUE.
YOU'VE GOT A LONG HISTORY OF IT.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE AT, LIKE YOU SAID, WE'RE AN INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT IT'S A BIG PART OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
YOU JUST HAD A, A NEW POLICE CHIEF THAT YOU'VE APPOINTED, RIGHT? TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE DO YOU SEE PUBLIC SAFETY HEADED IN HOUSTON AND IN THIS REGION? I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT BECAUSE IF WE DO NOT FIX PUBLIC SAFETY, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT.
I THINK SOME OF THE NUMBERS OF THE CRIME INDICATORS GOING DOWN IS HAVE BEEN MANIPULATED.
THERE'S A LOT OF UNREPORTED CRIME RESPONSES AT ALL TIME HIGH IN HPD.
WE HAVE LARGE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, LARGE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT REPORT CRIME.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOUR HUSBAND'S ABUSING YOU DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS, YOU DON'T CALL.
WAIVE PUBLIC SAFETY IS MY NUMBER ONE CONCERN.
[00:30:02]
WE HAVE FEWER POLICE OFFICERS TODAY THAN WE HAD 25 YEARS AGO.UH, WE'VE GOT TO GET BACK TO THAT BOLD PROPOSALS.
WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY ONE THROUGH COLLABORATION.
WE HAVE 87 POLICE AGENCIES IN HOUSTON.
THEY DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER.
BUT CHIEF SATTERWHITE, ACTING CHIEF SATTERWHITE HAS BEEN LEADING A GROUP SINCE JANUARY TO COME TOGETHER TO SHARE RESOURCES.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR POLITICS AND SHOW BOATING AS SOME IN RECENT DAYS HAVE SHOWN.
THE FIREMEN HAVE NOT HAD A CONTRACT IN EIGHT YEARS.
I SPOKE TO THEIR LAST CADET CLASS TWO MONTHS AGO.
ANYBODY WANT TO GUESS HOW MANY YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN GRADUATE FROM THE FIRE ACADEMY? IT USED TO BE ONE OF THE MORE ATTRACTIVE JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
FATHERS AND BROTHERS RECOMMENDED TO THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
I SPOKE TO 31 CADETS TWO MONTHS AGO.
IT WOULD SCARY TO DEATH IF I SHOWED YOU A COMPUTER PRINTOUT OF WHAT FEW AMBULANCES WE HAVE ON THE STREET RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE MAKING RUNS FROM RICHMOND AND 59 TO KINGWOOD.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY GREAT CITIES OPERATE.
YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL THAT DOESN'T REALLY CONCERN ME.
IT SURE DOES WHEN YOU HAVE A HEALTH ISSUE OR YOU NEED A RESCUE LIKE THE PEOPLE IN KINGWOOD DID THE CONDITIONS THAT I MADE AN ISSUE OF THIS WEEK IN KINGWOOD.
SEE, KINGWOOD HAD A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY WERE ANNEXED.
SO WHAT DID THEY, WHERE DID, THEY DIDN'T HAVE DORMITORIES.
SO WHAT'S A GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON? DO PUT OUT A TRAILER OUT BESIDE THE, THE FIRE BAYS.
THEY'RE SLEEPING ON THE FLOORS.
THEY GOT HOLES IN THE FLOOR, PLYWOOD ON THE FLOOR.
NOW LET ME TELL YOU WHERE EXPERIENCE MATTERS.
AND WE NEED A FIRE STATION AT GUESTS AND I 10, THE OLD WARREN OUT ONE RIGHT THERE.
WE PUT AN OVERLAY THE OTHER DAY OF WHO HAS TURS, WHERE THOSE FIRE STATIONS ARE LOCATED.
MEMORIAL CITY'S GONNA BUILD A NEW FIRE STATION AND I CAN GO ON AND ON WHERE THE TURS ARE TALKING ABOUT RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE MONTROSE LIBRARY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WAS GONNA MOVE OUTTA THAT ICONIC BUILDING THAT BELONGS TO ST.
THOMAS AND GO TO A COMMERCIAL SITE DOWN ON WESTHEIMER.
AND I NEVER HAD A VISUAL OF IT.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE A BEAUTIFUL OLD HUNDRED YEAR OLD BUILDING THAT PEOPLE USE? IT'S THE 14TH MOST USED LIBRARY TO A SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR.
IT'S BEHIND THE HAMBURGER JOINT THAT'S ON MONTROSE.
SO NOW YOU GO IN CALIFORNIA STREET 1 0 0 1 CALIFORNIA, I DARE YOU TO DRIVE BY THERE.
IT'S A BLOCK AWAY FROM SOME OF THE LARGEST ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ESTABLISHMENTS.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET FAMILIES TO LEAVE THE MONTROSE COMMUNITY LIBRARY AND GO TO A SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
THE CITY GOT 23 PARKING SPACES FROM THAT DEVELOPER.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING? THE MONTROSE TURS IS GONNA REDO THE OLD LIBRARY.
SO THEN YOU SAY, WELL, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU DO? WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE BUILDING? WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE BUILDING THAT THE CITY'S ALREADY COMMITTED TO PUT A LIBRARY IN? IT'S A COMMERCIAL CONDO.
WE'RE TALKING TO LEGACY HEALTH.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT AS A DRIVE THROUGH PHARMACY.
LEADERSHIP AND EXPERIENCE MATTERS.
AND IF WE ALL PULL TOGETHER, THINGS ARE GONNA GET SO MUCH BETTER.
BUT PUBLIC SAFETY INCLUDES, FIRE INCLUDES EMS. OH, LET'S, LET ME TOUCH ON SOME OF THE FRUSTRATION.
SO LI I DIDN'T FINISH THE 31 CADETS, YOU KNOW, NUMBER TWO, WE, I SPOKE TO 76 HPD CADETS.
IT'S THE SECOND LARGEST IN RECENT HISTORY.
BUT BACK TO THE FIRE PACKAGE, WE COULDN'T ATTRACT PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEIR BENEFITS WERE GONNA BE.
THE CURRENT FIREFIGHTERS ARE NOT RECOMMENDING THAT THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS JOIN.
SO THE HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP AND OTHERS SAID TO PLAY CATCH UP AND TO DO THE BACK PAY WOULD PROBABLY BE 800 TO OVER A BILLION DOLLARS TO TOUGH NEGOTIATIONS IN RELATIONSHIPS.
IT TOPPED OUT AT SIX 50 WITH OUR PROPOSAL.
IF YOU'RE PLAYING EIGHT YEARS OF CATCH UP OF PAY RAISES AND BENEFITS, AND THEN YOU FACTOR IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WITH A NEW CONTRACT, THAT'S A BIG NUMBER AND IT WOULD BE THE BIG NUMBER IF YOU DID HPD OR PUBLIC WORKS.
WHAT DID YOU NEED TO SPEND IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS IN PUBLIC WORKS AND FIVE YEARS FORWARD? SO UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OFFICIALS
[00:35:01]
WANT TO DEMAGOGUE CAMPAIGN INCREASE THEIR NAME ID BY TRYING TO MAKE THE FIREFIGHTERS ARRANGEMENT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE.THERE'S A TIME FOR CAMPAIGNING.
THERE'S A TIME FOR POLITICS, BUT RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME TO WORK.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SAFE CITY.
WE'RE GONNA GET THE RESOURCES TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WE NEED, AND WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THE HPD CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW.
TOUGH CALL THAT I HAD TO MAKE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, BUT MY RESPONSIBILITY IS THE HOUSTONIANS.
WE CANNOT HAVE DRIP, DRIP AND KEEPING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THE FRONT PAGE.
TROY FINN IS AN OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT, HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, IS POLICE CHIEF.
AND HE AND I DISCUSSED THE STATUS AND HOW WE GO FORWARD.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING THIS CITY SAFE.
YOU PROBABLY HEARD DURING THE CAMPAIGN, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BEG FOR YOUR LIFE WITH YOUR DAUGHTER AND WIFE STANDING TO YOUR SIDE.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GO THROUGH THAT.
AND WE'VE GOT TO FOCUS ON COUNTY GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
WE GOT SOME DISTRICT JUDGES THAT ARE WORKING HARD.
WE GOT SOME DISTRICT JUDGES THAT ARE STILL OPERATING UNDER ZOOM.
YOU TALK TO THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS, THEY LOVE IT.
THEY ARE 1900 PEOPLE IN HARRIS COUNTY WAITING TO GO TO COURT FOR MURDER OR CAPITAL MURDER.
THEY'RE CHARGED WITH MURDER OR CAPITAL.
MURDER, HAVE NOT BEEN TO COURT YET, STEVE, HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE OR FINDING THEM INNOCENT.
NOW HERE'S THE, HERE'S THE FRIGHTENING PART THAT I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT ON.
OF THE 1900, 900 OF 'EM ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON.
IT'S UNHEARD OF FOR PEOPLE TO BE CHARGED WITH CAPITAL MURDER AND GET A BOND.
THAT'S THE MOST DANGEROUS POPULATION THERE IS.
BUT THERE'S 900 THIS MORNING ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON CHARGED WITH MURDER, CAPITAL MURDER.
THEY'RE EITHER OUT ON BOND OR THEY'RE FUGITIVE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
THAT'S THE REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS THAT YOU SEE ON THE EVENING NEWS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND I'M GONNA SPEAK OUT TO COUNTY DISTRICT JUDGES THAT ARE NOT HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, THAT WILL ATTRACT BUSINESSES, THAT WILL ATTRACT QUALITY OF LIFE AND EVERYTHING WE ADDRESS.
INFRASTRUCTURE, MOBILITY, FLOODING ARE CRITICAL ISSUES, BUT IF WE DON'T FEEL SAFE, PEOPLE'S CARS ARE BROKEN INTO, THEY DON'T EVEN REPORT IT ANYMORE.
MY HOUSE WAS BROKEN INTO SIX YEARS AGO, THE ALARM, THEY CAME IN, KICKED IN THE BACK DOOR, THEY WERE IN MY HOUSE EIGHT MINUTES WITH THE ALARM AND THE STROBE LIGHTS GOING FULL SPEED.
THE BAD GUYS KNOW WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED AND WE'VE GOTTA DEAL WITH THEIR MORALE.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU THE GOOD NEWS, POLICE OFFICERS ARE WORKING HARD UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION, MUCH MORE IMPROVED MORALE.
AND THE FIREFIGHTERS, THEY ARE SAYING, THANK THE LORD, THAT SOMEONE RECOGNIZES WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH IN KINGWOOD, RISKING THEIR LIVES AND THEN COMING BACK TO A RUNDOWN FACILITY.
AND THEN I HAD OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIALS CRITICIZING THEIR BENEFIT PACKAGE ON A MONDAY AFTER THEY PUT THEIR LIVES AT RISK OVER THE WEEKEND.
LISTEN FOLKS, THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS AND THE PUBLIC'S DEPENDING ON US.
AND THE ONLY REASON I RAN IS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE DOING.
UM, I WANT TO COVER TWO QUICK THINGS.
ONE, AS PEOPLE HEAR YOU SPEAK RIGHT, THEY ALWAYS GET US, UH, UH, THE CLEAR SENSE THAT YOU ARE IN THE WEEDS.
YOU ARE NOT SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T GO TO THE LOCATION, SHOW UP, TALK TO PEOPLE IN THE FIELD, ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS, RIGHT? AND YOU MAKE YOUR DECISIONS FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.
YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOOD AT KIND OF, ARE YOU SAYING IN THE WEEDS OR NOT IN THE WEEDS? NO, NO.
YEAH, YOU'RE IN THE, I MEAN, LIKE, WE JUST WENT THROUGH A DISCUSSION.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MONTROSE GOING UP THE STEPS, LIKE YOU'RE IN THE WEEDS, LIKE YOU'RE NOT, I STAY IN THE WEEDS.
YEAH, I THINK YOU, I THINK YOU ARE KNOWN FOR THAT, RIGHT? AND AS, AS KIND OF LEADING THE CITY, 22,000 EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, ON THE WEEKEND WHEN YOU WERE AT AT KINGWOOD, YOU PICK UP STUFF AS TO HOW THINGS SHOULD BE DONE.
AND, AND YOU'RE TALKING TO FRONTLINE PEOPLE.
I MEAN, YOU TALK TO YOUR DIRECTORS, YOU TALK TO ALICIA, BUT YOU ALSO TALK TO FRONTLINE PEOPLE.
UH, AS YOU TALKED A A LOT DURING THE CAMPAIGN AROUND PERMITTING, RIGHT? THERE'S A PERMITTING WAS A BIG ISSUE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME UP TO YOU, A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, TALKED ABOUT WITH YOU.
AND SO YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS ON PERMITTING.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED AND WHAT ARE THE KINDS OF CHANGES YOU WANT TO MAKE? IS THIS, YOU KNOW, I'VE LEARNED HOW IMPORTANT CITY EMPLOYEES ARE
[00:40:01]
AND HOW OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID MOST OF 'EM ARE.YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GREATEST RS I HAVE, I COME IN THROUGH THE BASEMENT AND THERE'LL BE A HOUSEKEEPING WORKER AND I'LL STOP AND SPEAK TO HER.
THEY'VE NEVER HAD AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT.
AND I GO OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS.
I GO, YOU KNOW, WHERE I'M GONNA BE AT SIX 30 IN THE MORNING, POST OAKS SANITATION HEADQUARTERS, NOT THEIR HEADQUARTERS, THEIR WORK IN GARAGES.
I'VE BEEN PUBLIC SERVANT MY ENTIRE LIFE SINCE I WAS 22, 10 IN THE HOUSE, 40 IN THE SENATE.
I HAD TO WEIGH WHERE I COULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE AND IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES.
I'M, I'M BLESSED TO HAVE GROWN UP IN HOUSTON, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR TWO YEARS.
I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GO OFF TO UT OR A AND M PROBABLY COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN IN BECAUSE OF TEST SCORES.
AS A HEART ATTACK, UH, COMMUNITY COLLEGE, YOU OF AGE.
SO I REPRESENT HOUSTONIANS THAT NEED THE ABILITY TO DEPEND ON FIRST RESPONDERS, PUBLIC WORKS.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED AT CITI IS ON THE PERMITTING, WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT THE PERMITTING PERMIT.
WE'RE QUANTIFYING THE TURNAROUND AND IT WAS PROBABLY IN THE TOP THREE.
WE GOT A NEW PERMITTING DIRECTOR, WE GOT A NEW PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
UH, THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER ON THAT FRONT.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SHAME THAT YOU HAVE TO HIRE AGENTS TO HELP YOU GET A PERMIT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WHOLE INDUSTRY TO WALK PEOPLE THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
I USED TO COMPLAIN AS A SENATOR ABOUT TABC.
YOU KNOW, WHY DO YOU MAKE YOUR APPLICATION FOR A PERMIT SO COMPLICATED? WELL, IT'S AN INDUSTRY, BUT BACK TO PERMITTING, IT'S IMPROVING.
UH, IT DIDN'T, THINGS DIDN'T GET AS BROKEN AS THEY ARE OVERNIGHT.
UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY.
BUT, UH, PERMITTING THE DELAY OF, UH, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AFTER YOU GET AWARDED A CONTRACT, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS WHY DOES IT TAKE A YEAR BEFORE WE CAN GET STARTED? INFLATION'S EATING UP ALL OF OUR PROFITS.
SO I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE, NOT ONLY WEEDS, BUT CITY EMPLOYEES.
THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT AND THEY'VE REALLY NOT BEEN, BEEN TAKEN CARE OF IN YEARS.
WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU ON, ON BEHALF OF NOT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM, BUT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FOR BEING IN THE WEEDS, FOR KNOWING THE DETAILS.
RIGHT? FOR SHOWING UP, UH, AND, AND TAKING THE TIME FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW YOU GOTTA GET UP AT, YOU GOTTA BE THERE AT SIX 30 IN THE MORNING, RIGHT? AND I BET YOU YOU GOT A LATE EVENT THAT DOESN'T END UNTIL 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
SO YOU ARE DOING THE WORK AND, AND WE APPRECIATE.
SO I COULD BE, I COULD BE AT A HUNDRED PLACES RIGHT NOW.
I'M GONNA BE GOING BACK SHORTLY TO WORK ON NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA.
UH, IF THE LORD'S WILLING AND THE RAIN DOESN'T GET IN THE WAY, I'M GONNA BE AT A GRANDSON'S LITTLE LEAGUE GAME AT SEVEN 30.
SO MY ONLY CHALLENGE IS TO PACE MYSELF AND REALIZE THAT IT'S A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT.
AND THAT'S WHERE Y'ALL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE.
IN FACT, AFTER THIS, I'M, HEY, HEY, WE TALK ABOUT THIS FIRED UP STUFF.
WE'RE NOT DOING THE FIRED UP STUFF.
WE GOTTA GET OUR CARDS FROM THE VALLEY, RIGHT? I SEE MARTY, WE GOT SOME FIREFIGHTERS IN THE ROOM,
BUT, UH, I WILL BE HERE AS OFTEN AS YOU NEED TO HEAR FROM ME.
I'LL GIVE YOU A PROGRESS REPORT.
WE'VE ONLY BEEN THERE FIVE MONTHS.
UH, WE HAVE A GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE.
AND WE JUST HAVE SOME CHALLENGES.
CHALLENGES THAT MOST MAJOR CITIES HAVE.
BUT WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
SANITATION, WORKING 18 HOURS A DAY, SIX DAYS.
WHY MEN GOING IN THE MORNING TO THINK THESE MEN AND WOMEN? UH, I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY TWO WEEKS AGO AND MY NEIGHBORS ALL RAN OVER AND HIGH FIVED ME BECAUSE THE RECYCLING AND THE GARBAGE HAD BEEN PICKED UP IN THE SAME DAY, FIRST, FIRST TIME IN YEARS.
AND THAT IS NOT COSTING US MORE.
IT IS BECAUSE THE WORKERS KNOW I CARE.
AND IT'S AMAZING WHEN PEOPLE'S JOBS ON THE LINE, HOW MUCH HARDER THEY WORK.
WELL, MAYOR, I WANNA, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU, UH, FOR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, FOR BEING HERE, FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, PUSHING AS HARD AS YOU HAVE.
I KNOW YOU SAY IT'S A MARATHON.
I KNOW PEOPLE TELL YOU THAT, BUT YOU'RE RUNNING IT LIKE A SPRINT AND WE WANT YOU TO, SO, SO ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY, THANK
[00:45:01]
YOU VERY MUCH.PLEASE GIVE OUR MAYOR A WARM ROUND OF APPLAUSE.