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Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE.IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING FIRST YEAR AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M VERY PLEASED WITH OUR PROGRESS.
I'M TOLD ROUTINELY THAT WE HAVE REBUILT THE PUBLIC'S CONFIDENCE IN CITY GOVERNMENT.
PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED AND MOTIVATED TO GO FORWARD AND COMPLETE THE MISSION OF FIXING HOUSTON.
WHEN I WAS SWORN IN, UH, THINGS WERE BROKEN.
CERTAINLY OUR WATER BILL SYSTEM WAS COMPLETELY DYSFUNCTIONAL.
PEOPLE GETTING 10,000, $20,000 WATER BILLS AND KNOW WHERE TO TURN.
UH, WORKING WITH A NEW PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, CITY STAFF, THAT PROCESS IS NOW WORKING NOT PERFECT, BUT CERTAINLY IT'S NOT CREATING THE FRUSTRATION AND ANGER THAT IT DID WHEN I GOT HERE.
WE RAN ON A PROMISE OF, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE'VE MADE GREAT PROGRESS COLLABORATING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WITNESS AS RECENTLY AS THIS WEEKEND DOING SURGES ON WASHINGTON CORRIDOR AND, UH, FOLLOWING UP A SURGE DOWNTOWN IN EMANCIPATION.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.
PUBLIC SAFETY INCLUDES OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO RECRUIT FIRE CADETS WHEN I WAS SWORN IN THE LAST CLASS BEFORE I WAS SWORN IN.
IN FACT, ACTUALLY THE FIRST ONE THAT I ATTENDED WAS 30.
AND IF YOU TALK TO THOSE CADETS, THEY WERE GOING TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS SOON AS THEY WERE LICENSED.
NOW WE HAVE LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE APPLYING TO BECOME HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS.
LARGE NUMBERS APPLYING TO BE HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS.
I RAISED THE, UH, BASE PAY FOR A CADET FROM 44,000.
PEOPLE WERE TAKING SALARY CUTS TO COME ENTER OUR ACADEMY.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE MONEY FOR THEIR SERVICE.
REVOLVER CADETS WERE BARRING MONEY AT THE HOUSTON CREDIT UNION TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A REVOLVER TO COMPLETE THEIR CADET CLASS.
$5,000 STOP IN POLICE FOUNDATION IS PURCHASED IN THEIR REVOLVER.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING.
UH, CAN'T GO THROUGH ALL OF 'EM THIS MORNING, BUT THE COMMITMENTS OF FIGHTING CRIME IN THE CITY HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
CERTAINLY THE DATA ON VIOLENT CRIMES LOOKS AND INDICATES NATIONALLY THAT'S GOING DOWN.
BUT OUR RESPONSE TIME, OUR UNREPORTED CRIMINAL ACTS, BREAK-INS, CAR BREAK-INS STILL HAVE TO BE CORRECTED.
AND, UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT CHIEF DIAZ.
OBVIOUSLY, WE MET CHALLENGES THIS YEAR, CHALLENGES THAT NO ONE COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED.
WE HAD THE FREEZE JUST A WEEK AFTER I WAS SWORN IN.
THEN THE KINGWOOD FLOOD, CERTAINLY I SAW THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
IT REINFORCED MY COMMITMENT TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS TO GET THEM OUT OF THE COURTHOUSE, GET A REASONABLE BENEFIT PACKAGE, SAVE THE CITY MONEY BY RESOLVING THAT ISSUE AND THE MORALE AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S NEVER BEEN HIRED.
I ALSO WENT FORWARD AND SAW THEM DENVER RETAIL BARREL, PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE.
SO I AM VERY PROUD OF THE SUCCESS THAT HOUSTON FIRE AND POLICE HAS MADE UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP.
OBVIOUSLY A SHOCK AND A CHALLENGE WAS A SUSPENDED CRIMINAL CASES.
IT WAS 260,000 CASES THAT HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO BE SUSPENDED IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
I INHERITED A MESS AND THAT BEEN ONE OF THE LARGEST ITEMS IN THAT HUGE MESS.
AND WHY I RAN AND WAS ASKED BY HOUSTONIANS TO FIX HOUSTON, MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS, RESOLVED THOSE ISSUES, TOOK CARE OF THE DOMESTIC ABUSE CASES AS A PRIORITY.
THE ONE-ON-ONE OFFENSES RESOLVED.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INDICTED, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO.
UH, CHIEF DIAZ HAS TAKEN A NO NONSENSE APPROACH ABOUT GETTING MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET, GET 'EM FROM BEHIND THE DESK PATROLLING DOWNTOWN.
AND THERE'S A SENSE THAT WE'RE IMPROVING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
I COULD GO ON AND ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH THE COUNTY LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
TOM RAMSEY IS PAYING FOR HALF OF THE
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CITY STREET'S, IMPROVEMENTS IN HIS PRECINCT.BRIANIS IS PARTNERING WITH US THROUGHOUT HER PRECINCT, CERTAINLY IN THE GULFTON AREA.
SHE'S GONNA ANNOUNCE SHORTLY AN OUTSTANDING NEW COUNTY CITY FACILITY IN MEMORIAL PARK, WHERE THE COUNTY WILL ACTUALLY CONSTRUCT A COMMUNITY FACILITY IN ON CITY PROPERTY.
AND OF COURSE, ADRIAN GARCIA HAS HELPED US IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE IN HIS PRECINCT, INCLUDING WITH DEBRIS PICKUP.
DEBRIS PICKUP CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE.
I WAS IN, UH, CONTACT WITH THE DIRECTOR THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE RESOURCES NOW TO DO A THIRD SWEEP.
HERE'S THE CHALLENGE WITH THE DEBRIS PICKUP.
WE'VE HAD ONE, TWO SWEEPS CITYWIDE, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT.
PEOPLE ARE STILL BRINGING THE DEBRIS OUT OF THE BACKYARD.
I WAS AT, UH, OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN SATURDAY FOR A LITTLE LEAGUE BALL GAME.
YOU COME OUT ON TIDWELL BRAND NEW PILE OF BRUSH BLOCKING THE NEW SIDEWALK.
I GOT ON THE PHONE, IT GOT PICKED UP YESTERDAY.
NOW I CAN'T DO THAT ACROSS THE CITY, BUT I EMPHASIZE IN PEOPLE ARE CONTINUING TO PUT NEW DEBRIS AND HEAVY TRASH IN PUBLIC SPACES, CERTAINLY TO BE PICKED UP.
AND WE'RE FIXING TO DO A CITYWIDE INITIATIVE WITH ONE MORE SWEEP, WHICH IS UNHEARD OF.
SO I COULD GO ON AND ON WITH THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
UH, I THINK I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE COLLABORATION AT THE COUNTY WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CERTAINLY THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I CAN'T NOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH.
THE COLLABORATION WITH AUSTIN.
PEOPLE WANTED TO RAISE TAXES TO PICK UP THE DEBRIS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA RAISE NEW REVENUE UNTIL WE HAVE ELIMINATED WASTE DUPLICATION AND CORRUPTION.
AND YES, THERE'S CORRUPTION STILL AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
CERTAINLY MIDTOWN HAS SEEN INDICTMENTS.
OTHERS ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION.
SO WITHOUT RAISING TAXES LOCALLY, I WENT TO AUSTIN AND THEY APPROPRIATED MONIES FOR OUR DEBRIS PICKUP.
WE NOW HAVE MONEY TO DO A THIRD.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
I'M LEAVING OUT THINGS, BUT IT'S THE PUBLIC SAFETY, THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE GOT A WESTHEIMER PROJECT GOING FORWARD, SHARED WITH METRO.
A SIDEWALK PROGRAM WILL BE ROLLED OUT AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
I KNOW, UM, THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT GETTING FUNDING FROM AUSTIN.
WE HAVE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMING UP.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC FUNDING STREAMS THAT YOU ARE SEEKING FOR ANY SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN HOUSTON OR INITIATIVES? LUKE GOVERNOR WAS HERE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR OPTIONS.
WHAT ARE THOSE OPTIONS THOUGH? I'D RATHER WAIT UNTIL WE ROLL 'EM OUT BECAUSE SOME OF 'EM WILL INVOLVE, UH, RESISTANCE FROM OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
ALSO, LET ME TELL YOU ANOTHER THING.
I NEED TO KNOW WHO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IS, AND THAT'S IN A TURMOIL RIGHT NOW.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE DON'T HAVE AREAS IDENTIFIED.
I I SHOULD STOP RIGHT HERE AND LET YOU KNOW.
WE, WE CAN'T DO THAT UNTIL WE GET THROUGH WITH OUR ERNS AND YOUNG REPORT.
YOU KNOW, THE ERNST AND YOUNG REPORT'S GONNA SHOW SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS, WHICH WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT CREDIBILITY BEFORE WE APPROACH ANOTHER SOURCE.
WE'VE ALSO ASKED ERNS AND YOUNG TO LOOK ATTS AND MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS.
DO YOU KNOW THAT 40% OF THE SUPERVISORS, THIS IS WHAT I INHERITED.
40% OF THE SUPERVISORS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON SUPERVISE THREE OR FEWER PEOPLE.
1600 PEOPLE AT THE CITY HALL WORK AT HOME.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR EFFICIENCIES TO DO WHAT I COMMITTED TO DOING TO PROTECT THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I CROSSED THIS CITY ON A REGULAR BASIS BY MYSELF WITH MY FAMILY.
I'VE SEEN THE DATA OF WHERE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE JOB WE'RE DOING AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
WHEN YOU SAY RESISTANCE TO WHO ARE YOU MEETING RESISTANCE FROM ON THOSE FUNDS? ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, AUSTIN CONGRESS, ALL THE, ALL THE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT WANNA HOLD ON TO WHAT THEY RECEIVE.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA ASK 'EM TO SHARE SOME, IT'S ALL THE SAME TAXPAYERS, ALL THE SAME MONEY.
SO WE'LL GET THERE AND WE'RE GONNA DO IT AFTER WE SHOW OUR EFFICIENCIES.
THE URGE YOUNG REPORT IS GONNA BE A EYEOPENER.
MAYOR UPRR IS MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO TRAIN SCHEDULES AROUND MILBY.
BUT WE KNOW MILBY WAS ONE OF JUST NINE DANGEROUS RAIL
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CROSSINGS THAT HISD IDENTIFIED.WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THE OTHER EIGHT? I THINK THEY'RE ALL UNDER REVIEW, CERTAINLY BY, BY THE, UH, RAIL, BUT ALSO BY HISD.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO DRILL DOWN ON EACH INDIVIDUAL SITE.
FOR INSTANCE, HISD NAMED WALTRIP, I'LL GRADUATE FROM WALTRIP.
THE TRAIN EXPERIENCE, THERE IS MUCH DIFFERENCE THAN MILBY.
THE TRAIN AT WALTRIP IS MOVING RAPIDLY AND THERE'S NUMEROUS ENTRANCES THERE.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE PEDESTRIAN, UH, TRAFFIC THAT MILBY DOES.
SO I JUST KNOW THAT UNION PACIFIC, HID WILL BE INVOLVED.
WE'LL REVIEW NOT ONLY THOSE DESIGNATED SITES, BUT THERE'S 700 CROSSINGS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M CERTAIN LONG TERM WE'RE GONNA HAVE A WORKING GROUP THAT LOOKS AT GRADE CROSSINGS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, WILL INVOLVE OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
UM, IT'S INTERESTING, I WAS TALKING ABOUT A SKYWALK.
IT WAS PRESENTED TO ME THAT A BETTER SOLUTION MIGHT BE ACTUALLY A BORING UNDERNEATH THE TRACK, MAYBE GOING UNDER INSTEAD OF OVER.
BUT, UH, BUT, BUT THE INITIAL, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENT IS GETTING AN EMBARGO DURING PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC AT MILBY, STOP THE TRAIN, AND THEN ALSO IMPROVING THE CROSSWALK TO DESIGNATE WHERE STUDENTS SHOULD CROSS.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE WILL HAVE A LONG-TERM SOLUTION FOR HELPING THE STUDENTS GET TO SCHOOL.
DO YOU HAVE A COST ESTIMATE FOR BORING UNDERNEATH IT? YOU KNOW, THEY DID NOT HAVE THAT ESTIMATE YET.
DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF TIMELINE IN TERMS OF WHEN WE COULD SEE CHANGES AT THOSE OTHER EIGHT SCHOOLS? ONE OF THE CHANGES STARTED THIS MORNING ON THE EMBARGO OF THE TRAFFIC, WHICH IS THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION TO JUST DON'T HAVE A TRAIN COME THROUGH THERE AT THAT TIME.
THEY'RE DOING THEIR PRELIMINARY PLANS ON, UH, DESIGNATING A PROTECTED, LET ME STRIKE THAT.
NOT PROTECTED BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE THE TRAIN, BUT A DESIGNATED CROSSWALK.
THE STUDENT, UNFORTUNATELY WAS NOT AT A CROSSWALK.
SO THEY'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE THE SIDEWALK THERE IN CONDITIONS THAT WILL ENCOURAGE THE STUDENTS.
ALSO, A HUGE EDUCATION PROGRAM IS GONNA BE CONDUCTED IN THE SCHOOL, IN THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN, WHEN WILL THAT ROLL OUT IN SCHOOL? IT'S ROLLING OUT.
I MEAN, I HAD A GOOD MEETING YESTERDAY WITH THE, UH, CEO AND, UH, WE AGREED TO CONTINUE TO WORK.
I WAS VERY INSISTENT THAT THE TIME IS A FACTOR.
THAT'S THE REASON THIS MORNING, THE TRAINED ENROLL THROUGH AT SCHOOL TIME.
SO THE, UH, THE, THE BROOKS AND WATER WILL BE COMING SOON, BUT THE EDUCATION PROCESS HAS ALREADY BEGUN IN TERMS OF UPRR PAYING FOR SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
DID YOU MAKE ANY HEADWAY WITH THAT? I LET HER KNOW MY FEELINGS.
SHE SAID SHE WOULD GO BACK TO HER BOARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER CALLED FOR THE REMOVAL OF PASTOR HARVEY CLEMENS FROM TORRES 18.
WE'RE TOLD THAT DECISION IS NOW IN YOUR HANDS.
WILL YOU CALL TO REMOVAL? WELL, I'M LISTENING TO COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, YOU KNOW, A WEEK BEFORE SHE VOTED TO CONTINUE THEIR BUDGET WITH HIM IN CHARGE.
SHE HAD ASKED THAT HE BE REMOVED.
CERTAINLY THE DISTRICT COUNCIL PERSON.
I'VE ALREADY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HER.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'LL BE TAKEN VERY, UH, SERIOUSLY.
AND, UH, I'LL LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY.
HE'S BEEN THERE SINCE IT WAS CREATED.
I'VE WORKED WITH HIM WITH YEARS.
BUT IT IS DIS DISAPPOINTING THE LACK OF PROGRESS THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, COMMUNITY'S RECEIVED.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONSIDER ALL OPTIONS AND ALL PERSONALITIES.
SOME RESIDENTS WERE WROTE IN LAST WEEK TO A TASK FORCE WITH YOUR OFFICE TO REVIEW THAT PROPERTY.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT TASK FORCE? WHICH PROPERTY? IT WAS PLEASANT HILL.
PLEASANT HILL CERTAINLY WE'RE VERY CONCERNED.
COUNCILOR DAVIS, REBECCA WILLIAMS IN MY OFFICE WE'RE VERY CONCERNED.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS NOT A, UH, HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY PROJECT THAT IS MORE A PRIVATE PROPERTIES THAT, UH, REVEREND CLEMENCE RIGHT THERE IN COUNCIL SAID THAT HE WAS DISAPPOINTED IN HIS MANAGEMENT TEAM.
SO WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE EXPECTED OR AS QUICKLY AS WE EXPECTED.
SO LET ME JUST LET YOU KNOW THE PROCESSES GOING FORWARD.
WE'LL BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE, AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CERTAINLY, UH, TARSHA JACKSON WHO SPOKE TO ME THAT EVENING, UH, AND HAD SOME STRONG IDEAS ABOUT CHANGES.
I KNOW SHE MENTIONED RECOMMENDATIONS LAST WEEK.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS YOU'LL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH? AND JUST TO CLARIFY, PASTOR, LEADERSHIP, LEADERSHIP, LEADERSHIP AND, AND TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC'S CONCERNS.
IF YOU GO DOWN LIBERTY ROAD OR ANYWHERE IN THE FIFTH
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WARD, TRINITY GARDENS, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF NEGLECT.SO I'M GONNA LISTEN TO THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER.
SHE HAS RECOMMENDATIONS AND WORKING WITH HER AND THE AT LARGE.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT COUNCILMAN DAVIS WENT OUT THERE THE AFTERNOON THAT THIS BROKE.
YOU KNOW, A CITIZEN BROUGHT US THIS PROBLEM.
NOT THE TURS DIDN'T BRING IT TO US.
THE CITIZENS BROUGHT IT TO US.
JUST TO CLARIFY, WILL CLEMENS STAY IN A SEAT? I, I SEE WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL OPTIONS.
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY JUDGE BEEN PRETTY STRANGE OVER THE YEARS.
WE HAVE A GREAT PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP.
SHE CALLED YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT HER MENTAL HEALTH BEHIND THE TIMES.
I DIDN'T, BUT, BUT THERE'S A HUGE, AND THERE WERE 40 PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
40 INCLUDING THE PUBLISHER AND THE EDITOR THAT HEARD WHAT I SAID.
I DID NOT SAY ANYTHING CONCERNING HER ABILITY TO DO HER JOB.
I WAS SYMPATHETIC THAT SHE'S GOT A TOUGH JOB.
AND I SAID, IT'S TOUGH, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE COME PUBLIC AND SAID THAT YOU HAVE PERSONAL CHALLENGES.
I WAS BEING AS SYMPATHETIC AS ANOTHER HUMAN CAN BE.
IT BECAME A NEWS ITEM BECAUSE SOMEONE WANTED TO MAKE IT A NEWS SIZE.
I WORK WITH HER STAFF, I WORK WITH HER AND SPIN DOCTORS.
I'VE WORKED WITH EVERY PERSONALITY IN THE WORLD IN MY 50 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE, INCLUDING THE JUDGE.
I HAVE MY BASE OF SUPPORT, BUT THIS IS NOT THE SEASON FOR POLITICS.
AND THAT'S WHAT SOMEBODY TRIED TO MAKE IT.
OH, YOU, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR POLITICS.
I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR POLITICS AROUND THIS HORSESHOE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BRING UP POLITICAL POSITIONS.
I RAN FOR ONE REASON TO FIX HOUSTON, AND THAT'S WHAT I DO.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHERS WILL BE DOING BETWEEN NOW AND THE 27TH WHEN WE REPORT BACK HERE.
I'LL BE WORKING, WORKING HARD NEW YEAR'S EVE.
I'LL BE OUT ALL NIGHT LONG RIDING WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY FEEL WHEN I WALK UP TO A SCENE.
AND I ALSO GET TO DETECT THINGS THAT I NEED TO COME BACK AND SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO FIX.
MEMORIAL PARK HAS BEEN COMPLETELY TAKEN OVER BY TWO TO 300 INDIVIDUALS FRIDAY NIGHT, SATURDAY NIGHT, WITH THEIR GUNS, DOING THEIR DONUTS, SMOKING THEIR DOPE.
YOU TAKE IT, THEY TAKE OVER THE PARK.
THEY ACTUALLY CALL IT A TAKEOVER.
NOW, WHERE ARE OTHER PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT OUGHT TO BE ADDRESSING THAT PROBLEM? ONE YOUNG MAN GETS UP TO A POLICE CAPTAIN'S CAR STARTS INTIMIDATING HER.
THERE'S VIDEO OF THIS, STICKS HIS TELEPHONE CAMERA IN THE POLICE CAR AND STARTS PHOTOGRAPHING HIM.
WE DON'T HAVE TO STAND FOR THAT.
WE LEFT THERE AND WENT TO THE SCENE ON JENSEN, WHERE A POP-UP PARTY HAPPENS, TWO 16 YEAR OLDS.
I HAD TO SEE THE BODIES THAT ARE ON THE FLOOR AND, AND JUST RACK MY EXPERIENCE.
WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT? VERY LITTLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE THAN YOU CALLING WITH A BARCODE.
NOW OBVIOUSLY TABC IF ALERTED, WHICH WE WILL WORK WITH, COULD DO UNDERAGE DRINKING VIOLATIONS, BUT A LANDLORD JUST TURNS OVER A LEASE TO A COUPLE HUNDRED KIDS.
THERE'S A DISAGREEMENT, DOPES INVOLVED, ALCOHOL'S INVOLVED, AND THEY START KILLING A 13-YEAR-OLD LAID WOUNDED.
I WISH HER A HAPPY HOLIDAY AND UH, IT'S A SHAME THAT PEOPLE WOULD MISREPRESENT MY FEELINGS TOWARDS HER AS BEING VERY SYMPATHETIC AS SOMEONE THAT KNOWS THE PRESSURES OF OUR RESPECTIVE JOBS.
I HAD A GREAT HOUR AND A HALF INTERVIEW WITH THAT.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT CAME OUT AFTER TALKING ABOUT THE COMPLICATIONS OF CITY FINANCES, PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND 200 THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
WELL, AND, AND I'VE BEEN HERE TOO LONG TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
SOME ANALYSTS SAID THAT YOU EVEN SPECULATING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SHE WOULD RUN IS BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SEE, I ONLY TELL THE IS YOU WANNA SEE A CHALLENGER.
IF Y'ALL WOULD DO YOUR JOB AND GO DO YOU CHALLENGER, WOULD YOU BACK THE CHALLENGER? I WAS TOLD THAT BY COUNTY OFFICIALS.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO A CHALLENGER, DO YOU WANNA SEE ONE AND WOULD YOU BACK ONE? I'M NOT, I'M, I JUST TOLD YOU TWO MINUTES AGO.
THERE WILL BE A TIME FOR POLITICS.
THERE'LL BE A TIME FOR A MAYOR'S RACE.
THERE'LL BE A TIME FOR COUNCIL RACES.
WE JUST CAME OUT OF THE NOVEMBER SEASON.
LEAVE THE POLITICS OUT THERE AT THE,
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IN THE HALL.AND I HAVE NO OPINION WHATSOEVER ON COUNTY POLITICS.
I'M FULL-TIME WORKING ON RUNNING THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND DOING A DARN GOOD JOB.
MAYOR, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE FINAL ALLOCATIONS OF ARPA FUNDING WITH THE FEDERAL DEADLINE AROUND THE CORNER? IT'S BEEN USED UP.
AND UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LIST OF ONE TIME FUNDING FROM THAT SOURCE FOR ONGOING PROJECTS.
IT'S COMING NOW, OBVIOUSLY WE GOT A NEW ADMINISTRATION, NEW TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
IT'S GONNA BE VERY INTERESTING, A REVIEW OF PROJECTS BY THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.
BUT ARPA MONEY HAS BEEN USED AND, AND ALL THE SPIN I INHERITED, YOU KNOW, 3000 NEW HOMES, TRY MAYBE 30.
I CAN GO ON AND ON, BUT THAT'S NOT THE PURPOSE.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE LAST YEAR ON THIS JOB AND GETTING THINGS DONE.
WHAT DID YOU WANNA SEE THE MONEY SPENT ON IN THIS FINAL QUARTER? WHAT DID I WANT TO SEE IT SPENT ON? IT WAS ALL DEDICATED, BUT JUST SOME WERE USED A LITTLE BIT FOR POLICE OVERTIME.
BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT WAS ALL COMMITTED.
AND I RAN THROUGH THE DEPARTMENTS AND SAID, IF YOU HADN'T ALREADY SPENT IT, WE'D LIKE TO RECOVER SOME.
AND VERY LITTLE WAS NOT COMMITTED TO ONE TIME PROJECTS, YOU KNOW.
HOW ABOUT THE, UH, WEST GRAY MULTI-SERVICE CENTER? I COULD GO ON AND ON.
THE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR ONE TIME ROOF REPAIRS.
THAT'S THE MOST POPULAR MULTI SERVICE CENTER IN THE, IN THE CITY.
AND LEMME TELL YOU ANOTHER ONE.
TALK ABOUT NOT TOUCHING THE HOMELESS CO UH, PROPOSAL I GOT GOING FORWARD.
MET WITH SADDLE WHITE YESTERDAY UNTIL WE PUT 5 MILLION OF CITY MONIES IN THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE TWO WEEKS AGO.
NOT $1 OF CITY MONEY HAD BEEN PUT INTO HOMELESS.
ANYWAY, THAT'S ANOTHER PROJECT I'M PROUD OF.
WE'RE GOING TO LET CORPORATE HOUSTON CENTRAL HOUSTON TAKE THE LEAD 'CAUSE THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR MONEY UP FRONT.
AND WE'RE GONNA FIND HOUSING, RESIDENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR THE HOMELESS.
IT'S ONE OF MY HIGHEST PRIORITIES.
UH, IN THE ABSENCE OF JOB FUNDS, HOW DO YOU ENVISION YOUR ADMINISTRATION'S PLANS TO RESTORE HOUSTON'S HISTORICALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT? WELL, OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING I CAN AND I'VE GOT A STRONG RECORD OF WORKING IN THE BLACK COMMUNITIES, UH, AS A STATE SENATOR.
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS SUPPORTED AND VOTED ME SINCE I WAS 22 YEARS OLD.
SO I HAVE A SPECIAL COMMITMENT TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, AGER, HOME INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS.
MANY OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN SEVERELY NEGLECTED AND IGNORED.
ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS TALK TO THE RESIDENTS AND THEY'RE, AND THEY WANT ACTION.
THEY APPLAUD OUR ENERGY THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO THE JOB.
AND IN NO NONSENSE HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM OF MY TEAM.
THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT WE'VE BROUGHT IN TO HAVE ANGELA BLANCHARD, WHO RAN BAK RIPLEY, THE PREMIER SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY IN THIS COMMUNITY TO COME WORK FOR ME IS UNBELIEVABLE.
MIKE NICHOLS TO LEAVE RETIREMENT AND COME BACK.
SO LEMME JUST TELL YOU, WE'VE PUT A TEAM TOGETHER THAT'S THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
MY TWO POLICE CHIEFS PUTTING CHIEF 10 OVER AT METRO.
HE'S ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN LESS THAN A MONTH.
SIMPLE THINGS LIKE PUTTING ADDITIONAL LIGHTING AT THE TRANSIT STATIONS, PLACING AN OFFICER THERE DURING PEAK HOURS.
WE ARE MOVING THIS CITY FORWARD AND I GOTTA GO TO WORK.