[Mayor's Press Conference]
[00:00:07]
THIS MORNING.IT WAS A SHOCK, BUT IT REMINDS US HOW VULNERABLE LIFE IS, UM, PUTS THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.
UH, COUNSEL, AS YOU WITNESSED, IS VERY SAD THAT WE LOST A PUBLIC SERVANT.
THE SIZE AND RECORD OF, UH, MAYOR TURNER, HE'S FOUGHT A COURAGEOUS FIGHT WITH HIS ILLNESS.
UH, I SAW HIM SATURDAY AT THE RODEO PARADE.
AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED, HE AND I WERE ON A PROGRAM TOGETHER A WEEK AGO SUNDAY, AND ACRES HOME, REVEREND WILLIAMS INSTALLATION, HE AND I BOTH ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE FAMILY.
AND, UH, MANY FOLKS, CERTAINLY MANY OF YOU THAT ARE NEW TO HOUSTON, DON'T DO NOT REALIZE OUR HISTORY OF BEING PARTNERS.
UH, I GOT ELECTED AT 23 YEARS OF AGE.
HE RAN FOR, UH, COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN 1981.
THEN HE WENT TO THE LEGISLATURE WHERE FOR 24 YEARS WE WORKED AS A TEAM REPRESENTING THE SAME COMMUNITY.
SO I HAVE NOTHING BUT FOND MEMORIES OF, UH, HIS PARTNERSHIP AND OUR REPRESENTING THE SAME PEOPLE.
UM, POLITICS IS IS A TOUGH BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, HE RAN FOR MAYOR THREE TIMES.
AND I THINK ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH THAT SUCCESSFUL RACE WOULD SAY I PLAYED A VITAL ROLE.
HELPED HIM GET THE POLICE FIREFIGHTER ENDORSEMENT, WHICH WERE REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK I DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF FIRING UP CROWDS FOR HIM AND CERTAINLY, UH, PRESENTED HIM TO HOUSTON AS THE WINNING CANDIDATE ON ELECTION NIGHT.
UM, WE HAD DISAGREEMENTS, BUT THEY WERE NEVER PERSONAL.
AND, UH, OUR FAMILIES WERE CLOSE.
YOU KNOW, NO ONE KNOWS THE PRESSURES OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN GENERAL UNTIL YOU SERVE.
AND NO ONE KNOWS THE PRESSURES OF BEING MAYOR UNTIL YOU HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING MAYOR.
SO, UH, SYLVESTER'S ON OUR MIND TODAY IN THE CITY.
UH, MY CHIEF OF STAFF IS ON HIS WAY TO AUSTIN.
UH, STEVEN DAVID'S ALREADY UP THERE, THE ASSISTANT CHIEF TO PRESENT OUR EFFICIENCY.
ERNST AND YOUNG REPORT TO THE DOGE COMMITTEE AT THE STATE HOUSE.
UH, A LOT OF CHATTER ABOUT WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO THE CITY AND TO COUNCIL ABOUT OUR EFFICIENCIES.
UH, I HOPE MOST OF YOU GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY OUTSTANDING, UH, PROPOSAL.
WE'RE GOING TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, UH, USE MONEY MORE WISELY AND, UM, REALLY TRANSFORM CITY GOVERNMENT.
BUT WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO, AND I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST WE'RE GOING TO DO, IS UNLIKE WHAT'S HAPPENED IN ANY MAJOR CITY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, UH, WE WERE IN WASHINGTON LAST WEEK.
I SAY WE, UH, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, JOSH AND, AND STEVE.
AND DAVID MET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF HUD, DIRECTOR OF TRANS, UH, SECRETARY OF HUD, SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION.
UH, THEY'RE INTERESTED AND AS I BELIEVE AS OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, SEE WHAT WE'RE REALLY EARNESTLY TRYING TO DO, MAKE MAJOR CITY GOVERNMENT WORK AND DO IT EFFICIENT, WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION.
NOW, THAT'S NOT WHY WE'RE DOING IT, BUT THAT'S A RESULT OF, UM,
[00:05:01]
ASKING DEPARTMENT HEADS TO DO MORE TO HAVING A PATHWAY FOR CITY EMPLOYEES TO BE SUCCESSFUL.NOT NECESSARILY HAVING TO BE MADE A SUPERVISOR TO USE YOUR SKILLS AND MAKE SUCH AN IMPACT, BUT, UM, IT'S BEEN KICKED DOWN THE DOWN THE ROAD WAY TOO LONG.
THE, THE ERNST AND YOUNG REPORT NOW WILL BE OUR, OUR MAP WILL MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS IN COMING WEEKS, BUT IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT HOUSTONIANS.
THEY'LL GET BETTER SERVICES THAT THAT FINANCIAL CHALLENGE IS STILL THERE.
BUT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE Y'ALL HEARD THE CONTROLLER AND OTHERS SAY, HOW ARE YOU GONNA PAY FOR IT? I KNEW WHERE I WAS HEADED.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN IN OFFICE 50 YEARS.
AND THE QUESTION I ALWAYS WANTED TO ASK THEM, BUT I KNEW WHAT WE WERE WORKING WITH IN MY OFFICE IS PAY FOR WHAT AN INEFFICIENT, BROKEN SYSTEM, OR DO WE WANT TO FINISH OUR WORK AND PAY FOR THE BEST CITY GOVERNMENT THAT HOUSTON HAS EVER ENJOYED.
SO THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW YOU GONNA PAY FOR THIS? HOW YOU GONNA PAY FOR THE FIRE SETTLEMENT? YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT THROUGH, BUT WE HAVE A PLAN AND IT'S GONNA BE ONE THAT'LL BE RECOGNIZED.
PAY FOR WHAT? IF YOU WANT TO JUST KEEP ON DOING THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, 40% OF OUR SUPERVISORS SUPERVISING THREE OR FEWER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, 2,800 PEOPLE ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT.
THAT'S WHAT OTHER PLAYERS WERE TRYING TO GET YOU TO, TO, TO ANNOUNCE HOW YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT.
WE KNEW STARTING FROM DAY ONE, WE HAD TO CHANGE DIRECTION.
AND THEN IN MAY WE REALIZED WE NEEDED TO REACH OUT TO ERNST AND YOUNG.
AND SO WE'RE ON A PATH TO MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THIS CITY.
AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT ERNS AND YOUNG REVIEW TO DETER IN THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST METRO ALSO WILL GET AN ASSESSMENT BY ERNST AND YOUNG.
YOU THINK THE CITY'S INEFFICIENT.
WAIT TILL YOU SEE THE RESULTS OF REVIEWING METRO LAYERS UPON LAYERS UPON LAYERS OF EMPLOYMENT.
EMPLOYEES, VICE PRESIDENT OF THIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THAT.
SO ANYWAY, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.
I WOULD URGE ALL OF YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TOMORROW TO THE ROLLOUT OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE GEORGE R. BROWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT GOING TO TRANSFORM DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
ALL GREAT CITIES HAVE TO HAVE AN OUTSTANDING CENTRAL DISTRICT AND THROUGH HARD LEGISLATION.
YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS AGO I WAS IN THE SENATE PASSING THAT LEGISLATION UP TO $2 BILLION IN STATE RESOURCES WILL BE USED AT THE FOOTPRINT OF GEORGE R. BROWN, MORE GREEN SPACE, ULTIMATELY ANOTHER HOTEL, A PROMENADE RIGHT THROUGH THE GEORGE R. BROWN, OPENING IT UP FACING THE EAST SIDE OF HOUSTON.
THE EAST SIDE HAS BEEN IGNORED MOST OF MY LIFE.
CERTAINLY ALL OF MY PUBLIC SERVICE.
THE EAST SIDE WILL BE BROUGHT TO CENTRAL HOUSTON WITH THE PLACING OF 45 AND 59 UNDERGROUND.
IT'D BE 30 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE ON THAT CAP.
IT COMPLEMENT DISCOVERY GREEN.
AND FOR 25 YEARS, CITY GOVERNMENT'S BEEN TRYING TO GET CENTER POINT TO MOVE ITS POWER STATION AWAY FROM ACROSS THE STREET OF THE HILTON HOTEL.
IT'S MOVING, IT'S WORSE USE OF PROPERTY YOU CAN IMAGINE RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR CONVENTION CENTER, WE GOT AN OUTDATED EYESORE THAT FOR 25 YEARS, ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE TRIED TO GET IT MOVED.
SO PAY ATTENTION TO MAR YOU OUGHT TO GO TAKE PICTURES.
'CAUSE THE GEORGE BROWN, GEORGE R. BROWN WOULD NOT LOOK THE SAME.
IT'S GONNA BE EXPANDED BY A THIRD.
IT'LL BE READY BY, FOR THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONVENTION IN 28.
[00:10:01]
OF PRETTY GLASS PLAZAS, RETAIL, RESTAURANTS, ENTERTAINMENT.IT'LL, IT'LL GO RIGHT UP AGAINST THE TOYOTA STADIUM.
SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT TOMORROW, UH, AS I MENTIONED, THE TEAM IS ON ITS WAY TO AUSTIN.
THE REST OF THE STATE LEADERSHIP WANTS TO HEAR WHAT WE'RE DOING IN HOUSTON WITH OUR EFFICIENCY STUDY.
UH, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK LEFT.
I'M VERY PUMPED ABOUT OUR SUCCESS.
WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UH, WE'VE BEEN DISCOVERED AND WE'RE PREPARED FOR THE WORLD CUP.
I'M IN MEETINGS REGULARLY ABOUT THE WORLD CUP THINGS THAT HALF NEED TO TAKE PLACE, THE METRO NOW CLEAN UP METRO STATIONS, THE RAIL, THE BUSES, MAKE 'EM CLEAN ON TIME.
SAFE WE'LL HAVE HBD OFFICERS SHARING RESPONSIBILITY WITH METRO POLICE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS HAPPENING.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED WHEN I STARTED, YOU GET A SHOCKING CALL OF A LOSS OF A LEADER, A LOSS OF CIVIC LEADERS.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.
I WOULD CLOSE BY SAYING, REMIND YOU TO HUG YOUR LOVED ONES AND, AND APPRECIATE YOUR FRIENDS AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE PEOPLE SAY, WHITMEYER, YOU CAN'T CARE FOR OTHERS IF YOU DON'T CARE FOR YOURSELF.
SO WITH THAT REMINDER, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MAYOR, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT, UM, CONGRESSMAN TURNER HAD VISITED THE HOSPITAL LAST NIGHT, BUT CAN YOU GIVE ANY CLARITY ON HOW YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T.
I FIRST, I, NO, I JUST KNOW THAT HE WAS AT THE STATE OF THE UNION, FELT, DIDN'T FEEL GOOD, WENT HOME AND THEY TOOK HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.
I DON'T KNOW THAT DIAGNOSIS, SO, BUT I'M CERTAIN WE'LL LEARN.
I GOT A CALL, MY PHONE STARTED BURNING UP AROUND SEVEN THIRTY EIGHT THIS MORNING.
I WAS VERY CAUTIOUS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA CAN MISREPRESENT THINGS.
SO WE DID CONFIRM IT THROUGH FAMILY MEMBERS AND HIS TEAM MEMBERS.
HE'S FOUGHT A COURAGEOUS BATTLE WITH HIS, UH, HIS ILLNESS.
AND LIKE I SAID, I SAW HIM SATURDAY, LOOKED FINE CHURCH.
HE'S REALLY, UH, A REMARKABLE STORY.
HE WAS SO PROUD OF, UH, THE OPPORTUNITIES TORIAN KLINE.
AND, UH, HE NEVER FORGOT WHERE HE CAME FROM.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IMPRESSES ME.
YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE DEALT WITH HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IT'S AMAZING WHAT IT WILL DO TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
I'VE, I'VE KNOWN HIM BEFORE THEN I KNOW HIM AFTER THEY GET ELECTED.
SYLVESTER NEVER FORGOT WHERE HE CAME FROM.
AND SO THAT'LL BE MY MEMORY OF HIM.
AND I ALSO WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE CHALLENGE OF FOLLOWING HIM IN A CHURCH.
HE CAN, HE CAN, HE CAN LIGHT UP A CROWD.
MADE ME PROBABLY A LITTLE BETTER SPEAKER, YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING SOMEDAY, YOU KNOW, I WAS 22 RUNNING FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO BE 21 TO VOTE.
SO I HAD THE CALLING AND ONE OF THE FIRST EVENTS I WENT TO DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WAS IN MAY.
SO I WENT OVER TO A CHURCH THAT SOMEONE INVITED ME TO FOR A TEA AT TWO O'CLOCK THAT SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
AND I GOT THERE AND THEY SAID, WE CAN'T START UNTIL BARBARA JORDAN GETS HERE.
SO THEY WERE GONNA LET ME SPEAK AFTER BARBARA JORDAN.
BARBARA JORDAN WAS A STATE SENATOR.
I WAS NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH HER GREATNESS NOR HER ORATORIAL SKILLS.
SO I GOT TO FOLLOW BARBARA JORDAN.
THEN SHE WENT TO CONGRESS AND I FOLLOWED MICKEY, LELAND MICKEY COULD ALLOWED UP A CROWD.
AND THEN OF COURSE, I THINK CRAIG WASHINGTON IS ONE OF THE SMARTEST PEOPLE I'VE EVER SERVED WITH.
I'VE WATCHED HIM SWAY A JURY WHEN THE FACTS PROBABLY DIDN'T SUPPORT HIM,
[00:15:02]
BUT SYLVESTER WAS THE STATE REP IN THE MIX, CERTAINLY WHEN I GOT TO THE SENATE.SO BETWEEN THAT LINEUP OF OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANTS AND SPEAKERS, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT GET UP IN THE PULPITS AND LIGHT UP THE CROWD.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S AN AMAZING HISTORY AND IT CERTAINLY PREPARED ME FOR THIS JOB.
ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, THANK Y'ALL.
I'M GONNA GO RETURN SOME CALLS.