Can’t wait to see what the budget looks like, because I have no idea how this is all going to work.
Mayor John Whitmire
Houston police officers will receive “the best (benefits) package in anyone’s memory,” Mayor John Whitmire said Friday, but how the city can afford the deal will remain unclear until he presents his budget proposal next week.
Whitmire, along with HPD Chief Noe Diaz and Houston Police Officers Union President Douglas Griffith, announced the results of months of meet-and-confer contract negotiations Friday morning: rank-and-file officers will receive raises totalling 36.5 percent over five years, costing the city an extra $76 million in 2026, and $832 million over the life of the contract, Whitmire said. The police department budget this year topped $1.07 billion.
City leaders for months have projected a deficit of more than $220 million in the upcoming fiscal 2026 budget, stemming in part from last year’s $1.5 billion contract and backpay settlement with the firefighters’ union. Whitmire on Friday said he will present a balanced budget proposal on Tuesday.
Efforts to reduce the projected deficit include a voluntary retirement incentive package offered to municipal employees, implementation of efficiencies identified in a citywide operations study and consolidation of departments, Whitmire said. He also has worked with Harris County, the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Texas Legislature to secure additional revenue and project funding.
“It was always frustrating to me to sit there and listen to other elected officials and maybe even outside critics,” Whitmire said. “They were saying, ‘How are you going to fund this?’ Fund what? The old model that we knew was broken or the new model which you’re seeing going in operation now?”
Controller Chris Hollins must certify the city has enough money to fund the proposed budget, and City Council must approve the spending plan prior to the July 1 start of the new fiscal year.
A spokesman for Hollins said the controller’s office was not briefed on the details of the tentative police contract Friday and could not provide comment on whether it represents a good deal for the city.
Whitmire said he and the union approached negotiations with the same goal of gaining “the very best” deal for the officers. Taxpayers, Whitmire said, will applaud increased officer pay because they want funds to go toward public safety.
“Worked with Harris County” sure is a funny way of putting it. Not really clear, at least to me, what the “worked with Metro” part of this is doing for the budget, but I suppose we’ll get some clarity on that next week. Lack of detail and keeping things secret have been a big part of this whole process. And of just about everything Whitmire has done or said he’s doing so far.
The Chron has some more about the proposed deal.
Whitmire said the contract, which he believes will help with recruiting and retention, will make Houston police officers the highest-earning law enforcement officers of major departments in Texas. Austin had recently become the highest-paid after their recent contract agreement, Whitmire said, but those salary increases haven’t yet led to a noticeable increase in recruiting efforts.
He said he thinks retention and recruiting is a more complicated effort than just salaries, as it requires a good culture and strong plan on what to do with additional staff. Whitmire estimated the department would need to bolster its officer ranks by as many as 1,200 more officers.
[…]
As Whitmire works to fulfill a campaign promise to focus on public safety and improve working conditions for police, the city is staring down the barrel of a $330 million budget deficit in the next fiscal year.
Whitmire didn’t say exactly how the city would pay for the new contract, but vowed the new proposed budget would be balanced and that the voluntary retirement package and other savings realized in recent months would pay dividends.
City Finance Director Melissa Dubowski said they were set to unveil a proposed 2026 budget Tuesday that would be balanced and account for the new police contract. Steven David, deputy chief of staff for Whitmire, said the voluntary retirement package would help the city see between $40 million to $50 million in savings in the general fund in the upcoming fiscal year. Officials estimate around 1,057 took the voluntary retirement offer, their final day coming Thursday as they filed into the city hall basement to fill out retirement paperwork and turn in their city-issued technology.
The police union’s proposed contract is a stark increase compared to any in recent memory. The current contract, which was set to expire June 30, gave officers 10.5% in raises over three years – 4%, 3% and 3.5% over the contract. It was roughly in line with previous deals. Officers received 7% raises over two years before that, and 2% in 2021 when that deal expired.
Under the proposed deal, officers will receive 10% raises in July, and then 8% raises in 2026, 6% raises in both 2027 and 2028 and 6.5% raises in 2029, according to documents shown to the Chronicle.
In addition to the salary increases, the new contract also includes extra pay for patrol work and shift differences, which means a first-year officer receiving shift and weekend differential would make around $81,600 starting July 1, officials estimate.
The tentative agreement will also give officers the opportunity to reduce any suspensions of three days or less down to discipline without a suspension and give those suspended five days or less the opportunity to use up to 10 days. Officers will only be orally interrogated by internal affairs if criminal activity is suspected, records show.
Officers who are called to court will also receive a minimum four hours of overtime, compared to the existing two-hour minimum, records show.
I mean, good for the union to get their people paid more. In addition to wanting to know how we’re going to pay for this – the nickel and dime savings the Mayor has scrounged up from here and there won’t cover this, and he still is in denial about the need for more revenue – I’d also like to understand why we can’t expect better performance from HPD, whether as part of this or just as a baseline expectation. Again, we’ll see what the budget says and what Council and Controller Hollins think.
Is it possible that Whitmire and his Republican buddies are going to force Hollins (a potential rival) to shoot down a contract the city cant afford so Whitmire can run for reelection on a Republican inspired – but dishonest – “Dems are weak on crime” campaign?