Tag Archives: deficit

Whitmire’s budget passes

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

On to the next thing. The City Council approved Mayor John Whitmire’s nearly $7 billion budget on Wednesday after months of strenuous efforts to cut costs and streamline services as officials contended with the largest deficit in Houston’s history. The … Continue reading →

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Why are we messing with pension reform?

Posted on June 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I do not understand this. The Texas Legislature, with Mayor John Whitmire’s support, is on the cusp of rolling back reforms to Houston’s police and firefighter pensions, worrying experts who call the changes premature, ill-considered, even “stupid.” The proposal comes … Continue reading →

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Judge approves the Whitmire drainage settlement deal

Posted on May 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Okay then. A Harris County District Court judge on Friday approved Mayor John Whitmire’s settlement agreement with plaintiffs to phase in payments to the city’s drainage fund, his office said. The final confirmation comes after more than a month of tension among … Continue reading →

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Storm recovery group challenges Whitmire’s drainage deal

Posted on May 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Plot twist coming, maybe. I’m skipping the first part of this story in which we rehash the 2010 ReNew Houston vote, the ways that Houston made use of the drainage fee revenue that were later challenged in court, the court … Continue reading →

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Controller Hollins has some questions about the budget

Posted on May 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This hit my inbox on Tuesday evening, so I didn’t see it in time to queue something up for yesterday. Ahead of Wednesday’s City Council vote on the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, City Controller Chris Hollins has released a … Continue reading →

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Hollins wants a final ruling on the drainage deal before he’ll certify the budget

Posted on May 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Okay. Controller Chris Hollins said he won’t certify Mayor John Whitmire’s 2026 budget until the court makes a decision on the city’s payment agreement with the plaintiffs in a years-long streets and drainage lawsuit, Hollins told the Houston Chronicle following a budget trends report Tuesday. Whitmire earlier … Continue reading →

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Mayor Whitmire releases his 2026 budget

Posted on May 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still trying to figure this out. Mayor John Whitmire proposed a $7 billion budget Tuesday for fiscal year 2026, closing a projected $220 million deficit without implementing new fees or taxes for residents. The proposal pulls $3.03 billion from Houston’s general fund, … Continue reading →

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Here’s the Mayor’s deal with HPD

Posted on May 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t wait to see what the budget looks like, because I have no idea how this is all going to work. Houston police officers will receive “the best (benefits) package in anyone’s memory,” Mayor John Whitmire said Friday, but how … Continue reading →

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How much does Houston want to piss off its neighbors?

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is me, shaking my head. A proposal to cut Houston in on revenue generated through the county’s toll roads is threatening the city’s relationship with county officials and neighboring jurisdictions. The legislation making its way through both the Texas House … Continue reading →

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Taking from Harris to give to Houston

Posted on April 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This story from Tuesday perplexed me a little at first. Harris County would have to turn over tens of millions in toll road dollars to the city of Houston for use on public safety and emergency services under a bill … Continue reading →

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Taking the package

Posted on April 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The city’s workforce is voluntarily shrinking. More than 700 city of Houston employees are set to retire May 1 after accepting voluntary buyouts, city officials said Thursday. Many of the positions will have to be backfilled, but Whitmire administration officials … Continue reading →

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Can we make HPD more efficient?

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

You’d think that would be a thing we’d all want. Mayor John Whitmire has made clear he intends to boost salaries and benefits for Houston police officers in their new union contract, but those increases will not be tied to … Continue reading →

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I got those “too much overtime cost” blues

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

More overtime, more problems. The city of Houston is expected to spend twice as much as it budgeted on overtime this year, contributing to next year’s projected $330 million deficit, the city controller’s office said Tuesday. Overtime costs for Houston … Continue reading →

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More efficiency studying

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Sure, why not. Houston Public Works and the city controller’s office will receive deeper analyses of their operations and finances after the city council on Wednesday voted to expand the purview of Mayor John Whitmire’s efficiency study. The study, completed … Continue reading →

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And here comes the voluntary retirement plan

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like the obvious move. In a letter sent to city employees Thursday, [Mayor John] Whitmire wrote that the city will be offering a “one-time Voluntary Municipal Retirement Payout Option” to employees who are eligible for retirement. The plan will … Continue reading →

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City to implement hiring freeze

Posted on March 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Houston Mayor John Whitmire is planning to implement a hiring freeze in the coming days that will impact all city departments except fire and police, a city spokesperson confirmed. While an exact … Continue reading →

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Here’s that Whitmire government efficiency report

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m whelmed. A sweeping study of Houston’s 22 departments, their finances and operations revealed potential misuse of city credit cards and a pressing need to streamline city government to make it more efficient, according to an executive summary obtained by … Continue reading →

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Hollins’ warning about the budget

Posted on February 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is where we are. Houston could face a $330 million deficit in the next fiscal year – up by approximately $100 million after the Texas Supreme Court denied the city’s motion to appeal a years-long court battle over street … Continue reading →

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Miles’ record on the HISD budget

Posted on November 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A closer look from the Houston Landing. In his first year, Houston ISD’s state-appointed superintendent, Mike Miles, ushered in several changes that sparked massive media attention and community pushback — but another important set of shake-ups took place largely behind … Continue reading →

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TEA clears Third Future Schools

Posted on October 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news for Mike Miles. The Texas Education Agency’s investigation into alleged misuse of state funds concluded Third Future Schools — a Colorado-based charter school network founded by Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles — did not violate any Texas laws. The investigation also … Continue reading →

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We’re not cutting our way out of this

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A preview of today’s budget debate from the Houston Landing. Four city council members are proposing a 5 percent increase in Houston’s property tax rate they say would enable the city to avoid $86 million in spending cuts and bring … Continue reading →

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Whitmire plays his greatest hits

Posted on September 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor John Whitmire gave his first State of the City address this week. Here’s the preview story for what we were to expect. Mayor John Whitmire will lay out his administration’s priorities during his inaugural State of the City address … Continue reading →

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Board of Managers passes Mike Miles’ budget

Posted on June 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It was a close vote, but as we kids used to say, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. In their most divided vote taken to date, members of Houston ISD’s state-appointed school board on Thursday narrowly approved a … Continue reading →

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Miles to decimate wraparound services

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a bad idea. State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said social work services for students will be provided by a trimmer team of wraparound specialists who will each serve multiple campuses and refer students to off-campus support centers. Houston ISD … Continue reading →

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First look at the HISD budget

Posted on May 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’re up to $500 million in cuts. But we still don’t have any details. The multibillion-dollar question of how Houston ISD intends to balance its budget went largely unanswered Thursday night, with district administrators revealing few specifics about job or … Continue reading →

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More on the improper use of funds allegations against Mike Miles

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Other outlets are on this now. A state lawmaker and Houston teachers are calling for Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles to be investigated after a Spectrum News report revealed that millions in Texas public school tax dollars may … Continue reading →

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A “WTF, HISD?” roundup

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Expect more protests later this week. Houston ISD families plan to protest Saturday morning near City Hall as word of forced principal and teacher departures rip through campuses as the end of the first year since state takeover approaches. Community … Continue reading →

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Mayor Whitmire unveils his first budget

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Here ya go. Amid Houston’s strained financial outlook, Mayor John Whitmire unveiled a $6.7 billion budget proposal on Tuesday, announcing he does not intend to raise taxes or significantly cut city services during the fiscal year starting in July. The … Continue reading →

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Multiple schools protest Mike Miles

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The people are angry. Roughly 200 parents and students started their day protesting in front of Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School, one of many Houston ISD campuses sent into turmoil last week with news that their principal was … Continue reading →

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More on the coming HISD cuts

Posted on May 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I repeat, this is going to suck. An undisclosed number of Houston ISD teachers and principals received notices this week that they will be out of a job, state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said Thursday. Miles said principals have begun making … Continue reading →

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HISD budget cuts coming

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is going to get ugly. Houston ISD’s state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said Friday afternoon that the school district is facing an estimated $450 million gap in funding that will largely be made up by staff reductions as federal pandemic … Continue reading →

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Parking meter extended hours proposal withdrawn

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Probably dead, though I suppose it could come back. Proposals to make it easier to extend parking meter enforcement hours and install speed cushions did not advance at Houston’s inaugural Proposition A committee meeting Tuesday, after both failed to meet … Continue reading →

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Parking meter extension proposal sent to Prop A committee

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We sure do live in a different world now. City Council voted on Wednesday to send a proposal extending parking meter enforcement times to committee following a clash between council members who introduced the agenda item and those who expressed … Continue reading →

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Extending parking meter hours downtown

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m okay with this. Houston City Council will vote to extend the time residents will have to pay city parking meters on Wednesday. The current ordinance requires drivers who park in metered spots to pay between 7 a.m. and 6 … Continue reading →

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