John Whitmire is sworn in as Houston mayor, promises to tackle crime
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Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios; Photo: Sergio Flores/Bloomberg via Getty Images
New Houston Mayor John Whitmire reaffirmed his commitment to public safety at the inauguration ceremony Tuesday.
Why it matters: Whitmire, a former Democratic state senator, ran his campaign with a promise to focus on crime and working with first responders, and he reinforced that pledge during his first two days in office.
Driving the news: At the inauguration, Whitmire said he would address Houston's homelessness, city services and finances, but he said his "number one priority and the priority of Houstonians is public safety. If we do not address public safety, the other quality of life issues will not matter."
- One of the first things he did after taking the oath of office was join Police Chief Troy Finner in a ride-along. He also sponsored and attended an appreciation event for the city's first responders and municipal workers.
Details: Whitmire said at the inauguration that he wants to hire more police officers to address crime and reduce barriers to entry into the Houston Police Department.
- He also promised to finalize a new contract with the city's firefighters, after seven years of negotiations and a lawsuit against the firefighters' union.
Between the lines: Though violent and nonviolent crimes are down in Houston compared to 2022, they remain higher than pre-pandemic numbers, and crime was a main concern for voters.
- "I know what the stats say. I know they're headed in the right direction from last year, but one year's stats does not explain the fullness of the problem," Whitmire said at the ceremony.
The intrigue: Rice University political expert Bob Stein tells Axios that Whitmire's first challenge will be increasing revenue for the city.
- Houston's budget routinely runs at a deficit, and the city has used one-time pandemic-related American Rescue Plan dollars to plug holes, per Community Impact.
What they're saying: "My sense is that his most immediate issue is going to be money," Stein said. "I think whether he does this tomorrow or the next day, the earlier will always be better."
- One possible avenue is for Whitmire to support raising the city's self-imposed revenue cap, which limits how much the city can rake in through property taxes.
- "You've got political capital, and he has yet to spend it," Stein said. "The first place to spend it is to deal with the cap."
What we're watching: With American Rescue Plan dollars drying up soon, Whitmire will have to find a way to fund his plan to hire more police officers.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that Whitmire sponsored (not just attended) an event for first responders and municipal workers.