Houston's new budget could come down to this feud
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Houston Controller Chris Hollins and Mayor John Whitmire. Photos: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images; Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
While Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Controller Chris Hollins argue two sides of City Hall's $7 billion budget proposal in the coming weeks, each may be quietly plotting ambitions for the next mayor's race, political experts tell Axios.
Why it matters: Hollins could derail the delicate budget process at the time the city faces a $174 million shortfall and struggles to reliably deliver basic services.
Catch up quick: Each spring, the mayor's job is to propose the city's annual budget that must be approved by City Council to fund services like police, parks and libraries.
- The controller is Houston's elected financial watchdog and is tasked with verifying the city has enough money to pay for the budget.
What they're saying: "Naturally, there's going to be tension between the two during budget season," University of Houston political expert Brandon Rottinghaus tells Axios, citing a "hellish" combination of factors that strain the city's finances.
Driving the news: The feud between the two goes deeper than dollars and cents, he says.
- "You've got these two running against each other effectively for mayor," Rottinghaus says. "Both men have an eye toward future ambitions."
Flashback: Hollins and Whitmire ran for mayor in a crowded field in 2023, but Hollins dropped out of the race after then-U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee announced her campaign.
- Whitmire beat Jackson Lee in a runoff. Hollins ran for city controller, winning the seat outright.
- Ever since, the two have sparred over the city's finances publicly — an issue typically resolved between the mayor and controller behind closed doors in decades past, Rottinghaus says.
The latest: Hours after Whitmire announced his budget proposal at a press conference this month, Hollins accused the mayor of downplaying its impact to residents and taxpayers.
- Whitmire said the proposal, which syphons cash from the city's water fund to pay for general services and adds a $5 user fee for trash collection, paves the way for financial security in the coming years.
- Hollins said hours later that it instead puts the city on a "dangerous financial path."
Threat level: Hollins could refuse to certify the funds. He threatened to do so in 2025 but ultimately approved the certification.
In a statement to Axios, Whitmire's campaign says his strategy is to focus on his duties as mayor and that the "re-election will take care of itself."
- "While others attempt to politicize the budget, the mayor remains laser-focused on delivering another balanced budget without raising taxes," the campaign said in a statement. "The mayor doesn't play politics with the budget or any other city issue."
Hollins' campaign did not respond to questions about his political ambitions or plans to certify Whitmire's budget proposal this year. He has not publicly stated whether he intends to run for controller or mayor next year.
The bottom line: Regardless of whether Hollins will use his political firepower, he's in a good position to remain in office for the time being, Rice University political expert Mark Jones tells Axios.
- "I think Hollins has positioned himself so that he can pivot next year to whichever option seems the most viable for him and his long-term plan to be the mayor of Houston."
What's next: Hollins is hosting a series of town hall meetings to speak with residents about the budget ahead of City Council's vote on June 3.