Whitmire ran a campaign that tapped into voter anxiety about public safety to build a coalition of Republicans, independents and moderate Democrats.
Matt Sledge
Matt Sledge is the City Hall reporter for the Abdelraoufsinno. Before that, he worked in the same role for the Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate and as a national reporter for HuffPost. He’s excited to take detours to the Best Stop Supermarket for pepper jack boudin balls on return trips to Louisiana. A native of Indianapolis, he graduated from Brown University.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Houston City Council eliminates streetlight fee while holding off on water bill reforms
Mayor Sylvester Turner wants City Council to approve nine reforms designed to cut a break for residents who are surprised by high water bills.
Posted inElections
Early voting in Houston mayor runoff ends as it began, with Jackson Lee trying to catch Whitmire
Whitmire holds significant leads in public opinion polls and campaign spending, and nothing Jackson Lee has done appears to have shaken up the race.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Houston city council to consider plan to stop charging residents for new streetlights
The city requires residents requesting streetlights to put up the first year’s operating cost, even though installation is done by CenterPoint Energy.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Turner lays out nine-point reform plan to address Houston water bill complaints
Turner said the nine fixes he is offering for City Council approval should resolve most water bill complaints without hurting the city’s finances.
Posted inElections
Sheila Jackson Lee’s chances in mayor’s race rest on high turnout. Will it be high enough?
While Whitmire can blanket the airwaves with advertisements, Jackson Lee quietly is mustering support from voters via door knocks and phone banks.
Posted inElections
Houston City Hall candidates promise to address drainage, ‘disrespect’ at District B forum
Civic leaders and residents asked candidates for mayor, council and controller how they would solve problems in an area that feels neglected by City Hall.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Harris County DA investigating former Midtown Redevelopment Authority staffer, agency says
The latest details about the Harris County DA probe were included in a letter from authority lawyers and comments Thursday by board chair Al Odom.
Posted inElections
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner defends diversity record, accuses Whitmire of ‘dog whistle'
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday defended his record on diversity and demanded an apology from state Sen. John Whitmire over his comments at a mayoral debate earlier this week. Speaking at a City Council meeting, Turner accused Whitmire of blowing a “dog whistle” when he claimed at a debate on Monday that the mayor […]
Posted inElections
Houston council members seek vote on water bill reforms, using new power on hot-button issue
The proposed ordinance is designed to codify a policy already in place, but also represents a quiet revolution in the balance of power at City Hall.