Mayor Whitmire’s double talk. Only in his world, and maybe Trump’s world, is spending more than what he brings in, a balanced budget.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced a “balanced budget” of $7 billion for Houston’s upcoming fiscal year on Tuesday, saying it would aim to effectively eliminate the city’s deficit of more than $200 million.
While Whitmire maintained that there was “no deficit” per the budget proposal, documents outlining the financial plan displayed a gap of $107 million between the city’s projected revenue and expenditures. The difference would require officials to dip into the city’s fund balance.
That is two years in a row that Whitmire has had to dip into the emergency pool that the former mayor left for him. Unless Whitmire cuts more or brings in more revenue next year, he will have to dip into the emergency pool for more money. Barring any emergency, he will run out of the funds former Mayor Turner left in two more years.
Whitmire emphasized that the current budget proposal avoids layoffs—for now—but warned that all options remain open if financial conditions change. He also vowed to root out any conflicts of interest embedded in city finances, taking a swipe at prior administrations for what he described as flawed and outdated budgeting practices.
“It’s been very frustrating for over a year to hear my critics say, ‘How you’re going to pay for it,” Whitmire said. “Pay for what? For the old model? That had 1,700 people working at home? The old model that had 2,800 people eligible for retirement?”
Mayor, did you offer police officers and firemen an early payout for retiring?
Of course not, Mayor. You just have a bad habit of spouting falsehoods. If the old model doesn’t work, why did you not allow police and fire the same option?
