## Houston Mayor Whitmire Reflects on 2024, Outlines Plans for 2025 in KPRC 2 Interview
On the final day of 2024, Houston Mayor John Whitmire sat down for an exclusive interview with KPRC 2’s Gage Goulding, reflecting on his first year in office and outlining his priorities for the coming year. The interview touched upon a range of crucial issues facing the city, from financial challenges to public safety concerns.
Addressing the city’s financial situation, Mayor Whitmire acknowledged the depletion of federal funding that had propped up the city’s budget in previous years. He stated, “The city’s broke in the sense that the bills have been paid the last four years with federal funding that no longer exists.” He emphasized the need for improved management, eliminating waste and duplication, and combating corruption as solutions, adding that raising taxes should be a last resort.
The interview also addressed the urgent need for improved safety measures at the Milby High School crossing, following the tragic death of a student hit by a train. While acknowledging the calls for a skywalk, Mayor Whitmire highlighted the temporary but effective solution of halting train traffic during school arrival and dismissal times, implemented in cooperation with Union Pacific. He also expressed his expectation that Union Pacific would contribute financially to a more permanent solution.
A significant portion of the discussion focused on public safety, a key tenet of Whitmire’s mayoral campaign. The past year presented considerable challenges for the Houston Police Department (HPD), including the discovery of hundreds of thousands of miscoded and uninvestigated cases. Mayor Whitmire expressed confidence in newly appointed Chief J. Noe Diaz, praising his efforts to boost morale and increase police presence on the streets. However, he also acknowledged ongoing concerns about the release of violent offenders on low bonds, a matter outside the city’s direct control but one he vowed to address proactively in 2025.
Mayor Whitmire repeatedly emphasized that significant time would be needed to reverse years of neglect, estimating it could take seven to eight years to get the city back on track. This prompted speculation about a potential second term, a possibility the Mayor neither confirmed nor denied, stating that his future decisions would be based on the needs and desires of Houston residents. He concluded by expressing his commitment to making Houston “the best city in America.”
About the KPRC 2 Team:
* Gage Goulding: Award-winning TV news reporter and anchor.
* Christian Terry: Digital content producer with a passion for weather and the outdoors.
* Oscar Chavez: Photojournalist.
(Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
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