Welcome back to Houston newsmakers we’ve been speaking with state Senator John
Whitmire. Now, an announced candidate for the City
of Houston mayor. Now, you still state senator, you had a session starting,
I will go to Austin in January,
okay? How does that going to work? Because going to work real well, because I deal
with so many Houston issues and Austin were going to get after the cat
of the
medic converter thieves,
we’re going to put
a minimum of
10%
on bond
releases, so
a lot of issues.
That houstonians are talking to me about will attempt
and we will address them
this spring. I have a senior staff.
In fact, the best staff in the capital, which
will be the experience at City Hall as well.
So if you know what you’re doing
and you’re committed,
it’ll manage itself throughout. It’s just a five-month session.
We
normally work
Tuesday to Thursday
people travel from all over the state.
So
the time has been planned very effectively. So a lot of
the issues
at
in the
capital.
It is a
split and Democrats. Clearly once again are in
disadvantage as far as legislative issue, whose concern,
a
couple of topics, want to talk about
gun control, here,
any type
of
anything changing in that regard. We’ve seen so much happened, negatively
in this country and in this state.
But our
gun laws, some would argue
still offer people chances to get a hold of guns that they probably shouldn’t.
They
have sponsored the red flag legislation, which allows
medical
doctors in the emergency room. If someone’s threatening folks or
if law enforcement runs into someone
or social media. So that someone
is having emotional problems.
Go into court, having due process, you could go to their house,
and
hold their farms for up to 90 days that is working. Effectively
in other states,
the assault rifle problem. We all know how terrible
that is. I do not know why reasonable rational people
Would not raise that age to 21
have background checks, but
elections matter.
And the current Administration in Austin
is not favorable
toward taking those reasonable steps.
I will be outspoken.
I’m a Democrat but I do understand you work
across the aisle, I get things done. And I can count
and
with the huge majority of Republicans in the house and the Democrat
and the current governor.
If you don’t sit down at the table
exchange ideas,
Has
respect the other one’s views. You’re not going to get things done. This
in the mayor’s race is not a partisan election. But quite frankly,
some of the candidates you would think are running in a Democratic primary.
I’m
running to represent all houstonians. As I’ve said earlier,
trash pickup is not a Republican or Democratic issue, and I noticed
that your
Finance chair
is the guy’s got a little money in his own. He’s got a little jingle
Tillman, 42, billionaire, but he also supported
Governor Abbott, lieutenant, governor Patrick, and
the attorney general
and
So that’s like the people. Whoa. What is that all about? It shows,
Tillman is concerned about the city of Houston.
He’s done great things that uh, he has probably more
invested in Houston than any other individual
and he understands what a great City we have. But if we don’t
fix today’s problems, particularly Public Safety,
and infrastructure so Tim, and I’ve had very strong
discussions.
He understands he and I disagree on some things. I his choice
of candidates in other
levels of government are not much.
Choices. But we agreed that we need to improve
Houston.
State
of Texas, has continued to keep his eye on the Houston, Independent School
District,
that affects a lot of students in our community.
What’s your, take on, what’s going on on that level?
I’m very concerned about HIV have been concerned
and I think we need to get to the superintendent and opportunity
to show what he can do.
I think as mayor you cannot control the schools, but
you can certainly speak out and emphasize it, make
it a priority for all Houston.
Aeneas because I visit with people that moved to Houston
where do you think they locate
they come to work in Houston but they
buy a residency in Pearland because of schools.
You
in Sugar Land
Katie we want people to live in
work in Houston
and we need good schools to do that. And I will lend my support
to the superintendent and those that want to fix
HISD, when you first walked in the door here, I told you we could probably
take about three hours but we don’t, we don’t, but we’re going to continue
our conversation on you.
Is Makers, extra
continue to talk about some things because I heard you say something
about police chief in there and I want to talk to you about that as well,
but as we move to that I mean emphasize that we have a police
chief. I think Troy finner, given the opportunity
is a great public servant
in can
attack crime
in ways that
it hasn’t been allowed to.
We’ve got to tell the bad guys, you need to relocate because you’re
here and we need to work with the county in the certainly, the backlog
please
are doing a good job. They’re
Understaffed, we need to do more aggressive recruiting,
we need to do lateral, hiring
the city. For some reason, will not go to Austin or Seattle, and
encourage their police officers to relocate, they want to.
And
we ought to do everything. We can to get more
officers
on the street. We’ll have to leave it there, Senator
will continue on newsmakers extra wood. You’ll be able to see online
on our newsmakers page on click2houston.com.