Maybe? I don’t know. I guess it depends on how you define “fretting”.
Mayor Sylvester Turner
The resignation of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s top deputy – a social justice advocate and one of the mayor’s few confidants in a sea of senior staff appointed by the previous mayor – is fueling worry among aides and allies about the administration’s commitment to the progressive policy goals on which he campaigned.
Turner for months has downplayed his unusual decision to entrust much of the implementation and communication of his policies to his predecessor’s staff, urging focus on big-ticket accomplishments, such as bringing a pension reform deal to the state legislature, soothing tempers on City Council and closing last year’s $160 million budget gap.
However, chief of staff Alison Brock’s departure just 15 months into Turner’s term has stoked renewed angst among supporters who think Turner has not championed the progressive platform for which they worked to get him elected.
“We’re a little concerned, because she was that voice at the table, so we were confident our concerns were being heard,” said Tarsha Jackson of the Texas Organizing Project. “Now, we’re just hopeful the mayor gets someone that shares his vision, the vision that he had when he ran for office. We don’t have an ally in the mayor’s office right now.”
Jackson, who met and befriended Brock in 2004 when she was Turner’s legislative aide, said TOP’s attempts to reform city economic development policies have stalled, despite Brock’s support.
Labor leader Linda Morales said the same of her efforts to push an ordinance asking city contractors to provide better wages, community engagement and job training.
“Labor wants to be a partner with the mayor,” she said. “We want him to speak to his staff and get on the program with us because it’s his agenda we’re trying to push.”
Turner distinguished himself as a candidate on such issues, calling for a higher minimum wage and pushing the city to require recipients of tax incentives to pay higher salaries. He also decried Houston’s economic inequality, stressing the need to “build a city for the middle class.”
Despite maintaining similar rhetoric in office, the mayor has hesitated to bring forward sweeping progressive policy proposals. His much-hyped “Complete Communities” plan aimed at revitalizing Houston’s under-served neighborhoods, for example, still awaits implementation. As for employee benefits, the city passed an ordinance last year suggesting companies seeking tax breaks offer additional benefits but did not require them to do so.
“The mayor is being cautious, in my opinion maybe too cautious. He’s got issues he wants to pass at the state Legislature, so he’s trying to make his way through the land mines without having folks hurt his possibility of passing pension reform,” said Morales, of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. “I understand that totally, but there’s other things I know, as a collective, progressives want to move.”
The mayor bristled at any perception of sluggish progress.
“Compare my track record with any previous mayor, and if they did as much. Name me one mayor in the last 20 years that has brought forth a pension reform package to this point. … Name me one mayor that has attended more events than I have,” Turner told reporters. “Even though I came in on a very close vote, I have governed in a very uniform, universal fashion.”
Texas Southern University political scientist Jay Aiyer largely agreed.
“Other than (former Mayor Bob) Lanier, he’s probably the most successful first-term mayor I’ve seen,” said Aiyer, who served as former mayor Lee Brown’s chief of staff.
I get Tarsha Jackson and Linda Morales’ concerns. Mayor Turner did run a progressive campaign, and he did talk about a lot of non-pension things. To be fair, that was in part because the other guy was talking about it more than enough for everyone. Mayor Turner was always going to have to deal with that, and I feel like lots of things are sort of waiting in the wings until a pension bill gets through the Legislature. (Assuming one does; if that doesn’t happen, it’s hard to say what comes next.) That was basically the theme of look back at Year One story on the Mayor. I think it’s fair to say that if he gets a win on this big issue, it not only restores a lot of oxygen for everything else, it gives him some momentum and capital to push for things that will generate significant political opposition, which includes a lot of the agenda Jackson and Morales are hoping to see get enacted.
I recognize that it sucks to hear that these progressive items that Mayor Turner campaigned on have to wait. It’s far from the first time that has been the message, and I’m sure Jackson and Morales have lost count of the number of times they have heard it. I don’t know what else to suggest other than if you think Mayor Turner is still basically the same person as Candidate Turner was, you’ll need to have faith that he will do as he said he would. Easy for me to say, I know. The other thing I could add is that given the anti-local control nature of this legislative session, there are strategic reasons for waiting till after sine die to roll out a plan for an increased minimum wage or the like. Again, I know what that sounds like. Jackson and Morales clearly understand how and why things are. A little reminder to the Mayor that they’re still here seems like a reasonable strategy. A press release from the Mayor in response to this story is here.
Getting (!) Pension approval and (2) removing the CAP should be the two priorities. Number one fails those two persons will be fighting to save jobs not about pay increases. Number 2 will give the City a cushion to start working on those “Progressive” items like pay increases.
Unions should be competitive, if not they should not be first in line unless they can prove superior work product.
Much more reasonable and reasoned than the discussion I’m having on Facebook with some defenders of Turner’s alleged progressivism.
Interesting that so far, at least, I like the job Turner is doing, specifically because he is running the city for the benefit of [shocker] the taxpayers and residents of the city. When the city contracts out work, it ought to be seeking the highest quality work at the lowest price….just like every other business. If that means a company with union labor provides that quality at the lowest price, then great. If that means that a right to work company provides that quality at the lowest price, then that’s great, too.
Don’t we want the government treating all of it’s citizens (and contractors) equally? That means a meritocracy, not picking winners and losers based on union affiliation.
Turner’s mayoral playform wasn’t too impressive.
There really wasn’t any new or interesting policy ideas.
@Joe:
Doing something, ANYTHING, about the pension mess is new, compared to all the previous mayors kicking the can down the road, don’t you think?
Also, do I need to bring up Turner’s pothole pledge, and his fulfillment of that? Is that interesting? Maybe not, but it’s appreciated, by anyone who travels in the city.
The appointment of Acevedo to HPD cannot be overstated in terms of importance for progressives.
Pension Obligation Bonds are nothing new. City council menbers could try listing tax loopholes created by legislature.
Potholes? The revenue cap needs to be repealed
Still waiting for houston city council to figure out some form of paid parental leave.
I like the job Turner is doing so far. progressives don’t. Not surprised.
I’m just glad he hasn’t wasted any time, or money, on unworkable, expensive ideas like paid parental leave or a city owned bank.
Austin and San Antonio have paid parental leave.
Doing a basic feasibility study on a public bank isn’t that hard to do.
But then again city of houston voters arent too bright. If Republicans in Arizona and North Dakota can understand public banking why cant jack christie?
City council could expand it’s current ban the box ordinance to private employers. That’s a very non partisan policy idea.
I thought it was hilarious that i recieved 5-10% of the vote and had more/better ideas than some mayoral candidates.
Ross that is RIGHTEOUS
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