Chris Hollins & Orlando Sanchez runoff candidate for Houston City Controller
Houston - On a special "You Decide" edition of What's Your Point? Greg Groogan talks with Chris Hollins and Orlando Sanchez, run-off candidates for Houston's City Controller.
On December 9th, Houstonians will choose a new "financial watchdog" to oversee every aspect of how their tax dollars are utilized.
Chris Hollins and Orlando Sanchez are the finalists in the race to be city controller - with each contending they are "best equipped" to help the new mayor and council navigate the substantial fiscal challenges bearing down on municipal government... "sooner" rather than "later."
Bottom line - with billions of dollars in liabilities looming and with federal COVID relief funds used to "plug" budget holes nearly "exhausted"... City leaders have few options.
Statutory caps on property taxation imposed by both the state legislature and local residents "limit" access to new revenue....which could force the next mayor and council to consider "lay-offs" - a reduction of the city's non-essential payroll by as many as two thousand positions.
Reversing the "red" at city hall will demand honest accounting, re-generating trust through transparency, and cost-cutting innovation... And a consistent, independent voice laying out the hard facts.