Notes on the Houston City Council Meeting on June 3, 2026

Agenda

1. Mayor’s Report
2. Public Hearing
3. Consent Agenda (items that require a vote, like purchases, resolutions, ordinances, etc.)
4. Monthly Financial Report
5. Council Member Pop-Off*

*I do not cover pop-off today.

Budget Public Hearing (and tiny Mayor’s Report)

As a brief Mayor’s Report, Mayor Whitmire thanked CM Alcorn and the public for their engagement with the budget. He criticized some public speakers for sharing misinformation, particularly related to the ditch reestablishment program. He said in the FY2026 budget (what we are currently in), the city has spent $31.9M on ditch reestablishment and plans to spend $50.5M in FY27. “We appreciate the passion, but we have really worked long and hard with the council staff and members to respond as folks come forward.”

Mayor Whitmire proposed the budget for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27, which will last from June 2026 through May 2027) on May 5. The mayor’s plan proposes incorporating the Solid Waste Department into Houston Public Works (HPW) and imposing a $5 monthly fee to people who pay water bills, which could ramp up to $25 per month within the next five years. 29 people spoke regarding the budget. Here is a selection.

• 6 people spoke against the $5 fee and advocated for a hardship exemption for those who cannot afford it.
• 4 people from local unions supported the proposed budget. One police officer said, “Some of you see us as part of the problem because of the increase in pay,” but that he has never seen so many cadets at the academy or morale so high.
• 3 people advocated for more BARC funding.
• 1 person advocated for a contest to see if the public or private sector provides better service, which can then inform policy.

• 4 people representing various organizations supported the proposed budget.
• 2 people supported CM Salinas’s proposed amendment to hire temp workers at HPW.
• 1 person representing Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT) advocated against police overspending, particularly highlighting the case of Persia Conway, found murdered on Memorial Day. She criticized HPD’s response, saying they did not fulfill the basic duties of their job and were disrespectful to Persia Conway’s family. “This is about Houston investing in their community and focusing on things that matter, like access to health care, housing, and economic security. The residents of this city deserve a better Houston, not another deficit budget to fund a department unwilling to do the basic duties.”
• 7 people advocated against the proposed budget, particularly calling out police overspending, depletion of the water infrastructure fund, funding inequity, dangers of ICE, and the ditch reestablishment program. Several of these speakers supported CM Ramirez’s tax abatement amendment.

Agenda Items, Selected Works

• Item 7 approved $2M funded by a federal grant to buy meals for first responders during the World Cup.
• Item 8 approved $171K for a one-year extended warranty for the thermal imaging systems HPD uses in its helicopters.
• Items 14-19 all dealt with FY27 budget. These were tagged, so they will get voted on next week. Most CMs delayed discussion of their proposed amendments to next week, except for CM Salinas:
  1. $3M to handle illegal dumping
  2. $500K for temporary workers at HPW until vacancies are filled
  3. A mechanism to allow financial assistance for the $5 fee
• Item 20 approved an agreement with the lot adjacent to the unhoused navigation center at 419 Emancipation Ave, which the city intends to convert into green space.
• Item 27 approved $31M to renovate the existing BARC facility and build a new BARC adoption center at 105 Sabine Street. CM Castillo praised these projects and advocated for more BARC funding, such as a collaboration with Harris County or a local government corporation, like the zoo.
• Item 28 approved $216K in federal grant funding for additional ambulance services during the World Cup.
• Item 29 approved an additional $1M, funded by a federal grant, on top of $818K already spent, for asbestos removal at Biscayne at Cityview Apartments.
• Item 30 increased a contract for repair services for water purification plants by $22M (from $11M → $33M).
• These items were not voted on: CM Castillo tagged Item 25, CM Pollard tagged Item 33.

HPD Overtime at 419 Emancipation Ave

Item 35 authorized an agreement for Harris County to reimburse the city $750K for HPD overtime pay at 419 Emancipation Ave. Item 36 did the same but for a reimbursement from METRO. 419 Emancipation Ave is a recently opened center that provides support for unhoused people while they await more permanent housing.

• CM Salinas advocated for officers at 419 to have appropriate training.
• CM Thomas praised 419 Emancipation and encouraged her colleagues to visit. She outlined the partnerships and community feedback shaping the project.
• Mayor Whitmire said 419 has been open for one week, is currently housing 80 people, and that three people have already moved on to more permanent housing. He said feedback has been positive. Whitmire said eventually 419 will have the capacity to help 1K people annually. He said that funding is coming in from foundations and the project is getting national attention. He said that removing unhoused people also maintains “viability” downtown, because of corporate employees who “did not want to come back to work after COVID because they didn’t want to encounter the homeless population.”

• CM Carter explained that law enforcement working at 419 works a full time job and then at 419 for overtime, which she said is evidence of their commitment to the unhoused. She is advocating for funding from the Harris Center Foundation.
• CM Davis encouraged trust in law enforcement in dealing with the unhoused.
• CM Martinez remarked on the challenges for those who are hardest to house. He praised the partnership with Harris Health and said 419 can be an option for those getting released from the hospital. He suggested the Harris County Hospital District could provide funding, perhaps in the form of an enterprise fund.
• Mayor Whitmire said the city is in talks with Food Not Bombs to relocate them to 419 Emancipation Ave. He could not remember their name and called them “Loaves Not War” and “Bread Not War,” which is a power move if I ever saw one.
• CM Castillo remarked on a list of community requests the city is working hard to fulfill, such as law enforcement at 419 and a phased-in occupancy.

Monthly Financial Report

Finance Director Melissa Dubowski and Controller Chris Hollins both gave their respective reports.

Controller Hollins welcomed new CM Joe Panzarella. Hollins predicts an ending fund balance for fiscal year 2026 of $276.5M. The fund balance is like the city’s savings account. Hollins criticized the mayor’s proposed budget, saying that “76% of participants [at his town halls] told us that they were not confident city hall is using their tax dollars wisely and more than half said they knew little to nothing about how the budget works.” He laid out four “realities” of this year’s proposed budget:

• This proposed budget repeats last year’s mistakes.
• This proposed budget drains the water fund below what it can reasonably absorb, which will lead to increased water rates.
• The proposed $5 fee will go up in years to come.
• The proposed $5 fee is the same as a regressive tax. He advocated for an increase in property tax rates, which would more equitably distribute the burden. Hollins shared a tool his office made to compare the two options: thisfeeisgarbage.netlify.app/

Hollins said this budget erodes the people’s trust. He urged council to vote with a clear understanding of the facts. “The responsibility entrusted to you is not merely to approve a budget, but to exercise sound judgment on behalf of those who are going to have to live with the consequences of your decision.”

Director Dubowski predicts an ending fund balance for fiscal year 2026 of $300M. She praised those participating in the budget process. She said that last year the city instituted efficiency measures and this year is the time for “bold budgetary measures,” like incorporating Solid Waste into HPW and the $5 fee. She suggested this strikes a balance between keeping costs low for the people and raising the revenue the city needs. She agreed the $5 fee does not cover the full cost of Solid Waste but is one step to take since the city does not want to raise the property tax rate. She called this a “nearly perfect budget.”

CM Pollard asked Controller Hollins to explain the city’s deficit. Controller Hollins said the projected deficit for FY26 (what we are currently in) was $76M. In actuality, it will be closer to $180M. Pollard criticized the city for not sticking to the budgetary plan and said the culture of overspending needs to stop.

• Director Dubowski countered that the ending fund balance is within the range of projections, even if the deficit has grown.

Mayor Whitmire criticized Hollins for spreading misinformation, being critical without offering solutions, and for certifying a budget he didn’t agree with. Whitmire agreed this budget doesn’t solve every problem but said it is overwhelmingly supported. He criticized Hollins for playing politics.

Who took these notes? And what resources did they use?

My name is Emily Hynds. I am a writer, small business owner, producer of the monthly storytelling series Grown-up Storytime, and lifelong Houstonian. I am not a journalist or government official. I am a local government enthusiast who believes meaningful change starts at home. These notes are presented from my point of view and with my framing and are not comprehensive. Your notes will certainly be different and I would love to read them if you attend.

I watched this City Council meeting via HTV: https://www.houstontx.gov/htv/

While compiling these notes I used the following sources:
https://houston.novusagenda.com/agendapublic
https://houwatch.com
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/city-of-houston/2026/05/05/550877/houston-budget-proposal-mayor-whitmire-trash-fee-garbage/
https://thisfeeisgarbage.netlify.app/

You can find your City Council Member and their contact info at: https://www.houstontx.gov/council/whoismycm.html

Thank you to the volunteers who proofread these notes.
My Patreon is patreon.com/emilytakesnotes.