Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is hoping taxpayers will approve a plan to raise the revenue cap for more cops.
Turner announced the plan Tuesday during his third State of the City address, saying at least $90 million is needed for the officers. Houston could collect more property taxes by raising the cap.
“I would be less than honest with you as your CEO to say to you we cannot continue to cut and cut and cut, and add 500 to 600 more police to our force,” he said.
The mayor did say other options were on the table, but declined specifics.
“The current model is sustainable. Our city is growing, people are coming here from all over the world and we have special events in our city every single week.”
He's hoping the revenue cap hike will be on the November ballot.
Like public safety, part of attracting new employment is having good schools in place, so Mayor Turner plans to take a leadership role to help improve Houston ISD.
“The state's failure to address school finance reform and the failure of past superintendents and board of trustees to improve neighborhood schools has done a disservice to thousands of our children, that cannot continue to exist in our city,” he said.
The mayor also praised City Council's passage of new building requirements and flood-control reform in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.