[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6746161,"mediaKeyId","3647355-7045e83afb067d6be91424be68a31937","parentId",3647355,"title","Residents, nonprofits urge Houston council to rethink budget, question large HPD contract","audioSeconds",851,"startMs",4035000,"endMs",3184000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3647355-7045e83afb067d6be91424be68a31937&start=4035&end=3184","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3647355-7045e83afb067d6be91424be68a31937/thumbnail_4035000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6746161/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Residents-nonprofits-urge-Houston-council-to-rethink-budget-question-large-HPD-contract","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746161-58fb30c6a97b0ff0be216741f8b87db1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012343&Signature=SCAU6bkrF7Xsbu9-YN0E1qso7RiPmprxvHUw4yZnWRQLWR8fz2WczLxebbyNzmOUOpSxTdS2tT2PzGjOrS60aNJlqxMVW028kp8hbm8AHuimv1VGA5tztLB69F6Ze~D~FLXJHwJirFvLf6v6ertoDwYEeLDbobUjhwGP6xsyyhw~Epy5NGVFGArexlZrZ8DIZnSCvnLjsap5T40J6ib11CpyL0nmK65qWtSO82m1R44ZDNocdxleCCDmXNht3fVluhBr8y2mQ5u0Yuj3DtBWm-nXvv8P6bnNCCkrbO1a4tOMLKw-eG40OwZdWD1-HZE603i-SoxckZJmwrunmnuFHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Houston","date","2025-06-03T00:00:00Z","article","Dozens of residents, nonprofit leaders and neighborhood advocates urged the Houston City Council on June 3 to delay or amend Mayor John Whitmire’s proposed FY‑26 budget, focusing criticism on large planned increases for the Houston Police Department and cuts or slowdowns in frontline city services.

Speakers at the meeting’s public‑comment segment said the proposed package would redirect money away from storm drainage, parks, public works, housing and social services while expanding policing and surveillance. “This budget does not allocate enough to the things that make Houston a safe place to live,” Laura Gallier of Pure Justice said, calling for investments in drainage, housing and treatment instead of policing. Gallier and other speakers urged council to “reject this budget.”

Multiple speakers referenced recent contracts and pay increases for HPD. Gracie Israel said the council recently approved an HPD contract she described as “$832,000,000,” which she said comes while the city faces an operating deficit. Selena Harbour said the contract figure before council was “$1,664,000,000.” Those figures were stated by speakers during public comment; the council did not adopt a final budget during this meeting.

Advocates described concrete harms they tied to service cuts and staffing freezes. A 12‑year‑old, Mackenzie Tate, asked the council to restore pool maintenance at Hobart Taylor so neighborhood children could swim; Rebecca Sell of the Northeast Action Collective said early retirements and a hiring freeze would leave public‑works crews understaffed for storm response.

Community violence‑prevention groups urged funding for credible‑messenger programs and local nonprofits rather than additional police personnel. Tiffany Echevarria of Collective Action for Youth described a pilot credible‑messenger program that “is going extremely well” and asked council for continued support. Ben Akinola of 50 Fathers Movement called for city funding for grassroots organizations that work directly with families and youth.

Supporters of increased police funding offered counterarguments. Mark Rodriguez, representing civic and early‑childhood groups, said public safety gave him confidence that his wife and child could run errands without fear and urged continued investment in law enforcement and public‑safety personnel. John Nix, a disability‑rights advocate, raised separate accessibility concerns about city facilities while supporting more robust emergency medical services.

Council members did not take a final vote on the mayor’s budget on June 3; council recessed until the following morning to continue budget deliberations. Several council members said they were working with colleagues on targeted amendments. Council Member Ramirez announced she would amend a specific proposed amendment to change its funding source to the general fund balance after administration suggestion, during remarks related to a different item.

Why it matters: Houston faces recurrent storm and flood damage; residents and advocates told council that reducing staff in public works and cutting maintenance would increase future costs and risks. At the same time, city labor and contract commitments to HPD are difficult to reverse, speakers said, making initial budget decisions consequential for years.

What’s next: Council was scheduled to reconvene the following morning at 9 a.m. to continue budget votes and consider amendments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Houston - Council Meeting (June 3, 2025 & June 4, 2025) - Jun 03, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of residents, nonprofit leaders and neighborhood advocates urged the Houston City Council on June 3 to delay or amend Mayor John Whitmire’s proposed FY‑26 budget, focusing criticism on large planned increases for the Houston Police Department and cuts or slowdowns in frontline city services.","taxTitle","Houston, Harris County, Texas","taxId",2797,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6746156,"Advocates back Ramirez amendment to add legal staff for human‑trafficking enforcement",222,2380000,2602000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3647355-7045e83afb067d6be91424be68a31937&start=2380&end=2602","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3647355-7045e83afb067d6be91424be68a31937/thumbnail_2380000.jpg","/articles/6746156/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Advocates-back-Ramirez-amendment-to-add-legal-staff-for-humantrafficking-enforcement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746156-e6f421211d41bdca0d068ee23e033ec8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012343&Signature=fOiWkWLPP4xR2Qwnq3lpvqRYbPrcCLaaA4ZQP75DeW21gvzpJRobVCV2nJZytxqGbzf79nzijEYuraJNJcrqDbRcwKtkF2Qc8NMPvlf1CSefJ8GfRKk~Kczco-EMiA6APSAEn0Gp~u~rYUnytpE8sAu56uazSETCF21JdxAQNnCC8KZeq3N08lm4naCmp0eqfUoZ-aabbw9fvR~k4vGp5~--Gqr6mq8CN1RgOjuUh5JwnOujoxmD~3UWCzFM493gMfO~cRNg9Kg~WCMa0ucA-QRFNTs8Ae9wVNm4XEYjDjmj8I0mbsqrie9gGQeLXgvwh3-kTnjgd7s9BHHu1Qy2Ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives from Elijah Rising and neighborhood residents urged the Houston City Council on June 3 to support a proposed budget amendment to fund legal staff dedicated to human‑trafficking enforcement.

Tom Broyles, representing Elijah Rising, said his nonprofit has tracked illicit massage businesses and asked council to back Council Member Abraham Ramirez’s amendment to fund two attorneys and one paralegal “to fight nuisance and human trafficking.” Broyles said Houston has more illicit massage businesses than McDonald’s and Starbucks combined and described trafficking as a local public‑safety and public‑health crisis.

Council Member Ramirez thanked Broyles and said she would modify the proposed amendment to change the funding source from human‑resources allocations to the general‑fund balance after discussing options with the administration. “This is a small step to try to turn things around in Houston,” Ramirez said, adding the amendment addresses enforcement and related violations.

Speakers who supported the amendment emphasized education and coordination: Crystal Casey described van tours that identified trafficking locations within walking distance of her home and said Elijah Rising had offered training for public‑works staff so they could spot warning signs. Laura Gallier and others thanked Ramirez for the amendment and urged that the city expand public‑education and interagency coordination ahead of large events such as the World Cup.

Why it matters: Advocates told council that targeted legal capacity could help process complaints and take down illicit enterprises that exploit women and children and that enforcement without community education would be less effective.

What’s next: Ramirez announced the funding‑source change at the meeting; council was scheduled to consider budget amendments the following morning.","Elijah Rising and community members urged council to fund attorneys and a paralegal to address illicit massage businesses and trafficking; Council Member Ramirez said she would amend the proposal to change the funding source to the general‑fund balance.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents, nonprofits urge Houston council to rethink budget, question large HPD contract

Advocates back Ramirez amendment to add legal staff for human‑trafficking enforcement