Houston is “strong and getting stronger every day,” Mayor John Whitmire declared, pointing to public safety gains, infrastructure investments and what he called a more efficient city government.
In his 2026 State of the City address, Whitmire emphasized crime reduction, police recruitment, road repairs and a pledge not to raise taxes as he outlined his vision for Houston’s future.
“If we’re not safe, nothing else matters,” Whitmire said. “It was true then, it’s true today, and it’ll be true tomorrow.”
Whitmire repeatedly returned to public safety as the foundation of his administration.
“If we’re not safe, nothing else matters,” he said.
He pointed to recruitment numbers at the Houston Police Department, saying 746 new officers have graduated since he took office and that 274 cadets are currently in class.
“We were losing more people to other agencies or retirement than we were recruiting,” he said.
He also highlighted progress with the Houston Fire Department, noting firefighters had gone eight years without a contract before reaching a new agreement under his administration.
Infrastructure push: roads, drainage and water systems
The mayor outlined major infrastructure goals, including paving 1,000 road miles this year and investing $500 million in drainage and road improvements.
He said the city plans to improve or replace 200 miles of water pipes as part of a broader effort to modernize aging systems.
Whitmire warned that the East Water Purification Plant, which provides about 60% of Houston’s water, was built in 1954.
“If you visit it, it looks like it was built in 1954,” he said. “We have to do something about it.”
He credited bipartisan relationships in Austin for helping secure $100 million in state funding for improvements tied to the water plant.
No new taxes, forensic audit and budget savings
Whitmire also made clear he does not plan to raise property taxes.
“We didn’t raise taxes,” he said of the last budget cycle. “And we’re not going to raise taxes in this next budget cycle.”
He said the city hired Ernst & Young to conduct a forensic audit that found inefficiencies in city government, including what he described as an unusually high number of supervisors compared to other major cities.
The administration offered a voluntary incentive program that more than 1,000 employees accepted, which Whitmire said saved the city $100 million.
“We balanced the budget this year with efficiency,” he said.
Whitmire also highlighted Houston’s preparation for major events, including the 2026 World Cup.
In meetings with FIFA officials, he said, “They call us the grown-up city.”
He stressed that improvements tied to global events should benefit residents as well.
“We’ve got to treat Houstonians like they’re our World Cup visitors as well,” he said.
Toward the end of his speech, Whitmire outlined longer-term ideas, including expanding rail to both of Houston’s airports and exploring large-scale flood mitigation projects along I-10.
He also floated the idea of water taxis downtown.
“It ain’t a tease,” Whitmire said. “It’s going to get done. It may not get done in the next six years, but we are actually meeting on these projects.”
Whitmire closed by reaffirming his commitment to the city.
“I’m fired up,” he said. “People say, why did you leave the Senate? Because I love Houston more.”
The event, hosted by Houston First Corporation and the Greater Houston Partnership, brought together business leaders and community members at the Hilton Americas-Houston downtown.
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