Houston's mayor lost some power. That's a good thing. (Opinion)

Houston City Council must approve everything from the city’s budget to board appointments, but what each item they consider has in common is this: For it to get council, it has to appear on the weekly agenda. 

And up until November, only the mayor controlled the agenda. Proposition A on November’s ballot amended the city’s charter to allow any three council members to place an item on the weekly agenda. It makes it easier for ideas to bubble up from councilmembers’ constituents to city policy. It’s hard to get the mayor’s attention; it’s easier to get your council member’s.

Houston Charter Amendment Petition Coalition, a bipartisan group I helped lead, was behind the effort to get this proposition in front of voters two years ago. But as you might expect, the mayor and his staff didn’t like any loss of the mayor’s power. Rather than embrace an opportunity for city council to lead on reforms, the administration crafted a plan of attack and delayed the measure.

Via an open records request, I obtained an email written by Mayor Sylvester Turner’s director of government relations, Bill Kelly. Kelly noted that support for the measure included a union and the Democratic Socialists. Even so, he wrote, “This would be advantageous to frame as an attack on a progressive city coordinated by conservative interest.”

Ultimately, though, the mayor’s team lost. Last month, when voters got a chance to decide, 83% voted yes.

Since the change has taken effect, we’re already seeing the difference it makes.

Council Member Amy Peck, who represents Spring Branch and the surrounding area, was the first to push an ordinance under the new reform. With the support of Council Members Mary Nan Huffman (District G) and Carolyn Evans-Shabazz (District D), she proposed to limit the city’s ability to back-bill customers for water.

Read the rest at the Houston Chronicle