Houston Mayor Annise Parker is defending criticizing liberal trial lawyer Bill White for his “unbusinesslike approach” of spending more than Houston took in during the years he was mayor.

In March, the Houston Chronicle quoted Mayor Parker as saying, “For years now, we have spent more money than we have taken in. You can't spend more than you earn. It is a very unbusinesslike approach to running things.” [1]

On Wednesday, the Houston Chronicle reported that Mayor Parker is defending her statement: “I said it. Funny thing is, I said it week after week after week as controller.” She added, “My relationship with Bill White's a little tense right now.”
[2]

Before being elected mayor, Parker served three terms as Houston’s controller, from 2004-2010.

In 2009, then-Controller Parker told the Houston Chronicle, “We have used borrowed money to meet some of our current obligations, which is, I think, fiscally unwise,” and, “Part of the reason we have healthy fund balances is that we borrowed the money instead of tapping the fund balance. We used pension obligation bonds to meet current (pension) obligations.” [3]

Last week, when it was revealed that Houston may have to return up to $45 million in federal housing funds because of misuse by Bill White’s administration, Mayor Parker said, “If previous administrations have done stupid things, we're going to have to fix them.” [4]

“Liberal Bill White left behind a financial crisis for his successor as Houston mayor,” said Texans for Rick Perry spokesman Mark Miner. “After Bill White’s years of fiscal irresponsibility and mismanagement, his successor continues to have her hands full cleaning up the mess he created.”

Every year Bill White was mayor, Houston’s expenses exceeded revenues. [5]

Houston suffered $1.7 billion in operating losses under Bill White, according to a report from a bipartisan group of Houston accountants titled, “The City of Houston Is Teetering On The Edge Of A Fiscal Abyss.” [6]

SOURCING

[1] “City's budget woes may mean furloughs, layoffs,” Houston Chronicle, 3/11/10, http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6907348.html

[2] “‘A little tense,' mayor says,” Houston Chronicle, 9/29/10, http://blogs.chron.com/houstonpolitics/2010/09/post_28.html

[3] “Is Houston’s budget balanced? Depends on whom you ask,” Houston Chronicle, 5/31/09, http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6448737.html

[4] “Reimbursing HUD may cost city millions,” Houston Chronicle, 9/24/10, http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7215470.html

[5] Houston’s Annual Financial Reports for the available five fiscal years under Bill White

Year - Revenues/Expenses (in Millions):
FY2005 - $2,890/$3,435;
FY2006 - $3,456/$3,593;
FY2007 - $3,350/$3,578;
FY2008 - $3,462/$3,923;
FY2009 - $3,905/$4,137

FY2005 / $2,890 / $3,435
http://www.houstontx.gov/controller/cafr05/03.%20Financial%20Section%20%...
(page 6 / page 7 of pdf)

FY2006 / $3,456 / $3,593
http://www.houstontx.gov/controller/CAFR%20FY2006.pdf
(page 6 / page 29 of pdf)

FY2007 / $3,350 / $3,578
http://www.houstontx.gov/controller/cafr/City%20of%20%20Houston-CAFR%20F...
(page 6 / page 28 of pdf)

FY2008 / $3,462 / $3,923
http://www.houstontx.gov/controller/CAFR%202008/2008%20CAFR%20final.pdf
(page 6 / page 29 of pdf)

FY2009 / $3,905 / $4,137
http://www.houstontx.gov/controller/cafr/CityofHouston2009AnnualFinancia...
(page 6 / page 27 of pdf)

[6] “The City of Houston Is Teetering On The Edge Of A Fiscal Abyss,” Citizens For Public Accountability, July 2010, http://www.scribd.com/doc/37422227/Citizens-for-Public-Accountability-Ho...

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