HOUSTON, Texas – The citywide hiring freeze put into effect by Houston Mayor John Whitmire will be taking place this week.
Whitmire said the decision was made after the Houston City Council commissioned an Ernst & Young spending analysis last year, which “identified key areas for efficiencies and organizational improvement.”
“When I took office as your mayor, I made a commitment to transparency, accountability, and rooting out corruption and waste. These audits clearly demonstrate my administration’s dedication to fulfilling that promise and building a government that earns your trust,” Whitmire wrote.
Whitmire’s decision to implement a hiring freeze aims to cut expenses and reassess the city’s personnel needs.
His office released the following statement:
“Mayor Whitmire is constantly working to make municipal government more efficient, honest, and responsive,” stated a representative from the mayor’s office. The EY study highlighted that while Houston has many dedicated employees, the number of personnel exceeds what is necessary for a city of its size. The hiring freeze is seen as an opportunity to align the workforce with the city’s operational requirements.”
This news came weeks after the reports were released, and KPRC 2 Investigative Reporter Amy Davis examined the report, highlighting issues such as credit card abuse, redundant staffing, and waste.
The 221-page report assessed all 22 city departments. The report showed key findings, including poor oversight of purchasing cards (P-cards) issued to city employees, overlapping positions across multiple departments, and about 80% of all city contracts are awarded to just a few vendors.
“It is so revealing as to why Houstonians are so frustrated and why I will not go to them and ask for more resources until we, in my judgment, gain their confidence that we’re using their money wisely. This efficiency study highlights my commitment to responsible governance and is an important step toward restoring trust and accountability in how our city government works for Houstonians,” said Mayor Whitmire. “We take these findings seriously and are already taking steps to eliminate waste, duplication, and corruption while ensuring taxpayer dollars are managed efficiently and transparently.”