City Budget Drama Boils Over, TEA Extends Takeover, & New Laws
It’s Friday so we’re breaking down the biggest stories of the week that impacted YOU. Host Raheel Ramzanali is joined by Abby Church, city hall reporter at the Houston Chronicle, and Pulitzer Prize finalist Evan Mintz to talk about the drama surrounding Mayor Whitmire’s budget passing, the extension of the state’s takeover of HISD, big takeaways from the 89th State Legislature, and some big career news for Evan!
Stories we talked about on today’s show:
- High-tension Houston City Council meeting ends with greenlight of Mayor John Whitmire’s $7B budget
- Whitmire supports Texas bill that would reverse some Houston pension reforms, alarming experts
- Chris Newport, Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s chief of staff, to leave administration
- Houston ISD takeover by state will continue through 2027, TEA announces
- Key bills that passed and failed in the Texas Legislature
- Will Housing in Houston Ever Be Affordable Again?
- Evan Mintz named Houston Chronicle editor of Opinion and Community Engagement
Learn more about the sponsors of this June 6th episode:
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
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Thank you Houston, we’ve loved the conversation we’ve been having with you for the past three years. City Cast Houston and Hey Houston have suspended operations. Our last newsletter and podcast episode was Oct. 24, 2025.
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