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John Whitmire: “I need about $5 billion to build a new [water plant]. We've…”

Featuring: John Whitmire, Nonpartisan | Mayor of Houston | Texas

Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13

Published January 21, 2026 | Video Starts at 51:51

Before I came along. If you're trying to attract businesses to Houston, are you going to tell them you have no backup to a 1954 water system? So I need about $5 billion to build a new [water plant]. We've got to have federal support. So why in the hell wouldn't I go to Crenshaw's reception if he'll help me? Why wouldn't I return? Daniel, what's Cruz's first name? Ted. Why would I call your neighbors? (51:51–51:59)

CLAIM

Asserts the need for $5 billion and federal support to build a new water plant in Houston.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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John Whitmire

“We did an Ernst and Young report and they said we had more city employees than any other major city per capita 23,000.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 17:51-18:00
“We furnish 90% of the nation's jet fuel, domestic and military.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 51:03-51:13
“Austin has. They're sitting on a $32 billion surplus right now.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 59:19-59:24
“I don't travel much, certainly not out of the country and very little in the US Just because I don't feel comfortable leaving Houston…”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 05:59-06:11
“I was making a difference in the Senate. Respected, longest serving senator, get along with the other side of the aisle to get things done.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 06:17-06:26
“We had public safety concerns in Houston and still have them. It's my highest priority.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 07:32-07:39
“We moved murder cases that were pending up to the front of the line.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 08:16-08:21
“Passed legislation to double the size of the George Brown Convention center with no city taxes, did it with state Revenue.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 08:21-08:29
“You gotta run the city. 23,000 employees, 24 departments, and most of them have challenges.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 09:06-09:16
“We're going to have one MLK parade. Really, for the first time in 30 years.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 11:34-11:41
“We don't have enough HPD officers. After the New Orleans tragedy, we realized, you know, it costs about 300 grand to protect a parade.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 12:27-12:37
“Sylvester balanced the budget using federal Covid funding, declaring that he had a surplus, which he did.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 14:34-14:41
“HPD does a great job of intervening, arresting bad guys, but if you take them to the courthouse, they get a PR bond, they're back out on the…”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 15:28-15:37
“Our morale is at an all time high. Getting back to that finances, we had to really balance the books to be able to give very cautiously, to…”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 15:51-16:07
“Our recruitment is at an all time high. We started a cadet class last Monday with 83 cadets, highest in recent years.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 16:07-16:17
“I will run for another term as mayor and plan on serving two four year terms.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 17:30-17:39
“We had a incentive program for people to retire. 1056 retired. We picked up $100 million toward our budget.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 17:59-18:10
“A 400 unit affordable housing project was built there, cost of $130 million.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 18:52-18:59
“We are getting clearance from the EPA and the TECQ and we're going to pick up 400 units safely, environmentally sound and go forward.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 19:13-19:26
“The Democratic Party is not the party that I ran in 1972.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 22:07-22:13
“The 150 House members, there were only 17 Republicans [in 1973].”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 22:38-22:44
“There was a recall effort, but every mayor faces that.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 25:25-25:30
“I've seen just about everything in government, in the local government part of it.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 26:43-26:50
“Labor used to be a lot more dominant than it is [now].”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 27:23-27:26
“I'm interested in being a nonpartisan, effective mayor of Houston.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 29:31-29:36
“We had 1900 broken water mains. We're down to 400 now.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 41:10-41:16
“We're going to spend 500 million on drainage and streets this year, most ever.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 41:24-41:31
“We're going to pave 1,000 miles of roads this year, sidewalks included.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 41:33-41:40
“We're not committed not to raising taxes till we cut out waste and duplication and conflicts of interest.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 41:54-42:02
“We came up with a new idea to take some of our drainage funds, knock down the house, which is causing the drainage, and go to the next one.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 43:01-43:13
“We didn't paint them because it cost $3,000 to paint.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 44:58-45:02
“We got 8 million for parks, got 100 million for a lift station that distributes the water across the city.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 46:57-47:05
“DPS is sending us task force helicopters, forensic investigators, gang task force.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 48:01-48:10
“We have done a really great job for rural Texas in the 50 years that I was there.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 48:16-48:22
“It's time to devote some attention and resources to our urban areas.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 48:29-48:34
“Chevron just moved their international offices to Houston. Now they've got 6,500 employees in downtown Houston.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 50:23-50:40
“AT&T just left downtown Dallas. But they're going to North Texas. They're going to Denton.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 50:40-50:46
“Our eastside water plant was built in 1954. It furnishes 60% of Houston's water.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 51:23-51:40
“Dan Crenshaw is helping Houston get some funds for an east side water treatment plant.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 51:43-51:50
“If you'll work with us, we'll get you a permit for a new home in 30 days.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 53:20-53:25
“This morning we woke up with 2.3 million Houstonians. 700,000 people will drive into Houston tomorrow to work or attend an event.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 53:28-53:39
“FIFA tells us we're the city they enjoy working with. We're better prepared for the World Cup than any other major city.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 54:01-54:12
“Police officers, they're not retiring now. Our career officers are staying put because the morale's high.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 54:38-54:45
“Building people's confidence in city government. A lot of wasteful spending didn't make public safety as high priority as it needed to be.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 55:00-55:16
“Solid waste got in worse shape than it should have been because I was listening to the director that was there when I got there.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 57:10-57:18
“Wednesday was official day off so people could work overtime.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 57:29-57:32
“We got a new director. He holds people accountable.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 57:39-57:42
“I haven't done a garbage fee like a lot of folks are calling for.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 57:43-57:49
“The legislature from all revenue, you know, share that with city services, public safety.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 59:24-59:34
“My number one accomplishment is one making city hall look like Houston.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 59:41-59:47
“There were no Asians at city hall.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 59:56-59:59
“I was told by some, excuse me, some folks in the community, you can't have a Hispanic police chief and fire chief.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:00:03-1:00:10
“Munoz, the fire chief, was in the department 24 years, ran our emergency center during all the storms.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:00:18-1:00:25
“If you arrest someone in Kingwood, DWI or house invasion, you name it, and you got to take them downtown, that's an hour.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:03:10-1:03:21
“You get to intake, that's two hours.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:03:20-1:03:25
“Traffic's bad on the way home.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:03:25-1:03:27
“I can't take two officers off the street because the system now requires them to go to the Harris county courthouse.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:03:47-1:03:56
“We're doubling the size of George Brown.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:09:38-1:09:40
“We're transforming downtown. First of all, we're cleaning up downtown, we're repairing it, getting homeless in shelters.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:09:44-1:09:53
“The George Brown is going to be an unbelievable destination. It'll lead the nation in convention centers.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:09:52-1:10:01
“We're going to have a Republican convention here in 28, so we're on track to be finished by then.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:10:10-1:10:15
“Council meets on Wednesday morning, but we have the public session.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:11:38-1:11:43
“We had a thousand additional first responders, police and fire there.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:15:42-1:15:47
“Solid waste for sure. Has to do a better job.”
Mayor John Whitmire on Houston's Problems, Power & What Comes Next | SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS #13 | Uploaded January 21, 2026 | 1:15:55-1:15:59