News

Parker speaks to journalists

By Ray Hafner
News Reporter

Out-going Houston city council member Annise Parker is running for city controller and said Tuesday, in front of a class of UH journalism students, that she could work with all the mayoral candidates if elected?even Orlando Sanchez.

"He would not be my first, second, third or fourth choice for mayor," she said, but cited her working relationship with Sanchez on Houston city council, where the two sat next to each other during session.

Still early in the election season?voting doesnit start until fall?Parker will be competing with several others for Sylvia Garciais post, who is leaving due to term limits.

Parker delivered the assessment in front of Fred Schiffis advanced news writing course in an effort to create a press conference that would allow the student reporters, including this one, the chance write a story on a public official.

"It was a press conference in all regards, except there wasnit a publishing outlet," Schiff said after the conference, or "presser," in journalism-speak. 

Students came to class with two questions prepared, and as Parker navigated the raised hands, got a chance to quiz her any topic. Schiff said the questions asked, as well as the responses gleaned, would be discussed in class on Thursday.

One student wondered what the city council was doing to prevent flooding like that that wreaked havoc after Tropical Storm Allison.

"In one sense, it doesnit matter what we do," said Parker. "Houston will always flood." Thatis because Houston was built on a naturally occurring flood plain designed to channel water into the Gulf of Mexico, she said.

Still, a system to control flooding can be developed, she said. One part of that system is "your streets fill up with water so your houses donit."

Parker, who after three 2-year terms must leave city council because of term limits, began the press conference with a description of her job at city council and the budget shortfall Houston will face in 2003.

"What I do everyday is to spend your tax dollars," Parker said. Out of Houstonis budget of $2.5 billion dollars 95 percent of the items are passed unanimously, she said, because most of that is for necessities like tires and light bulbs. 

Because of the national recession and statewide budget deficit, Houston is looking at shortfall of about $10 million to $25 million, Parker said, and the city council must run on a balanced budget.

"I would expect you wonit see any services cut," she said. The focus will be on trimming costs in middle-management in Houstonis public agencies she said.

"We think weire going to have a lot of layoffs in the next year," she said.

While some of the city hall language went over students heads, students felt the experience was worthwhile.

Keenan Singleton, former editor-in-chief of The Daily Cougar, said the experience would be valuable in a real life situation.

"The business school, they have those fake stock market floors, so itis about time we had something like a press conference, some pseudo-experience for journalism students," he said.
 

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