The Hofheinz Years, Post/commentary, Houston Post
Lulled by its continuing success, Houston was content with things as they were when Fred Hofheinz took office in January 1974. With a law degree and a doctorate in economics, the young mayor brought a new viewpoint to City Hall – an analytical eye that saw long-neglected problems and major weaknesses in the city’s structure. He jolted Houston off the status quo and tackled the worst problems first.

Houston’s sewerage was deplorable. The federal government was ready to go to court to stop further construction. Some parts of the town had no sewer pipes at all. Because of the long neglect, the massive effort to improve forced a sharp rise in water and sewer bills – a rise that should have been coming gradually over the past several years. But the people of Houston saw that the job had to be done. We made a commitment to repair and to build that met the standards of the Environmental Protection Agency. And recently Houston broke ground for the 69th Street water treatment facility, the keystone of the $500 million sewer modernization.

In transit, Houston bought the bus company, gaining more than $13 million in federal aid, and began to buy new buses and expand routes. Hofheinz established an office of transportation. In four years we have gained a long-range plan and made starts with park-and-ride lots, contraflow lanes and, with the state enabling act, a new Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority with an interim board. It will offer voters a plan for a countywide transit system.

To pay for the bus company and finance fire and police improvements, the city increased property taxes 8.6 percent. It also began a regular four-year property valuation cycle. Houston gained a Triple A financial rating, the highest possible, thereby saving the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest paid. The passage of the ethics code and the financial disclosure ordinances were achieved by the mayor and City Council working together.

In the four Hofheinz years, Houston tripled the amount of public funds spent on parks over the preceding four, and established a Houston Parks Board to seek contributions. Houston’s library system expanded and gained in quality. As one of the first acts in office, Hofheinz had stopped the plan to strip City Hall of its irreplaceable marbles and ornamental metal work, and now the building has been restored to its original elegance. The mayor and City Council recently adopted a hotel-motel tax to guarantee a steady flow of city funds into the major visual and performing arts organizations. The established the Cultural Arts Council to channel the funds. All these are lasting measures for enhancement of the city.

Hofheinz introduced a management and information system, common to big business but new to Houston city government. The computer data banks enable the city to know at any one moment exactly what it has spent on each item of government and service. Hofheinz brought blacks, Mexican Americans and woman into city departments they had never before entered. And he attracted to City Hall an outstanding administration of talented, dedicated people.

No mayor leaves office content. He can always see more he wants to get done. Houston still has many problems of rapid growth to solve. But Hofheinz made this city see the problems and do something about them. He accomplished much, he gave us a strong start on more. Fred Hofheinz has been a good mayor and Houston owes him warm thanks.

From Mr. and Mrs. Reuben W. Askanase.