Issues: Hire Houston First
Creating Local Jobs
"Investing in our local economy is just
good common sense - and in the long run,
we make money for taxpayers as
increased economic activity generates
more tax revenue for the city." - Annise Parker
Click here to download a copy of the proposal.
Leadership is about priorities – and as Mayor, my priority will be to lead this city through a strong economic recovery.
That means doing everything we can to create new jobs and keep Houstonians working. And I believe our starting point should be making sure that jobs funded by our tax dollars go first to Houston families.
That’s why I will implement, as Mayor, a Hire Houston First policy to encourage the hiring of Houston residents for taxpayer-funded projects and give a preference to Houston firms, and firms with a presence in Houston that contribute to our economy, seeking city contracts.
You can help by showing your support for Hire Houston First:
Click here to sign our petition.
Even in this tough economy, Houston will spend billions of dollars providing essential services and building and maintaining everything from streets and bridges to water lines and sidewalks. When these services are provided by local businesses that hire local residents, our economy benefits.
And in the long run, we make money for taxpayers as increased economic activity generates more tax revenue for the city.
I also believe that what’s good for the region is good for Houston. Some of us live in Houston and work in Bellaire. Some companies are based in Sugar Land but create good jobs for Houston residents. Our competition is not Bellaire or Sugar Land – it’s Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta.
That’s why my plan includes creating a Regional Jobs Alliance – where the City of Houston would join with surrounding governments to promote local hiring and local contracting with our close-in suburbs and municipalities. As local governments join the alliance, the reach and power of local hiring incentives and local contracting preferences would grow to benefit our entire region.
We have an opportunity to create local jobs today, with hundreds of millions of dollars already headed to Houston under the federal economic stimulus program. As Mayor, I will work with City Council members to make sure that the paychecks created by these jobs go to Houston families.
