HOUSTON – As the City of Houston continues to mourn the loss of U.S. Representative Sylvester Turner, we’re taking a brief look back on key moments during his tenure as mayor.
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While it’s difficult to compile eight years of dedicated work as mayor, in a farewell video from 2023, Turner shared at least five of what he felt were the most pivotal moments in his mayoral career.
First Getting Inaugurated as Mayor in 2016
After early setbacks in the Houston mayoral races in 1991 and 2003, respectively, Turner was elected mayor in 2015 after a heated runoff against Bill King.
Noting in his farewell video how hard Turner had to hit the ground running at City Hall, the moments before he actually became mayor seem blurry.
“I remember getting sworn in at Jones Hall,” Turner said. “After that, I don’t even remember how I got to City Hall...It was a very very good day.”
Pension Reform
“That was the number one issue facing the city when I came into office,” Turner explained in his video. “Had to be dealt with within the first year or two, but we were able to get it done.”
Back in February 2017, however, there was some pushback as the calls were to make cuts from pension funds totaling $2.5 billion. Those cuts were intended to help shore what was described as unfunded liability: financial obligations the city has to pensions, but at the time, did not have the money to fund.
Floods, Hurricane Harvey and COVID-19
Months into Turner’s getting sworn in as Houston Mayor, the city experienced the Tax Day Flood, and in 2017, Hurricane Harvey.
And if natural disasters weren’t enough, Mayor Turner stepped into action during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We weathered that storm again; the people—the City of Houston came together like never before,” he noted in the video. “Houstonians have learned how to deal with the hand that we have been dealt and we still move forward.”
Establishing Major Innovation & Technology Hubs
Back in 2019, Turner announced the creation of a Smart City Advisory Council comprised of City and regional partners. In a press release, the City of Houston said a smart city is defined as one “that uses data and emerging technologies to improve the quality of life for citizens, share information with the public, drive economic growth and build a more inclusive society.”
“Houston is truly now a smart city and the innovative ecosystem is really sprinting along the City of Houston,” he noted.
Watching his initiatives improve Houston
There were numerous initiatives and programs Turner launched as mayor and in the end, he believed they were all part of his central theme: unity.
“One Complete City regardless of who you are where you come from what language you speak what your sexual orientation may be or your religion, we are all a part of one city—in our city, we work as one; one city