Mayor White Thanks Houstonians

Each election night is a celebration for democracy. We have much to celebrate and be thankful for in Houston. Jobs are growing and the violent crime rate is dropping. We made progress on some of the toughest challenges facing our community - reducing flooding and pollution, cutting the dropout rate, and making our City and neighborhoods more energy-efficient.

More significantly, even the modest strides we have made on those issues have charted Houston's course in a bold new direction. In Houston, our toughest choices result from our success, our nation-leading growth, affordability, and improving quality of life. As more people move in, our neighborhoods need to feel secure. As jobs increase, so does traffic.

So, we cannot always observe our steady progress on traffic management. While some communities sort through the sad issues of declining opportunity, we should all be thankful for having to deal with the challenges of success.

In the last four years, we laid the foundation for the next two. Our community can expect to start new rail lines, providing alternatives to many commuters. We expect to accelerate revitalization of some of our city's most neglected neighborhoods in a program called Houston Hope. We have accumulated almost a thousand abandoned lots on which we are building affordable homes, more every month. We will finish a quarter of a billion dollars in drainage improvements to reduce flooding, and find a way to dedicate at least that amount of funding for the future.

This night ends a tough night of campaigning for some council races and bond issues. Those who overcame significant opposition to win this night should remember that public institutions do not succeed without broad public support. So, they should listen to their opponents. For those who take the important though thankless jobs on school boards, please remember that the success or failure of schools in every neighborhood determines the success or failure of the district itself.

I thank those citizens, beginning with my wife, Andrea, whose support has allowed me to work on leading this city - and not politics - since that tough first election. And I particularly want to thank two groups of folks.

First, I thank the city employees who work every day to get things done, and especially those who I called to join public service in Houston for the first time. Second, I thank all of the volunteers who walked door to door, and put out yard signs, and helped with mailings in that first campaign. I work hard every day to vindicate your faith in my long-shot candidacy.

I thank God that my parents have been able to join me in my love affair with Houston. Their own public service, infused with their faith, helped inspire me.

And I ask all of my fellow citizens to keep a police officer, Victor Hill, in their prayers. He has been in the hospital for over a week after being shot protecting our city. And for those of us who serve, let us be reminded of the scripture that tells us to rejoice in sacrifices because from sacrifice comes endurance, from endurance comes character, and from character comes hope, which never disappoints. That is the special spirit which unites us in Houston, our home.

— 2007 Election Night Speech, As Written