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Incumbent Brown wins second term as Houston mayorHOUSTON (AP) — Lee Brown, facing only token opposition from a couple of unfunded challengers, cruised Tuesday to a second two-year term as mayor of Houston.“We’ve done a lot of good things in two years,” Brown said. “We need to keep the ball rolling. There’s a lot more that needs to be done.”Brown, 62, a former police chief in Houston, police commissioner in New York and Atlanta and President Clinton’s national drug czar, easily defeated Jack Terence, the publisher of a weekly new spaper, and Outlaw Josey Wales IV, a wrestling promoter.With 75 percent of the vote counted. Brown had 105,996, or 67 percent, followed by Terence at 36,616, or 23 percent,and Wales with 15,166, or 10 percent.“It has been a tremendous privilege to help guide our city’s progress through the past two years and to be re-elected your mayor with such overwhelming support,” he told supporters. “Houston is on a roll and I look forward to the next two years. We’re creating jobs at a record pace, rebuilding downtown, rebuilding our neighborhoods and investing in our future, the young people of our city.”This election was a far cry from two years ago when Browm, bidding to become Houston’s first black mayor, was in a tight and expensive race against businessman Rob Mosbacher. Brown prevailed in a runoff with 53 percent of the vote and succeeded popular Bob Lanier, wpo was barred by term limits .Irom seekingj^.Toiutl?, two-year term. X-- k ’Brown had Lanier’s endoriemejjt in the nonpartisan race, and Lanu#jia$ 3number of Brown’s projects Jindudinjjan^ other ballot proposal Tuesday 4h»t attracted much more attention ®blk£ty.The issue asked voters to ajliw * from car rentals and hotel occujjftncyjio be used to help pay for- a new cWwatewb sports arena. That issue was failiju A second race that drew attention from* BrowTi’s bid was an issue allowing Port * of Houston Authority to issue $387 million in bonds to build a container tprfninal on the city’s Ship ChannelThe bond issue, which Brown and other supporters said will solidify Houston as a dominant Gulf Coast port, was passing comfortably. Opponents argued a new port complex will increase pollution and traffic.Brown spent more than $733,000 on his re-elect.ion-campaign, saying he was taking nothing for granted, but the amount paled in comparison to the $2.7 million he spent two years ago., TTerence, 61. who goes by the nickname ^“Jailbird,” reported spending only $1,360. It was his ninth unsuccessful attempt for public office.Wales. 52, who adopted the name of a Clint Eastwood movie character, had no spending report on file in his first run forPolitical analysts say Houston's term limits law is responsible for a lack of serious competition, keeping well-financed opponents out of the race to lead the nation s fourth-largest city until prospects improve when a popular incumbent can't run again.Brown, who can seek one more term two years from now, counted dowmtown revitalization, the city’s healthy economy and a lower crime rate among his successes. For his second term, he listed transportation and pollution issues as priori- j ties. A limited light rail public transit system is on the drawing board and Houston recently passed Los Angeles for the dubious distinction as the nation’s smoggiest city
Newspaper Details
Port Arthur News
Port Arthur, Texas, US
Wed, Nov 03, 1999
Page 2
Full Page
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Jordan T.
USA 06 Feb 2024
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