Incumbent Plummer deserves to stay
When some politicians shift their positions on high-profile issues, they get tagged with the dreaded “flipflopper” label. So when At-Large Position 4 Councilmember Letitia Plummer changed her mind — twice — on the city’s use of ShotSpotter technology in certain high-crime Houston neighborhoods, it may have looked to some like a lawmaker changing her tune on a controversial program just in time for reelection.
Plummer, though, explained to the editorial board recently that data drives a lot of her decision-making, even if it doesn’t always align neatly with her personal political views.
When City Council first considered funding ShotSpotter in 2022, Plummer, 53, was the only one of her 16 colleagues to vote against the fiveyear, $3.5 million contract. Plummer campaigned in 2019 as a vocal advocate for police reform, and she raised concern that other cities that used ShotSpotter — a small, box-shaped sensor with microphones attached to detect a potential gunshot — found it had major flaws, including misclassifying sounds of fireworks or jackhammers as gunshots and failing to record actual live gunfire.
A year later, when the Houston Police Department presented data to City Council in February that showed the technology was having an impact in one patrol division, Plummer acknowledged to reporters that the data was “showing positive.” Yet when more comprehensive data obtained by the Chronicle in July found that officers were prioritizing ShotSpotter alerts sometimes at the expense of responding to 911 calls, Plummer changed her mind again.
“The data is now saying it’s not supportive,” Plummer told the editorial board. “Even the police union came out and said ‘We’re not supporting it.’”
Plummer’s willingness to keep an open mind in a political climate where many elected leaders are content to operate in silos and echo chambers is a refreshing trait. She is both an independent advocate for the city and willing to be a check on the mayor. Plummer deserves a second term.
It’s difficult for council members to stand out in a city where the mayor has the final say on the agenda. But when Mayor Sylvester Turner put forth a proposal for a $5 million voluntary relocation fund for Fifth Ward residents living near a contaminated rail yard that may cause cancer, Plummer was the only councilmember willing to risk irking the mayor by “tagging” the vote and put it on hold for another week. Plummer said she wanted to make sure the affected community understood exactly what was at stake before she signed off on the plan.
Shortly after tagging the vote, Plummer met with Fifth Ward residents and advised them to be cautious about accepting buyouts. While she ultimately voted to approve the relocation fund, she is also advocating for the city to place radon testing and extraction devices inside Fifth Ward homes until the Environmental Protection Agency releases more test results on the contaminated soil next year.
“One thing I pride myself in is being an independent voice,” Plummer said. “Based on the science, (Fifth Ward) is not in immediate risk, but we do need to look at the homes.”
Plummer’s opponents bring a variety of strengths to the table.
John Branch Jr., 46, is a teacher development specialist for Houston ISD and a science instructional specialist at Aldine ISD. He’s a selfdescribed “fiscal conservative” who wants the city to budget responsibly. If elected, he said he would pore over the city’s finances to find inefficiencies and waste, particularly with the city using dwindling federal COVID relief funds to balance the budget. Branch is also an advocate for environmental justice and said he would be a strong voice against illegal dumping and pollution that blights low-income communities.
Roy Morales, 66, is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and frequent political candidate, having run several times unsuccessfully for City Council as well as for mayor and Congress. He is campaigning on reducing crime and has some interesting ideas on how to do it, including partnering with private security officers to patrol neighborhoods, and using technology such as GPS darts and drones to track suspects that flee a crime scene, in lieu of a high-speed chase.
Andrew Patterson, 69, is a retired insurance and risk management worker who previously ran for the District J City Council seat in 2019. Patterson said he would be a voice for the people in holding the city accountable, particularly in the contracting process where he believes smaller vendors are disadvantaged.
Each candidate made compelling arguments for why they deserve an opportunity to represent Houston, but the incumbent has earned our recommendation for another term.
We urge Houston voters to choose Plummer.
Council member is a strong voice for At-Large Position 4.