Jackson deserves full term on council
Incumbent has focused on mitigating flooding and improving Houston’s infrastructure
For decades, residents in northeast Houston watched flooding get worse. A heavy rain could overflow the open ditches that are prevalent in the neighborhoods there. The city had been responsible for maintaining those ditches but it had long ago left it up to residents such as Carolyn Rivera in Settegast and Malberth Moses in Trinity Gardens. Both longtime residents are part of a grassroots effort, pressuring City Hall to invest in their neighborhoods. So when City Council approved a $20 million budget amendment in June to fund local drainage and allow the city to once again take responsibility for maintaining open ditches, it was an emotional day.
“Never before has a city budget dedicated this level of funding to improving our drainage infrastructure,” said Tarsha Jackson, the council member who represents the area and whose amendment set the stage for the historic policy reversal and the city's adoption of the plan in late September.
Jackson, 52, has been focused on mitigating flooding since before taking office in December 2020 after a delayed runoff victory. As an organizer with Texas Organizing Project, she helped navigate the recovery process after Hurricane Ike. Once in office, she says, one of the first things she did was submit a list of 14 flood mitigation projects to the city’s Storm Water Action Team.
Of course, this work takes time, to Jackson’s frustration and that of her opponent, Alma Banks-Brown, who is a Swiss knife of community involvement, running a foundation, conducting workshops in local schools and serving as a precinct judge.
“Flooding is still happening,” Banks-Brown told us in a candidate screening.
“The flood projects are moving forward,” Jackson countered.
It’s understandable both that people would be tired of waiting for improvements and that progress wouldn’t be immediate, especially considering Jackson hasn’t even had a full term in office. That’s part of the reason we believe she deserves a second one.
In her limited time, she’s had a big impact. On illegal dumping, for example, she helped keep the city trash depositories open for more days and hours and championed the mayor’s roughly $18 million One Clean Houston campaign. She says her behind-the-scenes prodding is paying off, too: the city’s antilitter team recently spent a whole month working in District B.
Jackson’s challengers include Banks-Brown, 63, and Kendra London, 42, each with a wealth of knowledge about the district, which includes Acres Homes, Greenspoint, Kashmere Gardens and Fifth Ward. Banks-Brown had behind-the-scenes experience in several city administrations and started the foundation, Lil Audrey’s Safe Place to support formerly homeless and sex-trafficked young people. She says an assistant district attorney with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office asked her to run for office after her son was murdered. London, meanwhile, brings her own life journey, from personally experiencing homelessness and navigating various assistance programs, to her advocacy for her community, with a particular emphasis on fair and affordable housing.
While both challengers are certainly tremendous assets to their communities, Jackson brings many of the same skills to the position that she has handled capably thus far.
“I’m fighting for the community,” Jackson told us, including the large Spanish-speaking population in the district, noting that her chief of staff is bilingual and able to communicate effectively with constituents.
Jackson has been efficient with her truncated time in office and we think voters should send her back to continue that good work.