During a March 2 meeting, Houston City Council voted to approve an ordinance authorizing a legal service agreement between the city of Houston and the law firm Thompson and Horton LLP for redistricting services.
The ordinance was first placed on the council's agenda during a Feb. 23 meeting, but at-large Council Member Mike Knox tagged it, delaying it to the March 2 meeting. Knox attempted to push the vote again to the March 9 meeting but failed to do so. He was joined by At-Large Council Member Michael Kubosh, District G Council Member Mary Nan Huffman and District A Council Member Amy Peck in voting against the ordinance.
Knox said his main issue is with Thompson and Horton's plans to subcontract a portion of the work to West and Associates LLP. The city using that firm could be construed as politicizing the redistricting process, he said, because its founding partner Royce West is a Democratic state senator.
“We are basically going to stub our toe on purpose,” Knox said at the March 2 meeting.
At the March 2 meeting, District C Council Member Abbie Kamin asked City Attorney Arturo Michel if West would be involved in the agreement in any way. Michel said there is no indication West would be working on the case, which he said will be completely handled in the firm's Houston office.
Knox also said he spoke with Thompson and Horton, whose representatives told him they would be open to adjusting the subcontractor.
“We have the opportunity to lead by example and create an image of nonpartisan redistricting designed for the benefits of citizens of Houston,” Knox said.
Mayor Sylvester Turner said it would be a bad policy call if the city chose a subcontractor on behalf of a prime contractor. He also said Houston has used the firm for years. According to the ordinance, the firm’s attorneys are “experienced and highly capable of analyzing proposed redistricting plans.”
Turner repeatedly reminded council members Houston's redistricting process does not entail drawing Democratic or Republican seats. Instead, lines are drawn based on population and diversity, he said.
“Since I’ve been mayor, I know every single district here," Turner said. "I treat them the same, whether they voted for me or not.”
According to the ordinance, the city of Houston should expect to see Houston City Council vote on multiple items in the future regarding redistricting criteria before any plan is adopted. New maps need to be in place in time for the city's next general election in 2023.
As part of the agreement, Thompson and Horton will also represent the city in a related lawsuit that challenges the use of at-large positions.
