Clean Air
Let's enforce existing air pollution laws and other environmental
regulations in Houston.  Since 1981 big businesses have been getting away with murder because the government hasn't been aggressively enforcing air pollution laws as well as other environmental laws.  Self regulation by industry means no regulation.

We have proximity and regulatory influence over 1/3rd of the oil refining in the United States. By enforcing the laws not only could we improve the air quality for Houstonians but we could improve it for the state of Texas, the United States and the world.

 
Efficient Energy
Let's convert the gas and electricity companies from private, for profit businesses to publicly owned utilities.  Deregulation has led to higher prices, not lower prices for me.  Making gas and electricity public owned utilities will lower the cost of those essential services for consumers and create a push to help individual residents and citizens to improve energy efficiency and reduce pollution.  Currently, Austin and San Antonio's electricity rates, provided by publicly owned utilities, have remained relatively level, while Houston's electricity rates have skyrocketed by about 40%.  Austin's publicly owned electric utility has paid for 2/3rds of the cost a friend of mine's solar panels.  They're constantly helping organizations and people improve their energy conservation.  They do this because it reduces the need to build new coal plants.

Presently, in Houston, Reliant Energy and other private utilities have no incentives to help us improve energy efficiency or decrease pollution.  They want more electricity consumption and less pollution regulation because it leads to more profits.  Energy efficiency is going to be the red letter phrase as the cheap oil begins to disappear.  Oil and gas will always be
around but the price will be rising tremendously.  Look up the phrase "peak oil", if you haven't already.

 
Living Wage
Let's make sure that jobs in Houston pay a living wage.  A living wage means that someone working full time at minimum wage can afford to rent at least an efficiency apartment.  Many homeless people work full time but the minimum wage doesn't allow them to afford an apartment.  The city of Houston
had the power to create a living wage, based on measurable apartment rates, until the state legislature specifically took that power away from home rule cities.  I want to aggressively lobby to take back that power for the people of Houston and I believe we can get a democratic vote in a city wide election that would pass a living wage law.
 
Health Care for Everyone!  Make Houston Breathable! Jobs with Justice!  End Outsourcing!  End Off Shoring!