Buzbee Offers To Help Houston, Firefighters Solve Prop B Issue

HOUSTON, TX — Houston attorney and mayoral candidate Tony Buzbee has offered to mediate for free to bridge the Prop B divide between the City of Houston and the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association.

Buzbee and HPFFA President Patrick M. “Marty” Lancton, announced on Friday that they will hold a joint press conference Monday to discuss Buzbee’s pro bono offer to mediate the City of Houston’s dispute with the firefighters.

“For more than a year, we have asked the mayor to meet to resolve our differences. While he has refused, our offer to meet any place, any time, remains open. For that reason, Houston firefighters accept Tony Buzbee’s offer to help resolve our differences with the city,” Lancton said.

The offer comes amid the looming threat of layoffs at the City of Houston and Mayor Sylvester Turner’s request last week to hire an independent law firm to investigate whether Prop B was legitimate.

Prop B was placed on the ballot using the language from the petition, which in some cases was considered vague. The council voted 9-7 to hire an outside firm. The passage of Prop B on Nov. 6 allows for Houston firefighters to paid on the same scale as Houston Police officers. The initiative was proposed after city leaders and officials with the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association were unable to agree, and both sides claiming an unwillingness to work together toward a solution.

“Litigation is a waste of taxpayer dollars and if you think this dispute will only cost our city $500,000, I’ve got a bridge to sell you,” Buzbee said in a press release on Friday. “It’s time we equally value our police and fire first responders in Houston. I urge the mayor to make the most of this cost-free opportunity to mediate a solution that works for the city and for firefighter families.”

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