Continental Airlines has decided to throw all its weight behind Proposition G, Mayor White’s effort to do an end-run around Proposition 2 (via KHOU-11):
Political insiders have told 11 News that Continental plans to spend whatever it takes to pass Proposition G.
Something you don’t see every day is top business executives handing out campaign signs inside their corporate headquarters, asking workers for their votes.
Continental Airlines has launched a corporate campaign blitz asking its 20,000 local employees to vote for an amendment to Houston’s city charter.
“Continental asked because otherwise, we could see the growth of the Houston airport limited. And we don’t want to fall behind American at Dallas/Ft. Worth or Delta in Atlanta,” said Larry Kellner, Continental Airlines CEO.
So Continental is throwing a still-undisclosed amount of money into a political campaign
Everything from Proposition G billboards to a Web site to its airline magazine, in which the CEO urges travelers to back Prop G.
Proposition G would remove Houston’s Aviation Department and a couple of other city departments that actually make money, from limits on the growth of city revenues.
Those limits were passed by voters two years ago in a charter change backed by conservative activists.
“It’s kicking out the stools out from taxpayer protections that the citizens overwhelmingly put into place in 2004,” said Bruce Hotze.
“We already had to put on hold one airport project because of the uncertainty caused by the people who are suing the city,” Bill White, Houston mayor.
Here’s the ballot language. Scroll down for Propositions G and H.
Continental’s help will certainly be welcomed by Mayor White, as will the votes of many of its 20,000 employees. Imagine the reaction if a big local entity encouraged its employees to vote against something Mayor White wanted.
Does anyone know what airport project the city put on hold due to Prop. 2? I can’t recall a story on that.
