At a tense city council meeting on Wednesday, Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s financial integrity advisor, for the first time, defended his value to the city amid an ongoing investigation into his employment.
Chris Brown was tapped by Whitmire’s administration in 2024 after serving two terms as City Controller, Houston’s chief elected financial official. According to documents obtained byHouston Public Media, as Whitmire’s advisor, Brown swiped into City Hall 13 times and sent 12 emails from his city account over the course of nearly 600 workdays — while earning a $127,000 salary.
The records were first reported by theHouston Chronicle, prompting an investigation by the current City Controller, Chris Hollins.
On Wednesday, Brown defended himself. He said he had three decades of relevant experience, including leading significant reforms to the city’s finances.
“I’m bringing value,” Brown told reporters after the meeting, pointing to his work on pension reform and balancing the city’s budget. “The mayor is smart. He knows that my expertise, my background, has value. I’m delivering value for the citizens of Houston.”
Whitmire said Brown was offered a full-time position with a salary over $300,000, but they negotiated the current setup.
“You were never hired as an hourly wage earner,” Whitmire told Brown. “And it’s quite frankly misrepresenting your total value.”
The mayor’s salary is capped at $300,000, and the controller’s salary runs up to $200,000. Whitmire declined a potential increase this year, and he currently receives a salary of $237,097.
Dominic Anthony Walsh/Houston Public Media
During the meeting, Brown also attacked Hollins’ office. He pointed out the controller’s audit division has completed 16 audits over the past two years compared to 27 during the same time span under Brown’s first term in office, despite the audit budget increasing.
Under questioning from council member Alejandra Salinas, Brown said he worked an average of 15 hours a week prior to theHouston Chronicle’sstory in June.
“You said that the controller shouldn’t be embarrassed, but sir, frankly, you should be embarrassed,” Salinas said. “The reason why your name has come up for public scrutiny is because you are making $127,000 a year and have reported to work for 13 days and sent 12 emails.”
Brown said he had worked on “probably 19 projects,” sometimes worked up to 60 hours a week and identified millions of dollars in potential savings.
When Hollins attempted to update the city council on the investigation into Brown’s employment during his monthly financial report, Whitmire and some council members asked him to focus on the report. After speaking over one another, Whitmire eventually gaveled the council into a 10-minute recess.
The city council’s budget committee chair, Sallie Alcorn, praised Brown’s work as city controller and asked Hollins to not criticize Whitmire and his administration.
“I care about the finances of this city. I would stack up against anybody. I think you do too. I think Chris Brown does. I think the mayor does,” Alcorn said. “I think the people in the city of Houston want to see us up here working on problems to impact our budget and our future. I think they want to see us working together — not causing fights, not bickering amongst each other. People are so sick of that.”
After the meeting, Hollins told reporters he was improving the audit division, describing the group’s work under Brown as “not substantive.” He said his investigation is ongoing and described Brown’s presentation as a “clown show.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include Mayor Whitmire’s current salary.
