HOUSTON – The race for Houston mayor gained new competition Monday as businessman Bill King announced his bid.
The attorney and former Kemah mayor launched his official campaign Monday morning on Kirkwood Drive.
"Just because we put a man on the moon it doesn't mean that our streets need to look like its surface," said King as he stood on the street's median in southwest Houston.
He said we cannot wait another five or six years to repair our streets.
"The only reason you don't fill a pothole is because you don't have the money to do it. It's not like we don't know how to do that," said King.
King said his major focus will be working on the city's finances. He said the city could go broke next year if we don't focus on the finances now. He said his 40 years of business and legal experience working in the public and private sectors have prepared him for the job.
"On the basic issues affecting our lives, city government too often isn't getting the job done, so today I am declaring my candidacy for mayor to get Houston back to basics," King said. "I want to put my business experience to work getting City Hall focused on fixing the streets, catching the crooks and balancing the budget."
King has lived in the area his whole life and was born and raised in Kemah. He has served on many charitable and community boards.
He joins former Congressman Chris Bell, Attorney Ben Hall, State Representative Sylvester Turner and Houston City Council members Stephen Costello and Oliver Pennington in running for the mayor's office.
Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia has not publicly indicated whether or not he will run for the office.
Houstonians will head to the polls on Nov. 3 to vote on Mayor Annise Parker's successor.