Q&A: Get to know Dallas City Council District 10 candidates

What are your top priorities?

Making District 10 safer and cleaner; economic investment and development; creating a multipurpose center; police substation with a courthouse; stripping that budget, cutting spending; making law enforcement more appealing; blocking the corporate takeover of properties; controlling homelessness/panhandling; public corruption.

What do you feel makes you uniquely qualified for the role?

As a publisher, I fought government corruption hard, took a beating for it and [am] still standing. I help people; [I am] not here for a paycheck or to advance myself. I know government inside and out. [As an] ambassador and advocate, I do not lead by party, favor, race, money, privilege or agenda.

What do you see as the biggest issue/challenge facing your district?

Segregation still exists here; no unity; leadership, three opponents been here, did nothing; crime, no vision or plan; high property taxes, spending, homelessness, panhandling, dirty streets/places and the lack of good resources and help; no response by councilman; minorities don’t vote

How do you plan to address that?

I have a ministry, and I authored a resolution; read it at Christian Heritage U.S on Facebook. It compels the government and the churches to unite in “goodwill,” to help the community. With the tools as a councilman, I’ll have a unified front to address the above.

What are your top priorities?

Public safety, and hiring and training new police officers; [and] lowering taxes by making the government accountable, transparent, effective and efficient [are priorities]. This includes streamlining permitting for new commercial and residential developments. Eliminating panhandling and rapidly engaging with those in homeless encampments to provide needed help to make our neighborhoods safer and ...

What do you feel makes you uniquely qualified for the role?

[I am] the only candidate with a finance degree, and experience with large budgets and developing effective programs necessary for addressing the issues facing District 10. I have expert knowledge of homelessness and affordable housing issues gained as chair of the city of Dallas HOME and Economic Development committee.

What do you see as the biggest issue/challenge facing your district?

Crime and ineffective unresponsive government [is an issue]. 911 calls go unanswered, homeless encampments and litter take months to clean up, terrible roads, littered parks and creeks, property crimes that go unsolved, and we don’t get any answers. We need a more responsive and effective city government.

How do you plan to address that?

We need to work together to hire more police officers and code enforcement officers, and provide city staff with resources with the tools they need to address crime and urban blight, and restore Lake Highlands and Hamilton Park to the beautiful and safe community it once was.

What are your top priorities?

Public safety: We’ve made progress on violent crime but must continue to partner with stakeholders in our apartment communities, businesses and HOAs. Homelessness: A combination of enforcement and compassion; decommission encampments and offer services, community, and housing. Economic development: The current improvements to I-635: opportunities for redevelopment.

What do you feel makes you uniquely qualified for the role?

The combination of living in District 10 for 40 years, starting and running a business here and working as the executive director for three PIDs has uniquely equipped me with the ability to identify issues, and use my skills and relationships to strategize and address them.

What do you see as the biggest issue/challenge facing your district?

The city of Dallas is focused on providing more affordable housing. District 10 currently has more low-income housing units than most other districts.

How do you plan to address that?

We need to vet proposed projects. Looking at the developer’s past projects, looking at the mix of possible market rate, and low-income units and the proximity to schools, grocery stores, parks and transportation. The District 10 community must also be given the information and allowed to voice an opinion.

What are your top priorities?

My top priorities are shoring up the police and firefighters pension fund, and securing a 30% pay raise for rank and file police officers in order to retain those officers.

What do you feel makes you uniquely qualified for the role?

I am a Conservative. I have advocated against waste and corruption at City Hall. I have adopted four rescue dogs from Dallas Animal Services. I don't simply sit up in the bleachers complaining, I engage.

What do you see as the biggest issue/challenge facing your district?

The biggest challenge to District 10 is police retention and putting a stop to out-of-control apartment development in the district. The district has 2 to 1 apartments to residential homes. We need balance. The district has more low-income housing than any district in North Dallas.

How do you plan to address that?

I will address this by shoring up the police and firefighters pension fund, and increasing police pay. I will initiate a moratorium on any new apartment development. I will insist that other North Dallas districts absorb low-income housing needs to provide balance across the city.