NDG View
Is the City of Irving ready for a change? That’s the question that seems to be resonating throughout communities in our vastly populated metroplex. From all points within the Dallas and Fort Worth metro areas, it seems that everyone is familiar with the slow to change processes of Irving. Granted, the Irving Independent School District was once recognized as one of the best in North Texas. Yes, Las Colinas and Valley Ranch, communities in Irving, are being held as the mecca for the headquarters of corporations but change to make the entire City of Irving a hub is slow, if not stagnant. Remember, Irving already lost the world famous Dallas Cowboys due to this stagnation. How long until the corporations begin to follow suit?
There is a band of 500 plus individuals based in the Las Colinas area and North Irving who have been providing misinformation, creating a serious obstacle to diversity as Irving seeks to live up to its potential to offer opportunities to all of its citizens. There is a quintessential lack of leadership that has led to the current gridlock that is undermining development and full citizen participation.
If the leaders of Irving don’t find a common ground and learn to work together with all residents for the good of Irving, we will soon have empty palaces in their beloved Las Colinas area and developers that are seeking to do business in their communities will bi-pass them just as Jerry Jones chose to take the Cowboys to Arlington.
But the real question is, can this fast growing city – the 2010 Census reported a 12 percent increase – provide all of its residents with safety, quality education and a stronger economic system? It seems a myriad of candidates have emerged, claiming ideas to make Irving better. The following candidates appeal to the North Dallas Gazette due to their qualifications and willingness to get beyond the gridlock at the council and Irving Independent School Board Level.
These seven candidates are throwing their hats in the ring for the two single-member district seats (Place 4 and Place 6), one at-large seat (Place 8) and the top spot for the Mayoral and Place 2 seats. While the race for these seats is in full swing for the upcoming May 12 election and early voting continues until May 8, Irving voters are still pondering the swiftly approaching decision. Who is the right person to represent all of Irving and its residents? Who will make the necessary changes to make Irving a better city for safety, economic stability and education?
The stand out candidates for Irving City Council includes William “Bill” D. Mahoney, Rick Stopfer and Fran Bonilla. Voters have had several chances to meet their candidates but here is a brief review of each stand out candidate willing to do more for Irving than just make empty promises.
Mahoney is a retired U.S. Army Captain and the founding partner of Boteler, Mahoney and Gray, LLP in Irving. He has served as the Irving Commissioner for six years which will aid him in his bid for Irving City Council, Place 6. His experience as commissioner has provided a true understanding of what Irving means to the residents and surrounding communities. He knows how much these communities rely on the corporations that call Las Colinas home. His platform promises to expand the tax base, including targeted retail; lower property taxes; limit influence of special interests; take advantage of Irving’s assets to improve its future; provide sound decision making and common sense to the issues effecting Irving residents; and be pro-business fiscal conservative.
Stopfer is a long-serving city council member, since 1998, and has larger plans for Irving with his bid for the Place 8 Council seat. His plans include completing the Comprehensive Development Agreement to receive $2.6 billion for the reconstruction of SH 183; job creation for a private hotel to support the Irving Convention Center; advancing major development and redevelopment opportunities in both the commercial and residential sectors; and continuing plans to meet future water demands by encouraging and supporting conservation.
The final candidate is Bonilla, a candidate for the District 4 Council seat and a longtime resident of Irving. Her familiarity with Irving puts her in the right position to know about the communities and what needs to be changed to benefit all. Her plans if elected include the new development of quality corporations and businesses; to continue bringing new development and revitalization to Irving, creating a “green friendly” city; and addressing the basic revitalization of the South part of Irving.
These candidates realize the city is now predominantly Hispanic at 41 percent. Therefore, it is important not to exclude any resident but rather give all residents – Hispanics, Whites and African Americans – a fair chance at business development and partnerships with the city, jobs created by the Irving Convention Center and other economic development plans and the best education system in the DFW.
About Irving ISD
According to the 2010 Census, there were 33,563 students enrolled in Irving ISD (IISD). While the educational scores for IISD were good, candidates for both Irving City Council and IISD believe they can and should be better.
If Irving doesn’t get busy educating students, they will not have qualified residents to take advantages of the opportunities from the Fortune 500 companies positioned in the Irving area. Without an eligible workforce, corporations will be forced to flee Irving in search of communities that can meet their employment needs. The candidates for the IISD elections who are positioning themselves to make IISD better include A.D. Jenkins and Valerie Jones.
Jenkins and his wife have put three boys through the Irving school system and have been very involved from the PTA to starting youth organizations. He pledges to make Irving ISD a school district that includes ALL children. His platform for Place 3 includes determining the best course to improve student performance and mastery of core subjects by raising the bar in the classrooms; identifying and implementing the best ways to get more parents involved in their student’s achievement plan; and instituting a plan for cultural sensitivity by establishing a reputation for respecting cultural differences.
Jones, a current Irving ISD trustee seeking re-election, is passionate about education. She has a history of creating successes in IISD. She plans to implement, if elected to Place 4, the following changes to IISD: getting every student in IISD ready for college and/or career placement; reducing the dropout rate; financially strengthening Irving ISD by reducing spending when necessary; ensuring the State of Texas pays its fair share for educating students; and creating a school district that supports teachers and learning.
Whether on the city council or serving IISD, these candidates are the most qualified to make the changes necessary to Irving’s future development. Residents of Irving should run, not walk, to the polls during early voting or on the May 12 election day, so that Irving can once again be the hub for business, education and safety it once was. All residents in Irving want to be included in the economic growth of their city from job opportunities to business ownership. The candidates above are passionate about education, business development and economic growth. More importantly, they are passionate about Irving and ALL of its residents.
Go vote May 12 or early vote through May 8.
