Here are the candidates running in Fort Worth’s District 4 special election on May 7
Alan Blaylock
Age: 53
Campaign website: alanblaylock.com
Best way for voters to reach you: alanblaylock.com
Occupation: Project Management
Education: TCU
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): No
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in the city of Fort Worth:
Fort Worth Crime Control and Prevention District Community Based Programs Grant Committee - Committee Member - District 4
Heritage Homeowners Association – Vice President
City of Fort Worth Property Improvement District 7 Advisory Board – Vice President
Arts Council of Fort Worth - Core Team Representative - Fire Station #45 Public Art Selection Committee
Co-Founder and Treasurer - Swim North Texas
Eagle Ridge Elementary – Parent Teacher Association - Director
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Who are your top three campaign contributors?: Myself, the Fort Worth Police Officers Association. the International Association of Firefighters 440
Why are you seeking this office?: I was successful in business and now I am retired. Throughout my career, I was involved in my community, volunteering and helping organizations improve our quality of life. When this special election was called, several people encouraged me to run. I love Fort Worth and believe my business background and record of working with others to achieve positive results will be an asset on the city council. I’ll be the people’s full time city councilman.
What are the biggest challenges facing your district?: Rising property taxes continue to concern many District 4 residents. Response times for Police and Fire, improving roads, to relieve traffic congestion in growth areas and road repair in established neighborhoods, attraction of resident focused businesses in the east, especially grocery, and ongoing homelessness challenges throughout the district.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?:
Lowering Property Taxes
Enhancing Police and Fire responsiveness
Improving Roads
Why should voters choose you over your opponents?: I am running for Fort Worth City Council, first and foremost, because I love to serve. After a successful career in the technology industry, I spent the last decade focusing on giving back to my community, from serving on my local PTA Board, to the Board of one of the largest HOAs in the city, to co-founding a regional swim league, to serving on Fort Worth Advisory Committees for a Public Improvement District, Public Arts, the Crime Control and Prevention District grant program, and more.
I have experience leading and managing change, coupled with a drive for success, that will serve well in addressing the challenges and opportunities facing District 4 and Fort Worth.
Do you support the creation of a citizen police oversight board? Why or Why not?: Not at this time. Fort Worth Police Department is the largest accredited police department in Texas, demonstrating an effort to adopt and evolve best practices in serving our city. The Office of Police Oversight Monitor has also been engaged, providing another avenue for residents to have concerns recognized and addressed. The OPOM, while new, has the ability to evolve to best serve our residents and city, creating the best solution for Fort Worth.
How should Fort Worth manage its explosive growth?: Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. The recent update to the Fort Worth Development Strategic Plan is a great start.
The Strategic Plan outlined three initiatives, adopting an investment framework to drive public-private development projects, positioning the city for equitable real estate development city-wide, and a focus on human capital investments to attract talent to Fort Worth.
The plan details concrete steps and metrics for measuring success.
Fort Worth should now execute the plan. We should also pay close attention. Embrace what is working well, and be quick in learning from, adjusting, and improving where the plan is not working as well as intended. A 5 year cycle for strategic review and update is not agile enough under the level of sustained growth Fort Worth is experiencing.
How will you balance the diverse needs of the northern and eastern regions of District 4?: The needs of District 4 are definitely diverse. The northern portion has experienced tremendous growth, driving the need for road enhancements to mitigate traffic, expansion of police and fire capabilities, and more access to city services.
The eastern region needs assistance with revitalization of neighborhoods and bringing resident focused businesses into the area, with grocery being at the top of the list.
Both areas are experiencing challenges with homelessness and panhandling.
The issues in both areas are not confined to district 4; each of those challenges also exists in other parts of the city. Ensuring that the city is responsive and engaged in the issues facing all residents of district 4 is my role, and I will constantly engage with the appropriate city departments on behalf of all constituents of district 4.
James H. McBride
Age: 49
Campaign website: n/a
Best way for voters to reach you: jhmcbrie4district4@gmail.com or 817-363-6608
Occupation: Texas Wesleyan University Sports Information Director
Education: A.A. in communications, with high honors in 2019 from Tarrant County College, and in 2021, earning a bachelor’s degree in mass communication at Texas Wesleyan University, with a minor in political science. Received departmental honors and graduated summa cum laude.
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): I was a 2019 City of Fort Worth General Election candidate for mayor.
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in the city of Fort Worth: I have been working with local nonprofit F.O.C.U.S. to help them achieve their mission to promote civic engagement and literacy.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: Yes, I have some youthful digressions in my past. However, I also graduated college with a 3.86 GPA.
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: no
Who are your top three campaign contributors?: 1. Dr. Murray Fortner, 2. Rick Lancaster, 3. Curtis Reams
Why are you seeking this office?: I said this during my mayoral campaign in 2019, and I believe it still rings true today. When it comes to politics, especially at the municipal level, we must be what I like to call “free thinkers.” We must listen to our district’s constituents and find the most pragmatic solutions to the problems that plague our community. I do not believe we will be able to accomplish this goal as long as we are focused on the two-party mindset that dominates all political structures in society. This, therefore, makes this race critical in regards to decisions the council will make over the next year.
What are the biggest challenges facing your district?: The biggest challenges facing District 4 are making housing affordable, including lower property taxes and safeguarding against gentrification…..in addition to fiscal responsibility by holding the city more accountable for paying the total actuaries instead of passing the burden to future taxpayers.
A permanent housing solution for the homeless population in our city is the key to getting these individuals the proper medical and mental health care needed to be productive members of the private sector.
Lastly, policing demands 21-century solutions to a problem we are still waiting to find after two years with a Police Monitor
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?: We need to revisit the office of Police Monitor and make sure the office can produce context to the problem instead of the content talking points being parroted right now. We can achieve this goal by first bringing more psychology and sociology as part of the officer’s curriculum.
Secondly, the civic leaders in the affected communities need to hold record companies more accountable by not making negative music the day’s tune.
Lastly, we need to bring more scholars on these boards to examine and study these situations.
The problem will not be solved by civic leaders alone, as witnessed.
Why should voters choose you over your opponents?: Because I am not a politician, I am just a concerned taxpayer in the City of Fort Worth who believes I have solutions to problems that plague our community. By doing this, I choose to take a “free-thinking” and business-style approach to government by always taking the most pragmatic approach to solving the problems in District 4.
Do you support the creation of a citizen police oversight board? Why or Why not?: I believe that my opinions or thoughts on this question were expressed in a previous question’s answer. However, if you would like me to elaborate more on this issue, I will be willing to do so.
How should Fort Worth manage its explosive growth?: When it comes to the explosive growth in Fort Worth, I believe there are a few key elements that must be addressed. The first is to be mindful of the increase in impervious surface cover in our communities. This problem causes flooding, as we see in parts of the district. In addition, it puts a more onerous burden on our water filtration systems, mainly due to the loss of natural filtration barriers.
Lastly, we must be mindful of growth and its impact on vital city services such as police, fire, and other areas that are critical to the health and well-being of all communities inside District 4.
How will you balance the diverse needs of the northern and eastern regions of District 4?: I would start with a thorough need assessment of all communities inside District 4 and provide resources where they are needed most. The individual needs of each community dictate the balance. Therefore, promising to take a holistic approach if elected to represent the district.
Tara Wilson
Age: 37
Campaign website: www.votetarawilson.com
Best way for voters to reach you: info@votetarawilson.com
Occupation: RN
Education: Associate Degree of Applied Science in Nursing, McLennan Community College
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): Yes, 2021 Fort Worth City Council District 4
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in the city of Fort Worth:
Executive Board of LGBTQ Saves: a group that focuses on creating safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ youth 12-24
Executive Board of Texas Latina List: a PAC that focuses on getting Hispanic/Latina women in positions of higher office at the local, county, and state level.
Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Ambassador
Leadership Fort Worth Leading Edge 2022 Class for emerging leaders in Fort Worth under 40
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No.
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: No.
Who are your top three campaign contributors?:
Domingo Garcia
Rosa Navejar
Dr. Catalina Garcia
Why are you seeking this office?: The first priority of a City Councilor is to listen to the community and advocate on their behalf. I don’t believe this has been happening. So many parts of District 4 feel disconnected from the City. They’re tired of being kept out of the loop and the unavailability of basic information. My desire is to create space for all parts of the District to be involved that meets them at the busy intersections of their lives. The budget is nearing 2 billion dollars and I’m betting not many knew that. Being fiscally responsible while making sure bond money is invested in the things that directly impact the daily lives of District 4 residents is paramount. District 4 is mostly neighborhoods and home owners who contribute their fair share to the tax base that comprises that enormous budget. District 4 deserves a forward-thinking member of the City Council to represent them with the future in mind and the looming infrastructure issues that are emerging on the horizon.
What are the biggest challenges facing your district?: One of the biggest challenges we face in District 4 is the state of our infrastructure combined with the pace of growth. We saw what happened when thousands of us lost power and water during the winter storm last year, and it is all a result of the lack of infrastructure we have in the city. There is also an imbalance in the way that resources are allocated in the district. We have to find better ways to equitably allocate resources to ensure that all residents can be cared for. Traffic is another major problem that too many of us are familiar with. We need to have a hard and honest discussion about our transit plan and ensure that the plan prioritizes the future growth of the city.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?: Investment in Community: Investing in our communities should be a priority. Your tax dollars should be carefully allocated with a focus on seeking creative solutions to address future growth.
Transit/Infrastructure: Our roads are too congested. Families in District 4 waste too much time sitting in traffic. Tara is focused on efficient infrastructure planning to address the overcrowding of our streets and uncontrolled urban sprawl.
Assisting Small Businesses/Healing Our Economy: Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy. Tara is focused on assisting small business owners through creating programs aimed at helping them thrive.
Why should voters choose you over your opponents?: As a nurse on the front lines, I care deeply about finding solutions for my patients. As a member of the City Council, I will put the well-being of every resident first by listening and then advocating on their behalf. I always fight for my community, whether that is on the boards I serve on or when advocating for investments in District 4. With over a decade’s worth of experience making critical decisions, I have a proven track record of successfully executing plans and getting things done.
Do you support the creation of a citizen police oversight board? Why or Why not?: The creation of a citizen police oversight board was recommended in 2017 by the Race and Culture Task Force. As a nurse, I must be ethical and professional day in and day out. I believe that good ethics should be the standard for every job, and that is why I support a citizen police oversight board. This model has been adopted across the country and serves as a way to implement a system of checks and balances to ensure accountability.
How should Fort Worth manage its explosive growth?: I feel like Fort Worth is at the precipice of evolution. It is a young city demographically and it has grown a lot in the last 10 years. I’m concerned first and foremost that our infrastructure is not supporting all of that growth. Fort Worth has been good at developing, and that needs to continue, but I think we need to balance implementing a vision and plan to keep it all fortified.
How will you balance the diverse needs of the northern and eastern regions of District 4?: Many residents of District 4 feel ignored. This is largely in part due to the lack of investment that some communities have been receiving. There are many opportunities to invest in and nurture the specific needs of all parts of the district and I plan to address this as one of my top priorities on the City Council. Whether it be in the North where you feel disconnected, the East where you feel abandoned, or the Central part where you feel invisible to City Hall, I want to bring a focus back to what our communities need. This starts by engaging with all our communities in substantial ways.
Teresa Ramirez
Did not respond.
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