Here’s our endorsement as north Arlington elects a new City Council member | Opinion
Voters in north Arlington have two solid choices for their next City Council member. We give the edge to Mauricio Galante, based on his business experience and potential salesmanship for District 1 and the entire city.
Galante, 53, is campaigning on making things easier for small businesses to drive Arlington’s economy and completing a long-awaited police substation in the district to improve response times. In our interview with the candidates, Galante, a River Park resident who owns a golf range, said he wanted the city to back off more regulation, especially when it comes to the permitting process for retail or warehouse facilities.
He also stressed the need to improve Arlington’s side of the Great Southwest Industrial District, saying it has been surpassed by neighbor Grand Prairie. And overall, Galante displayed an entrepreneurial passion that will enable him to dig in and get things done as a council member.
Galante, a naturalized citizen originally from Brazil, enjoys the endorsement of Mayor Jim Ross and council members Long Pham and Nikki Hunter.
Candidate Tim Goss showed an impressive knowledge of District 1’s needs. He’s particularly focused on limiting further construction of apartments, arguing that the focus should be on better holistic communities that will entice young workers to stay in the city. On other issues, though, his answers sometimes lacked specificity.
Goss, 61, is a federal employee and military veteran who lives in River Legacy Estates. He’s served on the city’s bond project committee. He’s backed by retiring District 1 council member Helen Moise and several of her predecessors.
A third candidate, technical support adviser Jacob Franklin, did not appear for our interview.
If no candidate receives at least half the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff. The winner will serve a three-year term.
Early voting starts Monday and ends April 30. Election Day is May 4.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHey, who is behind these endorsements?
Members of the Editorial Board, which serves as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s institutional voice, decide candidates and positions to recommend to voters. The members of the board are: Cynthia M. Allen, columnist; Steve Coffman, editor and president; Bud Kennedy, columnist; and Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
How does the process work?
The Editorial Board interviews candidates, asking about positions on issues, experience and qualifications, and how they would approach holding the office for which they are running. Board members do additional research on candidates’ backgrounds and the issues at hand. After that, members discuss the candidates and generally aim to arrive at a consensus, though not necessarily unanimity. All members contribute observations and ideas, so the resulting editorials represent the board’s view, not a particular writer.
How do partisanship and ideology factor in?
We’re not tied to one party or the other, and our positions on issues range across the ideological spectrum. We tend to prefer candidates who align with our previously stated positions, but qualifications, temperament and experience are important, too.