Fort Worth’s mayoral race should be about the candidates, not partisanship

No problem with Peoples

Deborah Peoples is no more partisan than current and prior mayors, including Betsy Price. However, Peoples has balanced her political positions with the interests of her constituents. (May 24, 1A, “‘We live in new times’: Arlington runoffs will come down to turnout, experts say”)

AT&T would not have entrusted Peoples with its resources if she was inclined to be biased toward any particular group. If Peoples were a Republican, her political leaning would not be an issue for members of that party. How partisan is that?

- Cora Mosley, Fort Worth

Democrats do everything wrong

Fort Worth has been blessed under the leadership of Mattie Parker’s mentor, Mayor Betsy Price. Under their tenure, Fort Worth has become one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities, with a strong job market. 

The   mayor’s office is intended to be nonpartisan. Mayors with Democratic ties like those of Parker’s opponent, Deborah Peoples, bring policies that lead to high crime, economic decline, poor education, homelessness and unemployment. They’re attempting power grabs with unconstitutional COVID-19 bans and restrictions. And even as crime rises, Democratic mayors seek to defund police. 

Imagine what Fort Worth would look like today if Peoples had been mayor during the turbulent COVID-19 era. We’d continue to be blessed with Parker as mayor.

- Ryan Campbell, Fort Worth

Tree plan isn’t a serious solution

Rep. Kay Granger’s Trillion Trees Act is old-fashioned green washing, pretending to be environmentally conscious but not taking serious steps to do so. It would be better to eliminate our dependency on fossil fuels.

Many of the trees planted under this program would die before they start making a difference in the atmosphere, thanks to increasingly intense inclement weather, drought, flooding, fire, insects and  disease.

If Granger can’t get behind the climate change initiatives of the Biden White House, she should support using native plants. Prairie grasses capture carbon and are resilient to extreme temperatures, drought, fire and disease.

- Debora Young, Fort Worth

Fort Worth can’t lose its red

Here’s hoping Bud Kennedy is wrong about Fort Worth turning blue. (May 23, 1C, “Think Fort Worth is a GOP city? It’s not — what that means in mayor race”) Heaven forbid that we take the route of other Democrat-run states and municipalities.

Who wants to live under the failed policies of places such as California, Washington, D.C., or New York? 

- Rick Murr, Colleyville

Glaspie has what’s needed

Michael Glaspie gets my vote for mayor of Arlington. He’s the only candidate with a lifetime of community leadership experience in elected offices. He brings an outstanding history of work and achievement for Arlington and a strong devotion to family and Christian service. 

I met Glaspie when he was president of the Arlington Independent School District’s board. He remains devoted to assuring that all Arlington students graduate as productive citizens. To recognize this strong legacy, the AISD Board of Trustees named the athletic complex at Martin High School for Glaspie.

He would be a great mayor for Arlington.

- Polly Walton, Arlington

This story was originally published May 27, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Fort Worth’s mayoral race should be about the candidates, not partisanship."