By Treva Harper
I decided to run for city council to restore the voice of the people to City Hall. There is no way any city can know the voice of the people when they are not listening. And our City Council certainly has not been listening. From the Sod Poodles to the trash carts, our City Council has been making many decisions without much input from our citizens. This is due, in part, to their changes to the public comments at council meetings that have restricted the ability of the people to come and express their concerns. We need to listen to the people and address the issues they care about.
We need to focus our attention on all of Amarillo, not only downtown and the South West part of town. The closing of the Thompson Park pool, for example, is unacceptable and it is just another symptom of how out of balance the care for our city has been for far too long. It is time to care for the whole city.
There are many issues that need to be dealt with fairly and responsibly. From how to help the homeless, to city services and infrastructure, the animal Shelter’s policies, and to providing the needs of our police and fire departments. We have to run the city according to the will of the people not by the will of the special interests or for the benefit of those associated with folks who are sitting on our City Council.
Amarillo is located in a great spot, has great potential, and a diverse community. We must care for the whole city equally so we can be the kind of city where companies want to settle or expand. That is how we grow our city and make this a place people move to for opportunity and for our great community!
