Q: Mayor Mike Moncrief has had a very close relationship with TCU while in office, implementing things like “Go Purple Fridays” and the “Go Frogs” sign painted on Trinity River. How would you continue this relationship with TCU, if at all?
A: Well I’m not exactly sure how, but sure. I think that what the mayor has done, as well as what TCU has done are just really wonderful things and we need to celebrate and support that. Of course, not only TCU but the other higher education institutions in the [Fort Worth] area. But TCU’s success not only on the sports fields, but academically needs to be celebrated and promoted by everyone in Fort Worth including the Mayor.
Q: Do you have any comments on why students at TCU should vote for you, and how you will appeal to them?
A: Well sure, I mean TCU students, and I guess the point of that is that TCU students, they aren’t all from here and maybe planning on graduating and leaving and going elsewhere, but most certainly while they live here they are, as far as I am concerned citizens of Fort Worth this is where they live, this is their town, they are affected by the quality of the air, the quality of the roads, the quality of all the essential services the city provides. So they have a vested interest as well as anyone else to make sure that the city government is responsive to them as well as responsive to all of the citizens and that they, like everyone else, have a voice that can be heard at city hall. I mean we need to change the way that business is done at city hall, we need to move in a new direction and pave a new way for Fort Worth and I’m the candidate that has the vision, the energy and the commitment to do that.
Q: Speaking of small businesses, the city has attempted to improve the Berry Street area, by adding more businesses, what are your feelings on this project?
A: Oh, I think it’s great, and I most certainly would support it. I think that’s one of the areas where you can implement public-private partnerships that end up to be a win-win situations for both the city and the businesses. I think that certainly the areas of Berry Street that have been repaved with the brick intersections and the cross walks — all of that, are not only more attractive but they are also safer and I would support that any way that I could.
The interviews were part of a joint effort of the Schieffer School of Journalism and KERA-TV/KERA-FM and recorded at the school’s facilities. For more information, visit http://www.kera.org/radio/news/voters.php.
