By DIANE XAVIER
The Dallas Examiner
Monday Night Politics: Meet the Candidates presented online by The Dallas Examiner continued on March 22.
The forum featured candidates seeking the Dallas City Council District 6 seat: incumbent Omar Narvaez, Monica Alonzo, Tony Carrillo, Earl Thomas and Wendi Macon, who was not present.
Narvaez is the incumbent.
“I am about to complete my second term in District 6,” he said. “The reason why I am running again is because experienced, effective leadership is extremely important at Dallas City Hall. What you all know is that I have been your champion at Dallas City Hall when it comes to the big issues. When it comes to having a voice at Dallas City Hall. As you all know, four years ago the reason that I had to run was because we had no voice at Dallas City Hall. We had ineffective leadership. I have changed what happens at Dallas City Hall when it comes to District 6. The biggest compliment that I get is when my colleagues and city staff, when people out in the community, business leaders and activists tell me that District 6 residents are involved and passionate and they feel empowered and that excites me. Why? Because they didn’t have a voice before and now they do. We educate them on the issues, and we make sure everybody knows what is going on. I have made a lot of good things happen and a lot of impact on District 6. We are now one of the fastest growing districts and one of the districts that businesses want to be in. We brought in well over 2,000 new jobs in District 6 alone through the city of Dallas. I have made sure that we have had economic opportunities that have come through the city of Dallas District 6. There has been so much that has been accomplished with fair housing in District 6 in the North as well as in the West, as well as in the Design District. It is the second largest district in the city of Dallas.”
“I am running again for my third term. I believe that experienced effective leadership at the horseshoe is what we still need in District 6. We finally have a voice in District 6 at Dallas City Hall and that is something that I am extremely proud of that we were able to build over the past four years that did not exist before. Our folks are empowered, they participate, and the biggest compliment that I continue to get from my colleagues as well as city staff is that District 6 residents for the first time that they can remember are seriously involved in their communicating and working and advocating in our district. And that makes me so proud. I have also been endorsed by a lot of different organizations. We are working to collaborate so that we can continue to move District 6 forward the way that folks want it to be moved forward. I will continue to advocate the things that are important to you.”
Alonzo is a former Dallas City councilwoman.
“I want to represent you and not be a person that is only going to be there for a photo-op or be able to be ready to sign any letters or memos to be able to bring any conversations in towards the city council,” she said. “I want to be there for you, especially in times of crisis. As you all know, we are going through a pandemic and we went through the storm earlier, and I think that was something that we all needed to take care of right away and I believe that. I’m ready to take action for positive impact in making sure that all the residents of Dallas, city council District 6, 40.8 miles are represented all the time. Not a select few depending on what the issues are every time.”
“I am here ready to take action for a positive impact. We lack representation, we lack a voice in the community. We lack a voice in the small business community. And we want to make sure that we go back to that. One, to represent all, Whites, Blacks, Browns, and Asians. Everyone in the council district of 40.8 square miles in every neighborhood. Not just one area or one group of persons. We want to let you know that we have that type of experience, that knowledge, to bring not only that information that we have for the pandemic, we want to work to get jobs and more jobs that we lost already so that the people can get back to the quality of life. We want to make sure that we have growth that makes sense and we are going to do it together. Public safety is very important, and we need to work together on that. I am ready to take action for a positive impact with each and every one of you. You need a representative that can not only represent you but speak to you in your language and speak to you where you would understand, and you would get the information that you need. I am there for you and have been there for you and I want to continue to represent you. We need to make sure that we work together and get things done.”
Thomas is a local pastor.
“I’m just a little guy here in West Dallas that cares about District 6,” he said. “I’m pastor of a great church, the New Mt. Zion P.B.C. and I am from the West Dallas area. My family has been in District 6 through lineage for over 100 years. I’m just here to make better of the change that they say we have been having, but it is just time to do something more and creative and time to do something better in leadership. We have to start with leadership and anything you want to know; I am an open book. So I am here ready to talk and ready to run. I am more of a student than a teacher.”
“I just don’t have a solution because I am the solution. I won’t just fight with you; I will fight for you. I just don’t fight for myself; I fight because of you. This city and this district needs someone like myself who knows the people in the district. Who knows the needs and not just the wants. Who knows how to be relatable because that is what is naturally me. I have created and I am created to get out this plan that will take our city and our district into the future. The right now future. I believe that you vote for Earl Thomas for District 6 because you believe in what I have already shown you even in silence. They say pastor Earl, why don’t you have signs in the yard and I said they are coming. The reason why I haven’t had to have them yet is because I am always in somebody’s yard. I am always at somebody’s door. I am always feeding somebody even when the cameras are not on. I provide leadership that would build and benefit an economy for our district, a better educational forum for our district mentoring programs for our district and an inclusive all-around better district for you and your children, your family, loved ones and businesses and churches.”
Carrillo is a construction manager.
“I’m a third generation here in West Dallas,” he said. “I’ve been watching these councilmen starting with when Steve Salazar was in, and he was my neighbor. I’ve been retired 20 years from coaching athletics or youth middle school and high school and spent nine years at Bishop Dunne. This is strictly voluntary. I do my work and my work is from the heart. Since I have been retired coaching these kids, now I want to work with the adults and serve them and serve them well. I am not here for the money, I’m here for the service. The individual I like to follow is Jesus Christ and he was here to serve and not to be served and that is what I am here for. We have fed the community and we sponsored supplies to buildings to private homeowners, and that is just a start. And you are going to start seeing a whole lot more of me, and like I said, I am here to serve you guys. I light up every time I get to see somebody smile and I really pray that you guys let me serve you guys. I see a lot of problems going down to Bachman Lake. I went up one morning at 5 a.m. in the morning before Bible study and there was a bar over there, and people were coming in and out of there about 5 a.m. in the morning and there is prostitution over there and it is just horrible. This is during the day, and I plan to put a stop to all of that stuff.”
“I am a father, a married man and have one son in college,” he said. “I know what it is like to raise a child and that is one of my main goals here is to help this community and help the children. They are our future, and we need to develop jobs here in West Dallas. The city and the investors, all they are worried about is their pocketbook. They are building apartments and apartments and townhouses and where are the jobs. I am here to serve the community, and I am a born-again Christian, and I will go above and beyond the call of duty. As a veteran I have done so many things that I have volunteered for just to take care of my troops. I love children and love families and love everybody. I don’t care even if you are against me, I will still serve you and serve you well. That is what I have been taught is to serve and love everyone no matter who you are or what race, color, creed, religion you are.”
Each candidate also participated in a question-and-answer session during the forum. To view the entire forum including the question-and-answer session for the March 22 forum, visit: DallasExaminer.com or The Dallas Examiner Facebook page at https://www.facebook/thedallasexaminer.
Early voting for the elections starts April 19 and Election Day is May 1. The last day to register to vote is April 1.
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