A
Voice for Garland
I'm Douglas Athas. As your mayor, I have successfully worked to bring more jobs and development, to improve our roads and infrastructure, to fight tax rate increases, to keep our families safe, and to preserve and improve the quality of life we have worked so hard to achieve.
Plans for a rebuilt I-635 are ready and funding has started. A new development code has attracted new construction—worth hundreds of millions, more businesses, and a reinvigorated downtown.
No city can exist without water. I have led with the mayors of Mesquite, Plano, and Richardson, to address the perpetual water rate increases coming from the water district, to receive rates and to use management practices that are sustainable and that don't penalize conservation.
Garland must continue to attract new businesses and residents. To do that we must share what makes us unique and attractive, to provide services and opportunities that equal or exceed our neighboring cities.
Garland is unique and special. We have no ethnic majority, the school district reports that there are 114 languages spoken in our homes, and a University study reports that our neighborhoods are the most racially diverse in Texas, fifth in the country. We work together extremely well.
Grow Community, Grow Opportunity, Grow Garland. |
Experienced
For 4 years of my possible six years as mayor, 6 years as a council member, and 8 years as a plan commissioner, I have been making decisions that helped the city develop new businesses and neighborhoods—and as importantly —made the hard decisions that allowed us to weather the storm of the prolonged recession. I have traveled the country to search for new solutions and to know what doesn't work.
Experience
has taught me that an open
market of ideas and needs works
best, that excessive regulations
and approval levels stifle development
and choices, that rules should
be applied fairly and equally,
and that the community must plan
for success. |
Principled
The city and city government
belong to
the citizens. I have
fought unnecessary tax increases,
to repair cumbersome bureaucracy,
to contain growing debt, to expand
citizen participation and access, to protect citizen rights,
and to follow the City Charter
and the law.
We have made city government more open and transparent, including posting city's checkbook online.
In 2006, I successfully led
a citizen group that sued
the Garland City Council to
protect our voting rights when
it refused to follow the City
Charter and call elections.
The court ruled that the law
was clear and ordered those elections. |
Leadership
I am proud to have led organizations
at the local-, state-, and national-level.
I believe in servant leadership,
that elected service is an honor and a responsibility,
that we should give back to our communities.
My record shows
that I seek to address issues
with an open mind, to learn the
pros and cons, and to decide
on the merits, not what might
just look good.
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