ARLINGTON, TX (1080 KRLD) - Election day for local races across Texas is Saturday, and one of the most expensive could be in Arlington. Tarrant County Elections says 4.1% of voters cast ballots during the early voting period.
In Arlington, Mayor Jim Ross is running for a second term facing opponent Amy Cearnal.
"We're having a great time in Arlington. We're doing a lot of fun things here," Ross says. "Arlington's moving forward. We have great developments coming in, new jobs coming in."
Ross says he has worked to maintain and build relationships with the business community, neighborhoods and organizations like police and fire. The city hosted an inaugural "DreamFest!" last weekend.
"We had five or six thousand people show up for that. It was a backyard party where everybody just came out and enjoyed each other," he says. "We had people of different ethnicities, different cultures, different religions all hanging out together, kids playing together, eating together, listening to music. What a wonderful time."
Cearnal says she is running to give people a voice in areas she says have been underrepresented.
"What I'm hearing from residents is they're feeling like the Entertainment District has been so focused on for several years, now, and now it's really time to focus on the rest of the 99 square miles [of the city]," she says.
Cearnal says she would also look at growing commercial areas. She says Arlington has worked to attract new businesses, but she says she would also work with the city's Economic Development Corporation to ensure existing businesses have what they need to thrive.
"[That is] versus having the mentality of just going out and trying to bring business into town," she says. "It's that combination of really looking at what we can do to spur growth for those businesses that have already made the choice to grow here."
Since March 29, Cearnal's campaign has received $100,000 in donations from two people: Gerald Stool, president of Greenway Investment in Dallas and auto dealership owner John Moritz.
She had received a total of just $16,000 before that.
Greenway Investment built a development near I-30 and Collins. Some Arlington council members say that development was not finished as it was presented.
"This is the same company that lied to the City about all the nice restaurants that were to be coming to you that never materialized. The big box stores that never showed up. And the center concourse with all the concerts that were never held. I was the only Councilmember that voted NO on this project. So now they want a Mayor that will allow them to screw up the other side of the street. Jim Ross won't allow that so they are buying Ms. Cernal [sic] in an effort to get their way. Jim Ross isn't for sale! So let's keep him as our Mayor," Councilman Charlie Parker posted on Facebook with screenshots of each donation.
Ross says Greenway Investment wanted to build additional apartments in open land across Collins. He says the city rejected those plans after hearing from residents who were concerned about traffic and what they considered an unfinished project across the street.
"Neither myself nor the council were encouraged about adding more apartments in North Arlington," he says. "I question how my opponent knows these donors and how she came about getting an extraordinarily large amount of money from them after being rejected by the city."
"None of the big donations came with any sort of strings," Cearnal says. "That really is just more from people who just have a heart for Arlington and are ready to see it continue to see it grow."
Cearnal says she was introduced to the two through a family member, and she says they simply wanted to ensure a challenger could have a legitimate chance to win.
Cearnal has also sent mailers with Ross' voting history and home address.
"I have people showing up at my house, honking the horn to the point where I have to get a security detail on my house," Ross says.
Cearnal says she sent the mailer to give voters information about his record. She says she encourages voters to learn more about her record, too.
"They need to understand what district I live in, where I live," she says. "It's all over Facebook, all over everything. My home address is 4037 Appian Way, Arlington, Texas, 76013."
Both candidates say they would consider the needs of the entire city if they win.
"Businesses look for three things when they come into a city: what's your education like, how safe is the community, and how well do you treat each other?" Ross says. "We have to focus on those three core areas."
Ross' campaign website is https://reelectjimross.com/ .
"I'm looking at neighborhoods on all sides of town but also commercial districts to make sure we are getting Arlington to a place where other businesses want to come in because there's a vibrancy that's happening across that whole section," Kearnal says.
Kearnal's campaign website is https://www.amyforarlington.com/ .
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