Photo by Danny Fulgencio.
Paula Blackmon is asking voters for a third term representing District 9 on the Dallas City Council.
Her campaign website touts her vote for the largest property tax rate cut in Dallas in 37 years, hiring 500 new police officers in two years and pushing for funding for dredging White Rock Lake.
But what she wants her next two-year term to be about is the spine of District 9: Garland Road.
Garland Road is the location for longtime legendary business like McShan Florist and Keller’s Hamburgers. New businesses Ascension Coffee and Modern Tot Day Care have opened along the same stretch.
Shoreline Church, Garland Road Thrift Store and The Lot have all been rezoned for multifamily developments.
Garland Road has also been the scene of recent deadly, high-speed traffic accidents.
On top of all that, it’s designated as State Highway 78 by the Texas Department of Transportation.
“We don’t need a highway to be running through the middle of a city,” Blackmon said. She wants more city say-so on this state-owned pavement.
Blackmon lobbies for updating the Garland Road Vision Plan, first conceived by District 9 Council member Gary Griffith in 2006. She sees tremendous potential for positive land-use changes and economic development balanced by traffic management.
“Cities are dynamic,” Blackmon said. “If they don’t change, they die.”
Not wanting to limit the work to Garland Road, Blackmon is pushing for similar efforts along Ferguson Road.
“I don’t want 20-story buildings on Garland Road, but thoughtfully done mid-rises of four to six stories can be considered,” Blackmon said.
Change is hard for many, and she said she hopes to avoid “hateful and hurtful” conversations about land use.
As Blackmon talks to voters, she hears about crime — speeding, random gunfire, car break-ins. She notes that violent crime is down in District 9 and thinks law enforcement can pivot toward strategies to prevent property crimes.
She also hears from residents about quality-of-life issues like neighborhood connectivity, parks, amenities and drivable streets.
Blackmon has drawn one opponent, Kendra Madison, a newcomer to Dallas politics. A former chief of staff to Mayor Mike Rawlings and senior adviser to Dallas ISD chief Mike Miles, Blackmon has deep ties to the mainstream East Dallas community. She has been endorsed by people from across the political spectrum. She looks tough to beat.
Early voting starts April 24. Election Day is May 6.
