Philip Kingston, Dallas City Council (Photo from Facebook)
Three candidates are vying for the District 14 Dallas City Council seat in the upcoming May 4 election. The Advocate sent candidates Philip Kingston, David Blewett and Warren Johnson questionnaires to help you get to know them and their policies.Â
The first in this series of interviews will feature incumbent Philip Kingston. Kingston was elected in 2013 and is serving his third term representing the district. While in office he has helped revitalize Greenville Avenue, advocated for LGBT constituents and helped solve the pension crisis for Dallas police and firefighters, according to his website and City of Dallas biography.
Interviews with the remaining candidates will be posted throughout the week.
1. Where do you live?
Belmont Addition Conservation District
2. Bulky trash pickup: yay or nay?
We are implementing an on-demand system that should be more convenient for everyone.
3. Pet peeve code compliance violation?
Building without a permit
4. Go-to neighborhood restaurant?
All of them. Alamo Club a good bit lately.
5. Most underrated City board or commission?
Cultural Affairs
6. Why should neighbors vote for you again?
I’ve delivered what I promised: aggressive protection of neighborhoods, a dedication to transparency and accountability, the biggest district-specific share of the bond package, killing boondoggles and exposing corruption.
7. Why are our streets so hard to drive on? How can they be fixed?
Because of decades of leadership by establishment stooges who paid $300 million for decorative bridges and $680 million for a taxpayer hotel instead of fixing the streets. Our growing group of neighborhood voices on council has reversed this wasteful spending and secured over $800 million currently being deployed for transportation.
8. Have you ever called 311? What happened?
311 is a waste of time. The fastest way to access City services in the City of Dallas is philip.kingston@dallascityhall.com.
9. Biggest waste of City tax dollars?
The Convention Center and VisitDallas. #cureVD
10. Best place the City could spend money but isn’t?
Investing in the basic neighborhood infrastructure — sidewalks, storm drains, lighting, police and code — so long denied to our poorest neighborhoods.
