The race to become Amarillo's next mayor became a lot more interesting Tuesday with Cole Stanley announcing his mayoral campaign before an overflow crowd of supporters at the Big Texan Steak Ranch.
“My number one goal in moving forward is I really want to restore the voice of our taxpayer and the voice of our citizens.
"I came out of nowhere not too long ago and I just said ‘No, Mayor, I don’t think I’ll be your rubber stamp today. I will not sit idly by when you write a letter telling our Governor that we want red flag laws and then we somehow think that our Second Amendment rights (are) optional. I let her know, in the most respectful way that I could, that I was not for doubling your tax rate without telling you or asking you, or even listening to you if it’s what you want.
“I’m not afraid to turn things upside down. I’m not afraid to start over and quite frankly, there are some things in our city that have just been kind of cooked up for a long time.
"Ultimately, we need to remodel a few things. We need to tear a few things down and look at them. Make some changes and I’m not afraid to make those changes," Stanley said.”
Stanley has dedicated his life to encourage and foster small businesses through mentoring and has helped start nearly 30 small businesses in Amarillo, nearly all of whom are still operating today.
“Above all else, I believe that access to opportunity should be across Amarillo and not limited by education, status, or zip code," Stanley said.
Stanley was born and raised in Amarillo and has been in business as a commercial/residential builder since 1999. He serves on the Arrow Child and Family Ministries board of directors and is a founding member of Arrow Health Solutions.
As of Feb. 14, the following people have filed for a place on the ballot for the Amarillo Mayor position:
Freda Powell
Tonya C Winston
Jeffrey McGunegle
Sam Burnett
Don Collins
Stanley has already gained one high profile endorsement from Amarillo businessman Alex Fairly. Fairly recently announced that he would not be running for mayor.
Amarillo Professional Firefighters Local 542 also endorsed Stanley.
"The Executive Board of the Amarillo Professional Firefighters Association Local 542, on behalf of our membership is proud to formally endorse you (Cole Stanley) in your 2023 campaign for Mayor of the City of Amarillo.
"As you know, public safety is a number one priority. In the past you have proven to support public safety while taking the time to understand specific firefighter issues. Because of this, our Association believes you are a candidate who will make common sense decisions while emphasizing the importance of public safety.
"As our city continues to grow, we believe you will work hard to ensure the standard of public safety is maintained through strong work ethic, integrity, and tenacity.
"The Amarillo Professional Firefighters Association Local 542 looks forward to the opportunity to work with you in our continuing mission to provide excellent public service to our community," the union said in a letter to Stanley posted on Facebook.
Tags:
Regional