Web Editor’s Note: This is a part of our series on the candidates for Amarillo mayor. For more information on the race, check out this recent article! Also, be sure to check out the other interviews at the end of this article!
1. Why did you decide to run for mayor?
“I decided to run because I feel the citizens of Amarillo have gotten equal representation,” McDowell said.
Amarillo, he believes, has historically been overrepresented by the southwest part of the city. “We’ve never had a mayor on the north side of Amarillo.”
The current city government, McDowell says, consists almost entirely of wealthier citizens who do not understand the problems facing most of the people of Amarillo.
“How can you represent people if you don’t know how they’ve lived, if they don’t know what it’s to like to not have enough money to last through the month. How can they speak for the people if they don’t have that experience?”
2. What are your goals as mayor?
“To keep Amarillo the great city it is. Bringing in new businesses, higher paying businesses,” McDowell said.
Another main goal of the candidate would be to deal with the water issues brought up by the drying of Amarillo’s main source of water, the Ogallala Aquifer.
“Get a pipeline up here,” he said. It’s going to take years of hard work and research, he adds, but it needs to be done now. “Without water, we might as well pick up and leave.”
The last of his main goals is to deal with Amarillo’s debt.
“Another vision I have for Amarillo is that we can stand up and say we’re debt-free!”
Some of the other issues in McDowell’s campaign are getting more police officers and making Amarillo safer. He is also against funding the renovation of downtown Amarillo with taxpayer money.
“I don’t see any way you can do that without raising taxes,” McDowell said. “We don’t need to spend one dollar of taxpayer’s money rejuvenating downtown.”
3. Why should people vote for you?
“I’m an independent,” McDowell said. “I’m not swayed by any group. I take my cue from the people. They want somebody with integrity. And,” he adds, “I think people like me.”
4. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
“The federal government is so far in debt that we’re totally broke. The state government is totally broke,” McDowell said. “Our state is insolvent. We don’t our city to become insolvent.”
For more information on candidate McDowell, check out his campaign web site.
