The Dallas Morning News Recommends Paula Blackmon in the June Runoff for Dallas City Council, District 9

Not often do residents of a city council district have two exceptional candidates with extensive government experience. That said, consultant Paula Blackmon is our choice to succeed Mark Clayton in this East Dallas district. Blackmon, 48, has held leadership positions with mayors Tom Leppert and Mike Rawlings, and with former Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles. From her work as a senior staffer to these leaders, she has amassed a remarkable depth of knowledge about the city, from grassroots organizations to the top levels of policy-making. She has demonstrated the ability to see the big picture and also immerse herself in the all-important details of complex public policy.Clayton excelled as a thoughtful consensus builder, and we expect that Blackmon will do the same. We were impressed that she plans to convene neighborhood groups, government and other stakeholders to determine how best to manage growth in the district, tap opportunities in Far East Dallas, update the Garland Road vision and preserve White Rock Lake. Broad consensus is essential to success in a district that has vocal neighborhood associations, great wealth and great poverty, and persistent struggles over traffic and preservation.  Continue reading...