By Amanda Rogers
Mansfield Record
The ballot is in for Mansfield’s May 6 elections.
In addition to Mansfield ISD trustee and City Council candidates,voters will also consider a pair of bond propositions from the city.
Both propositions ask voters to consider widening thespectrum of uses for the half-cent sales tax collected by the MansfieldEconomic Development Corp. Neither proposition would create any new taxes,explained MEDC director Jason Moore, just allow the MEDC to use the funds for awider variety of projects.
Mansfield voters approved a half-cent sales tax in 1997. Ahalf-cent also goes to the Mansfield Park Facilities Development Corp.
If approved, Proposition A would allow the MEDC to use thehalf-cent sales tax to attract professional and amateur sports and athleticfacilities, tourism and entertainment facilities, convention facilities, publicparks, and related stores, restaurants, parking and transportation facilities.
Currently, the half-cent sales tax can be used formanufacturing, industrial, research and development, warehouse, distributionand corporate headquarters.
Proposition B asks voters to approve using the half-centsales tax for a multi-sport venue and related infrastructure, plus maintenanceand operating costs.
On the Mansfield City Council, Scott Bowman, an IT manager,and Brent Newsom, who served on the council for nine years at Place 2 beforeresigning to run for mayor, have filed for the final year of Mike Leyman’sPlace 3 seat. Leyman, who was elected tothe seat in 2018 and re-elected in 2021, resigned in January.
For Place 6, incumbent Todd Tonore, a local business owner,and Gary Cardinale, a retired Mansfield city employee, are in contention.
For Place 7, incumbent Larry Broseh, a retired businessowner, is the lone candidate. Juan Fresquez Jr., president of MethodistMansfield Medical Center, had filed to run, but withdrew his candidacy beforethe filing deadline.
On the Mansfield ISD school board ballot, Place 6 and Place7 are up for re-election.
At Place 6, Quintin V. Huckaby, a Realtor, and Benita Reed,an educator, will face off. Dustin McDonald, a flight dispatcher, and AnneWeydeck, who is retired, had filed to run, but have withdrawn. IncumbentWarrant Davis, who was elected to Place 6 in 2020, did not file for re-election.
At Place 7, incumbent school board president Courtney LackeyWilson, an executive assistant, is the lone candidate. Saba Ahmed, a patentattorney, had filed, but withdrew the candidacy Feb. 21.
The elections are set for May 6 with early voting April24-May 2.
Mansfield, Texas, is a booming city, nestled between Fort Worth and Dallas, but with a personality all its own. The city’s 76,247 citizens enjoy an award-winning school district, vibrant economy, historic downtown, prize-winning park system and community focus spread across 37 square miles. The Mansfield Record is dedicated to reporting city and school news, community happenings, police and fire news, business, food and restaurants, parks and recreation, library, historical archives and special events. The city’s only online newspaper launched in September 2020 and will offer introductory advertising rates for the first three months at three different rates.