WHO IS MAC SMITH??  

       

Mac Smith is an engineer, a contractor, a construction manager.   A  pragmatic person who will be frugal with your tax dollars.  A person who will support hard headed, practical solutions to the problems of crime and homelessness.   

Over 50 years ago, I earned a BS in Civil Engineering and a PhD in Environmental Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.   47 years ago, I came to Dallas and joined my father in the construction business.   My first project was the excavation for Thanksgiving Square.  My last project was constructing a  waste treatment plant for the Superconducting Supercollider near Waxahachie.  Then, I retired.   I was not cut out for an idle life so I began another career. 

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I went back to work managing construction projects for Dallas Area Rapid Transit.  My first project was the downtown bus transfer centers, my largest project was the green line from Buckner to Mockingbird ($400+MM) and my last major project was the Orange Line from Beltline to DFW airport. 

Public works accounts for about 45% of the city budget.  That is my expertise as a civil engineer.  Managing multi-million dollar construction projects for DART provided expertise in reading and managing budgets.   I have expertise the council needs.

 

WHY AM I RUNNING??

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Our taxes are rising faster than our wages.  Rents are becoming unaffordable and we are being taxed out of our homes.  The murder rate has doubled in the last six years and many on the council are talking about defunding the police.  Homelessness is a blight on the face of our city.   I am retired.  I would rather stay retired.  But, sometimes, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.   I am ready for still, another career as a public servant. 

 

WHAT WILL I DO?? FREEZE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE
 

Property valuations have been rising much faster than wages for years.   Instead of rolling back the tax rate, the city has spent the extra revenue.   As a result, rents are rising and we are being taxed out of our homes.   The City of Dallas tax rate is 77.6 cents per $100 valuation, a third more than Houston and San Antonio (about 56 cents).   Austin is even less.  I will work to trim the city budget to bring our tax rate in line with that of other major cities in Texas.  

 

PROTECT THE POLICE BUDGET

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Two years ago, every council member ran on a promise to increase the number of police officers.  Last year, the wind shifted and a number of them supported defunding the police.    The rationale is “police brutality”.  In 2020, a total of  four officers fired their weapons.  Out of 3000 officers on the force.   Contrast that with the 250 murders recorded in 2020, and ask yourself:  Is the problem police brutality, or criminal brutality?   Would we be better off with fewer police; or, with more police?  I will not shift in the wind and  I will protect the police budget. 

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CONTROL SPENDING

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If we freeze spending, increases in property valuations will bring us into line with the tax rate of other major Texas cities in about 5 years.   We do not have to cut basic services to freeze spending.   Other cities provide basic services with much lower tax rates.  So can we.   Government bureaucracies do not cut their budgets unless someone applies pressure.  I am willing to apply the pressure.   

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REDUCE THE HOMELESS POPULATION

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We should provide temporary housing to persons who have been made homeless by circumstances (divorce, health, loss of jobs, accidents, etc) and return them to economic self-sufficiency. 

Those who prefer the homeless lifestyle should be offered help in changing their lifestyle: but, made to understand that what goes on in Seattle and San Francisco will not be tolerated in Dallas.  If they intend to continue that lifestyle, they should plan on moving to Seattle and San Francisco.  If you don’t know what I mean, google “Seattle is Dying” and watch the video.  

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PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY

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The City budget document is over 700 pages long.  There is a lot of information about goals and targets, but not much about whether targets are met, the value of what is accomplished and how the cost compares to other cities.   I will press the city manager to provide a clear definition of what is to be accomplished, metrics to define success and to provide a report based on those  metrics.   That will be the basis for trimming fat out of  the City budget. 

 

WHY SHOULD YOU VOTE FOR ME??

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I am not a career politician.  I bring fresh eyes and a skeptical mind to the problems of the city.  I am qualified by education and experience to understand the city’s problems.  I am a cost cutter by nature.  I study the problems, I dig out the facts.  I look for cost effective solutions.  I am an engineer.  I do the math. 

I am retired and I can devote full time to the problems.  If elected, I will be only one vote out of 14.  I cannot promise to accomplish all the things I want to do; but, I will work tirelessly to bring them to fruition.  

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WHAT CAN YOU DO??

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You can recommend me to your friends and there are many ways to volunteer.   If you can spare it, visit my website www.macsmith413.com and hit the donate button.     I will be cutting your taxes.  Think of it as an investment.  😊