Candidate is challenging incumbent Pauline Medrano in Dallas’ District 2
DAVID TAFFET | Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com
Bill MacLeod has run for a seat on the Dallas City Council before. In the last election, he pulled in about 23 percent of the vote against incumbent Councilwoman Pauline Medrano. MacLeod said that wasn’t bad for a candidate that had every one of his signs stolen.
And that was a big jump up from his first race. In 2003, he ran against John Loza and got just 4 percent of the vote.
Billy MacLeod
This time, MacLeod said, he’s learned enough about running a council race that he thinks he can win.
“I have a team together and a strategy,” he said.
“Pauline is adored by the community,” he said, referring to Medrano who represents part of Oak Lawn. “But where is her voice on issues that matter?”
MacLeod cited the recent Dallas Voice article that noted that of the more than 50 discrimination complaints the city received since the LGBT non-discrimination ordinance passed, none has been prosecuted.
Medrano, along with District 14 incumbent Angela Hunt, said they were looking into the matter.
MacLeod called that “reactive at best.”
Among the candidate’s top concerns is last summer’s tax increase.
“She [Medrano] was the swing vote on taxes,” he said, a charge opponents throw at Hunt as well.
He said his solution is to increase revenue to the city, not raise taxes. And he has several ideas that he said haven’t been looked at.
MacLeod mentioned the North Texas Tollway Authority, the deal AT&T got to locate in downtown Dallas and the low rate at which the city sold land to the Perots to build the arena as bad deals and possible revenue sources.
While some of this examples are done deals, MacLeod said new deals are always being made behind closed doors, and he wants to make sure those previous mistakes aren’t repeated.
MacLeod said that this election would be different: “This time we have people listening.”
In the last election, MacLeod accused Medrano’s people of targeting anyone who had one of his signs in their yard. He said her
campaign called 311 to complain about legally placed signs and had the city pick them up.
MacLeod said that changing demographics in the district should work in his favor. New apartments in the Design District and renovated and new housing in The Cedars south of downtown have added 2,500 new voters to the district, he said.
MacLeod believes this is the election to win. It would be Medrano’s fourth and final term if she wins.
“If we don’t replace the incumbent, they’re going to hand this over to one of their own,” he said.
MacLeod grew up in New York but graduated from W.T. White High School in Dallas and attended college in Texas.
He was a student at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches when, he said, he and his mother simply ran out of money. So he joined the Navy and served for four years. Upon discharge he returned to Texas and finished his degree.
Today, MacLeod is a consultant helping companies manage call centers.
He said his background wasn’t perfect.
“Bad behavior plagued me,” he said, acknowledging that he had a DWI and misdemeanor arrests and making no excuses for that.
“I’m not running despite my behavior,” he said. “I’m running because of it.”
MacLeod said that after his DWI, he worked with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. His other arrests led him to work with the homeless and with Dallas shelters.
MacLeod said he is passionate about helping the less fortunate.
“If I didn’t go through that myself, I wouldn’t have been able to help hundreds of kids that I got into treatment programs, kids that I got back with their families, kids that I introduced to Phoenix House,” he said. “I would never have been able to go under the bridges and talk to the homeless guys. Stay with them. Do street solutions. Put some of these guys to work. I would never have been able to reach out to the addicted population.”
In working on other campaigns, MacLeod said he hired homeless people to distribute fliers and put out yard signs.
MacLeod asked the LGBT community to take a good look at both candidates.
“Who is out there fighting for the Resource Center?” he said. “Who is out there fighting for Cathedral of Hope? Who is out there fighting for the LGBT community?”
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition March 11, 2011.
He might have a chance if he can stay ahead of the Medrano’s on mail in ballots, which seems to be they way they win. The Medrano family history, as reported in various news media, shows that if it weren’t for mail in ballots, which are questionable at best, would have lost their races.
The Medranos know that all harvested absentee ballots are going to be scrutinized and examined carefully.
Any evidence of voter fraud this time, will be protested to the full extent of the Law.
Our past is often our greatest asset and allows us the humility to be teachable and to fight for a formula that works. Most people that have never experienced limitations will never be open to the idea that there are ways beyond theirs that are more effective. For those in positions of servitude and public office, this range of experience allows them to be of service to a greater number of people, not just one demographic. Humanity and the ability to identify with the everyman is something that is becoming more rare but is in my mind, indispensible. I have seen Billy MacLeod at work in the trenches, giving back to the community and those who also have hit some snags upon their journey and i think this exemplifies his willingness to serve and give back. Im going with him.
We love you Billy! Thank you!
I don’t see anything Billy is revealing about his past that should cause voters to not seriously consider him as a candidate for public office. It’s what he is now that counts and he shows his integrity in devoting his life to serving others. I think Billy is a fine man and makes a fine candidate.
Pauline Medrano will be re-elected easily because she is hard-working, responsive, and truly dedicated to serving the people of her district. She has proven herself to be a true ally of the LGBT community. She will get the endorsement of DGLA and the Stonewall Democrats without any problem. Billy MacLeod is a nice guy who is in no way qualified to be a city councilman.
MacLeod only took 21% in the last election- which proves to me that Medrano (who took 74%) should have no trouble winning again. She truly works hard and looks out for ALL of district 2. She has my vote and the votes of many others in the LGBT community here.
What exactly has Billy MacLeod done for the LGBT community, the Resource Center, and the Cathedral of Hope? Please explain.
John, I respect your past service to the City of Dallas but the DGLA and the Stonewall Democrats will make they’re own decisions on who they will endorse they don’t need you telling people that the decision has already been made. You know what people say about assunption. My qualifications for Dallas City Council include being a Honorable US Navy Veteran, having a BBA from Stephen F. Austin State University, my career as small business owner and non-profit consultant and over 10 years of vocal community advocacy inside and outside the LGBT community. My campaign web-site outlines my platform completely which includes uniting the LGBT community to fight against lax enforcement of discrimination policy from the horseshoe at Dallas City Hall, strengthening the anti-bullying policy at DISD to provide children a safe space to learn, but most importantly being a vocal leader for equality at Dallas City Hall, in Austin, and in Washington. My opponent has done none of this. In fact, my opponent in this election has no platform at all, she has no web-site to interact with people who live in her district, and she sat idly by while 50 complaints of discrimination against LGBT persons were buried in bureaucratic red tape. It is time for a change in leadership in District 2 John and most people in the LGBT community know it. District 2 deserves a dynamic and vocal advocate who will fight for their causes ON THE RECORD. Dallas is a top 10 city and our leaders should behave like it. My opponent has been silent for 6 years on LGBT issues and that is not acceptable John.. Anyone interested in what I believe in can click on my name above and find out more about my platform. The LGBT community needs a vocal leader and that is exactly what I am. Good luck finding any information on my opponent, she obviously doesn’t care if you know what she is all about.
Billy MacLoed deserves our support. He is a person that stands by what he says and doesn’t stop till it’s achieved. In my opinion his past life experiance is the very thing that makes him perfect to represent district 2. He understands the diversity of the people and isn’t afraid to fight for what is right, even when what’s right isn’t popular.
Many of you know me as half of the BIKE FOR EQUALITY team. You’ve seen as I’ve actively been apart of the fight for equality both here in Dallas and nationally. It’s my dream that everyone have the same rights that I, as a straight man, enjoy. Billy MacLoed shares the very same dream. We’ve spent time talking at length about it. While we have different ideas on how to acheive it I’m positive Billy has choosen the right path for him to be most effective. Not only do we need outspoken advocates like myself.. we must have people in office brave enough to stand up and make things right for the LGBT community. This last pride parade I was proud to have Billy MacLeod along side me representing BIKE FOR EQUALITY/HRC. I’m proud to call Billy MacLeod my friend. Most of all I’ll be proud to cast my vote for a man full of integrity that I know we can count on.
Mr. Loza
I have no problem with your airing your support for one candidate or another, however the last line of your post is without any foundation and thus inappropriate. I have known Mr. MacLeod for over twenty years and have followed Dallas politics for even longer. Considering staggering number of people that lack quality and ethics that have graced city hall, it is ironic to me that you would make such allegations toward Billy. While Billy may have made mistakes early in his adult life, (everyone makes mistakes), he has learned invaluable lessons from life that has become the creed of giving to others that he has lived by for many years. Unlike the unfortunate track-record of so many elected officials in Dallas county, I have never known him to do anything to serve his own interests (nor anyone accuse him of such) but rather is an advocate to others in need. His sense of community and caring for others would be well served in city government and his fresh eyes on decade old problems helpful in a critical time for our city. He is a giving and unselfish citizen that is also articulate and a thoughtful thinker on issues of the day. Speak for your candidate all you wish….that is your right. However, step carefully when you are critical of others because in this case, when it comes to Billy MacLeod, you are simply uninformed and wrong.
Best wishes,
Seriously John, 90% homes their rentals need to be bull dosed. It’s a shame that someone that claims to want to change Dallas does not start with all the eye sore rentals they rent out. I keep hoping a small gush of wind will come through District 2 and they will collapse. Those homes are in shambles. I would be ashamed to say I owned them. Someone please tell them a fresh coat of white paint every other year is not a quick fix. I hope every project she works on for Dallas is not anything like the work on their rentals. If it was up to them all of Dallas would be painted WHITE! DISCOUNT WHITE AT THAT!
First of all allow me to address the “50” discrimination charges against the city. They were NOT buried in bureaucratic red tape. The ones that had any merit to them at all were resolved and the resolutions were accepted by the person filing charges. As far as the Oak Lawn area goes, both Angela Hunt and Pauline Medrano, and Delia Jasso for that matter have served the LGBT community well. They have all appointed LGBT citizens to Boards and Commissions and all have had an “open door” policy for any and all problems facing the community and their Districts. Knowing full well that these City Council folks have worked on the budget for the previous years, I don’t want a new person in my district who hasn’t dealt with things like the city budget and CDBG funds that are in jeopardy. If you really must talk about your signs Billy, they are not supposed to be put up, like yours were, more than 60 days out. Furthermore, signs don’t vote, people vote. You may have done well and changed your life for the better, I would never deny you that, but that’s not the only basis someone should be elected on.
Not only do I stand completely by everything I said in my previous comment, I will also predict that Billy MacLeod will never be the councilman for District 2. In fact, I guarantee it. I don’t know you, Dr. Jones, but as far as I’m concerned, you can go to hell.
Hey John, rumor is you are running the opponents campaign. Is there any truth to that?