By Suzanne Sprague, KERA 90.1 reporter
Dallas, TX – Suzanne Sprague, Reporter: After discussing tax abatements and the city's budget, candidate Mike Moncrief fielded a query from a Fort Worth woman who wanted to know why the former state senator didn't announce his plans to run for mayor until the last week. Moncrief answered he had promised Ken Barr he would wait until Barr declared his intentions because he didn't want to run against the four-term mayor. That prompted fellow candidate and former city council member Cathy Hirt to imply she has more political conviction than Moncrief.
Cathy Hirt, Candidate for Fort Worth Mayor: I filed the first day. I filed independent of the consideration of who my opponent would be, whether it would be Mayor Barr or another individual because I really felt that we need a change in leadership, that we need a change in direction, that we need a fiscal conservative approach that seemed to be missing, we need a common sense approach that seemed to be missing. I think that's essential.
Sprague: Moncrief defended the timing of his campaign and argued that 30 years of holding elected office proves he has conviction.
Mike Moncrief, Candidate for Fort Worth Mayor: Cathy, if I make a promise to you and it was dependent on what step you took politically, I don't think you'd have a great deal of respect for me if I broke that promise.
Sprague: A third candidate, screenwriter Andrew Hill, said the agreement between Moncrief and Barr smacked of establishment politics.
Andrew Hill, Candidate for Fort Worth Mayor: The idea that if you want it, it's yours, and if you don't want it, I'll take it, disturbed me a little bit.
Sprague: When asked whether he supported changing the city manager form of government, as Dallas is debating, Hill said the city's top post should maintain its limited powers. But he added a good mayor would capitalize on the position's leadership potential.
Hill: I'd like to see the mayor as a little more of a guide, as a little more of a figurehead, as someone to represent the image of the city. I'd like to see the mayor take on the kind of role Amon Carter had when he pounded his pistols on the bar of the Waldorf and shouted, "Hip, Hip Hooray for Fort Worth and West Texas."
Sprague: Candidate Cathy Hirt also supported keeping the mayor's official powers contained. But, in addition, she advocated making the position more accessible to the public.
Hirt: I'd like to see even perhaps a City Hall Day, where citizens could come and visit with the mayor openly. I'd like to see more involvement on radio shows so there could be more public interaction. That's the change we need to be making.
Sprague: Mike Moncrief didn't comment on those proposals, but he did say if elected mayor he would go easy on the city's much-maligned three-minute time limit for citizen comments at council meetings.
Moncrief: If you manage your time carefully, I don't think you set a magic clock that's going to go off with signals and gongs and everything that's going to further intimidate the citizens up there just trying to take care of their business and their concerns.
Sprague: A fourth candidate, Eliot Goldman, was scheduled to participate in the debate, but canceled, citing a personal conflict. The other three candidates for Fort Worth mayor are Marilyn Hodge, George Host, and Joseph Sandoval. The election is May 3rd. For KREA 90.1, I'm Suzanne Sprague.
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