Les Simpson Announces Re-Election Campaign for Amarillo City Council

AMARILLO, Texas - Jan. 8, 2025 - PRLog -- Les Simpson, Place 4 Amarillo City Council member, business owner and former publisher of the Amarillo Globe-News, has officially announced his re-election campaign.

Known for championing public safety and infrastructure improvements, Simpson's first term reflects strong leadership and a focus on thoughtful, common-sense solutions. Les Simpson is an advocate for transparency and is ready to continue delivering results for Amarillo residents.

"Serving Amarillo has been an incredible honor. We've achieved many milestones the past two years, but there's still work to do," said Simpson. "I'm running to keep Amarillo on the path of progress while ensuring every tax dollar is used wisely."

A Record of Results:

MAKING AMARILLO SAFER: Amarillo has seen significant advancements in public safety, reducing crime rates by 12.9% in 2024 through smarter policing and investments in cutting-edge technology, such as a regional crime center and license plate readers. Historic raises for police and fire personnel, the launch of a collaborative law enforcement consortium, and land acquisition for a 14th fire station ensure a safer and more responsive community.

INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS: Amarillo prioritized investing in critical infrastructure, including a $46 million investment in flood mitigation and a $71.2 million sewer expansion project to benefit North Amarillo and beyond. Plans are advancing for wastewater treatment upgrades, street maintenance, and key road projects like Osage, Georgia, and Coulter Streets, ensuring better connectivity and services for residents. Additionally, new equipment will expedite pothole repairs starting in 2025.

TRASH SERVICES: Amarillo launched a dumpster replacement program to replace 1,000 dumpsters annually, significantly reducing the time needed to get replacement dumpsters to residents. The city has also reinstated funding for alley trash removal, a program that will clean alleys at least once per year and has already cleaned more than 40 miles of alleys.

BUSINESS AND JOB CREATION: I actively support Amarillo's business community by endorsing the full funding of the West Texas A&M University Enterprize Challenge to drive job creation and economic growth while championing the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation's mission to bring substantial investments and jobs to our city.

CITY OPERATIONS: The City of Amarillo enhanced operations by reinstating long-overdue cost-of-living adjustments for retirees—who had not received increases in their monthly retirement payments in more than a decade. Additionally, the City Council recruited a highly qualified city manager through a nationwide search.

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS: Amarillo focused on enhancing the community's quality of life by reviving the Independence Day celebration with fireworks, live entertainment, and family activities for the first time since 2018. Furthermore, $1.4 million was allocated to establish the city's first Women's Health Clinic, while Transformation Park is nearing completion and will serve as a major collaborative effort to address homelessness.

CONSERVATIVE SPENDING: The city accomplished these improvements while reducing property tax rates for two consecutive years.

Simpson's efforts have not gone unnoticed. Named 2024 Man of the Year by the Amarillo Pioneer, he has been recognized for his leadership and commitment to improving the quality of life for Amarillo residents.

"My focus has always been on solving real problems for real people," said Simpson. "I'm asking for your vote so we can continue working together to make Amarillo a great place to live, work, and raise a family."