“I truly do think that people believe that we can wave a wand and things happen overnight,” Blackmon said in an interview with the Observer. “In a democracy that's usually not the case. And in our city manager form of government, that's really not the case. I think patience goes out the window, as does the ability to really understand how our government works. City government is not like our state government, which is not like our federal government, which is not even like our county government. In some cases, there are things you can control, and things you cannot control.”
Before her time on City Council, Blackmon served as chief of staff for former Dallas Mayors Tom Leppert and Mike Rawlings. She’s lived in East Dallas for nearly 30 years and is running for reelection against Kendra Madison.
First-time candidate Madison, according to The Advocate, has lived in Dallas for eight years and has worked as a human resources professional and “served on staff at the Alzheimer’s Association and National Multiple Sclerosis Society and in volunteer capacities at the Junior League, Vogel Alcove, University Park UMC, Munger Place UMC and the American Institute of Architects.”
Madison did not respond to several interview requests from the Observer. In a written questionnaire provided to Community Impact, she noted that her top priorities are “crime prevention and homeless intervention,” while also stating “the spike in crime” is the biggest challenge her district faces.
As Blackmon sees it, the fact that she’s been in her spot for a while now is one of the reasons it’s a good idea to reelect her. Positive changes take time, and as far as she’s concerned, she’s already begun making progress in some key areas, even if the signs of improvement aren’t always readily apparent. When talking about one of her top priorities, Blackmon says there’s more to it than a simple, succinct soundbite can address.
“I get all sorts of questions about how I’m going to stop the speeding down roadways,” she said. “We're going to have more enforcement, we're going to offer education, and we're going to look at altering the streets and engineering to see if we can create more traffic calming and make things more pedestrian-friendly. I think a misconception is that people sometimes think that things aren't being done, but they are being done. It's just that it's a process and it takes time.”I truly do think that people believe that we can wave a wand and things happen overnight. In a democracy that's usually not the case." – Paula Blackmon, Dallas City Council
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The dredging of White Rock Lake is another issue that requires both time and money from outside the city to resolve. Indeed, getting things done through City Council often takes a while, but one area Blackmon said needs immediate attention is the rise in the use of fentanyl.
Blackmon says that she’s placed a lot of focus on combating fentanyl since last August, and providing clarity to families to keep kids safe from fentanyl is at the top of her mind right now. While she waits on a decision from state lawmakers on whether fentanyl testing strips will be legalized, the city has other programs in the works.
“We are really focusing on not just the enforcement side or the public safety side, but on the public health side of fentanyl,” Blackmon said. “There’s a mental health issue too. Why are kids feeling that they need to take an Adderall or a Percocet, like what is going on in their daily lives that they feel to numb themselves? Let's get them adapting tools to cope without using an illicit drug. I mean, it is really alarming and we just need to figure out how we can go from here in a better way.”
Election day is Saturday, May 6.
