Olaf Growald
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price had been keeping mum about who she'd like to see take her post after she retires in May — that is, until Thursday, when she announced her endorsement for candidate Mattie Parker.
“Mattie is the only candidate for mayor that I trust to lead Fort Worth into the future," Price said in a statement. "I know her heart is to serve Fort Worth with honesty and integrity while focusing on positive policies not divisive partisan politics."
Parker was the former chief of staff for the Fort Worth Mayor and City Council, a post she held for five years before becoming the founding CEO of Fort Worth Cradle to Career and the Tarrant To & Through Partnership, an initiative that aims to connect high school students with resources to prepare them for the workforce.
Price called Parker "our go-to leader on a variety of important issues such as stabilizing the Fort Worth employee pension, championing economic growth opportunities like the redevelopment of the Fort Worth Stockyards, and the creation of a citywide strategy on quality early childhood education policy.”
“Mattie will have her own style and vision, and I can assure voters she is ready to hit the ground running on day one and more prepared than any candidate to lead this community," Price said. "No one understands better than Mattie the crucial policy decisions the next mayor will face such as continuing our efforts to reduce the property tax burden on homeowners and focusing our city budget on the essential services that impact our everyday lives."
Others who support Parker include former Democratic U.S. Rep. Pete Geren; Republican State Rep. Craig Goldman; lawyer Dee Kelly Jr.; and at least three members of the prominent Bass family (Ramona and Lee Bass, and Sid Bass).
“This election is about the future of Fort Worth, and Mayor Price’s endorsement is a tremendous vote of confidence in my candidacy and my ability as a leader,” Parker said. “My focus as the next mayor of Fort Worth is to carry on with the results-driven legacy of energetic leadership that is needed to develop policies that protect taxpayers, bring growth to our economy, and keep our families and neighborhoods safe. I learned firsthand from Mayor Price that for Fort Worth to truly be successful, we must make sure every neighborhood in every part of our city has the opportunity for a prosperous future ... Not one family should be left behind.”
