Les Simpson, Place 4 Amarillo City Council member, business owner, and former publisher of the Amarillo Globe-News, has officially announced his campaign for re-election. Known for prioritizing public safety, infrastructure improvements, and transparency, Simpson said he aims to continue delivering practical solutions that benefit Amarillo residents.
“Serving Amarillo has been an incredible honor. We’ve achieved many milestones over the past two years, but there’s still work to do,” Simpson said. “I’m running to keep Amarillo on the path of progress while ensuring every tax dollar is used wisely.”
Simpson is the first incumbent council member to announce his plans for the upcoming municipal election in May. All five seats on the city council will be open for two-year terms, and all council positions are at-large.
Key accomplishments
Simpson highlighted several achievements during his first term in a news release, emphasizing his leadership in public safety, infrastructure, community services, and fiscal responsibility.
Public safety
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Crime reduction: Under Simpson’s leadership, Amarillo achieved a 12.9% drop in crime rates in 2024 by implementing smarter policing strategies and investing in advanced technology, such as a regional crime center and license plate readers.
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Support for first responders: Simpson championed historic pay raises for police and fire personnel and facilitated the launch of a collaborative law enforcement consortium to improve community safety.
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Fire station expansion: The acquisition of land for a 14th fire station will enhance emergency response capabilities citywide.
Les Simpson
Infrastructure improvements
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Flood mitigation and sewer projects: Simpson spearheaded a $46 million investment in flood mitigation and $71.2 million in sewer system expansions to address critical infrastructure needs in North Amarillo and surrounding areas.
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Road and maintenance upgrades: Key road projects, including improvements to Osage, Georgia, and Coulter Streets, are underway. New equipment is expected to expedite pothole repairs starting in 2025.
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Wastewater treatment: Upgrades to Amarillo’s wastewater treatment systems are progressing to ensure long-term sustainability.
Community services
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Trash services: Simpson launched a dumpster replacement program to replace 1,000 dumpsters annually and restored funding for alley cleaning, clearing over 40 miles of alleys in the past year.
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Women’s Health Clinic: A $1.4 million allocation established Amarillo’s first Women’s Health Clinic, addressing vital healthcare needs.
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Independence Day revival: Simpson revived the city’s Independence Day celebration, featuring fireworks, live entertainment, and family activities.
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Transformation Park: Nearing completion, this initiative aims to address homelessness and enhance quality of life through collaborative efforts.
Economic development and fiscal responsibility
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Job creation: Simpson supported funding for the West Texas A&M University Enterprise Challenge and endorsed the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation’s efforts to attract significant investments and create jobs.
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Conservative spending: Despite numerous accomplishments, Simpson emphasized fiscal responsibility, achieving these goals while reducing property tax rates for two consecutive years.
Addressing city operations and legal spending
Following Tuesday’s city council meeting, Simpson highlighted the need for increased efficiency within city operations, particularly by reducing reliance on outside legal counsel.
“I believe we should terminate the resolution with the outside counsel,” Simpson said. “There are tasks being duplicated that city staff could have handled internally. It’s a waste of taxpayer money.”
Simpson acknowledged the city’s legal department is currently understaffed but maintained that many outsourced tasks, such as open records requests and compliance with the Open Meetings Act, could still be managed in-house.
“Probably hire more attorneys,” Simpson said when asked how to address the staffing shortage. “But even with our current staff, many of these tasks could still be managed internally.”
Reflecting on city measures and future success
Simpson expressed a strong desire to continue building on the city’s progress, particularly in areas like public safety, infrastructure, and efficient governance.
“If you look at public safety, we’ve given some of the largest raises in the city’s history, making salaries more competitive,” Simpson said. “The fire department went from being ranked 30th in the state in salaries to 19th. That’s progress, but there’s still more work to do.”
Simpson also reflected on the city’s long-term initiatives, including flood mitigation and retiree cost-of-living adjustments.
“We’ve committed $47 million to address flooding issues we inherited. This investment has allowed us to purchase property, pumps, and piping to prevent future problems,” Simpson explained. “And we’ve also instituted cost-of-living adjustment raises for retirees. It’s a small step, but after going 10 or 12 years without a raise, it’s significant.”
Simpson emphasized his productive relationship with the city manager, expressing optimism about achieving Amarillo’s goals. “I’m extremely happy with our city manager. He brings so much to the table, and I look forward to continuing to support his leadership.”
“My focus has always been on solving real problems for real people,” Simpson said. “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.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Les Simpson announces re-election campaign for Amarillo City Council