Changing Leadership in Plano

by Mark Reid PCC President
We would like to thank Mr. Glasscock for his years of service to the City of Plano as both Chief of Police and City Manager. We wish him the very best in his retirement. We also want to thank him for acknowledging that there are Plano citizens that, like him, care about our city and want to have a say in Plano’s future. That said we would like to respond to some of the statements attributed to Mr. Glasscock in a recent Dallas Morning News Article.
The article calls us the anti-government crowd and insinuates that we oppose Plano’s “top-notch amenities.” But like Mr. Glasscock, we too are proud of Plano. Plano is a very well-run city with top notch employees and programs. From first responders to water, sewer, trash collection, road repairs, libraries, parks and recreation, and all other areas, Plano is truly a city of excellence that we love and support.
However, we know that with proper vision and leadership, excellence can be achieved without increasing city taxes at three times the rate of inflation. We know this because we too are leaders that do this year after year in public, private, and volunteer organizations. We are long time Plano citizens. We are well educated, informed, involved citizens who own and run businesses, serve on public and private boards, and are respected executives and professionals in their fields. We are as knowledgeable and intelligent as any of the council members that sit behind the dais. After all, the council members are elected from among Plano citizens.
The article accuses us of wanting to see “the city government stripped down to little more than police, fire and road repair.” Nothing could be farther from the truth. We simply want our city council to give the same respect to the voters that they give to the city’s seemingly insatiable need for higher taxes. We want our city to prioritize its needs and wants just like we do in our families, our businesses, and our public service organizations. And we want our city to realize that allowing city taxes to increase 46.5% since 2014 while the city’s population has increased only 5.7% in the same period is simply unsustainable.
We are tired of those that are elected to represent us being rude, condescending, and dismissive of our desire to maintain the suburban lifestyle that we drew us to Plano in the first Place. We don’t like seeing Plano being “fundamentally transformed” from a safe and inviting suburb to an overcrowded urban environment with sewers that overflow, foul water, rough roads and congested traffic.
What we want is city council members, a mayor, and a city manager that are representative, transparent, and remember that they work for the citizens of Plano. We want a city government that does not use first responders as pawns in a game to raise taxes and spend money to the benefit of wealthy donors and huge corporations. We want council members and a mayor that take responsibility for city taxes, rather than blaming others entities. What we want is city government that respects and represents its citizens rather than bully us because we dare to disagree with their vision and policies.
While we don’t have an open microphone at City Council meetings and we don’t have the support of publications like the Dallas Morning News, we do have the attention of Plano voters that are looking at what the city is doing and asking “Is this what I want for Plano?”
So Mr. Glasscock, thank you for your service to Plano and know that Plano Citizens will continue to work to keep Plano a City of Excellence. We look forward to working with likeminded city council members and the new City Manager Mr. Israelson when he becomes the new City Manager in May.


https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/01/30/angry-crowd-gains-clout-worries-planos-outgoing-city-manager?fbclid=IwAR3Ptxm9_jMdITdMfFTKnBz9K1rkoM9wDxMvthsRTioHMxHdAB1EDgiH28Q