District 4 Council member Andrew Piel is not eligible for reelection under the city's term limits.
Three candidates have stepped up to ask voters to elect them: Rojo Meixueiruo, Lisa J. Ventura and Tom Ware.
All three candidates responded to a KERA News questionnaire with details about themselves and their stances on different issues important to voters in this election.
Rojo Meixueiro
Age as of election day:
27
Years as an Arlington resident:
11
Campaign Website:
vote4rojo.com
Email:
vote4rojo@gmail.com
Best way for voters to contact:
Please visit our website, where you can learn all about the campaign and share a comment. You can also shoot us an email at vote4rojo@gmail.com, or engage with us via our social media, all of which can be reached at https://linktr.ee/vote4rojo.
Have you ever been arrested or charged with a felony?:
I have never been arrested or charged with a felony.
Have you ever declared bankruptcy?
I have never declared bankruptcy.
Have you held elected office before? If yes, please list along with the start and end dates of your time in that office along with any accomplishments while in office you'd like voters to know about:
I have not held elected office before.
Have you run for office before and not been elected? If yes, please list the races:
No, this is my first time running for office.
Have you been on any boards, commissions or held any appointed office? If yes, please list the position, start and end dates and any accomplishments while in that position you'd like to share with voters:
Presently, I serve as the Chair of the Texas Democratic Party Indigenous Caucus.
Why are you running for city council in Arlington?
My passion to run for Arlington City Council stems from the fact that the “American Dream City” promise is starting to feel like a bill that working people keep paying—without getting anything in return. Too many families in District 4 are seeing rising rent, uneven investment, and aging streets.
I want Arlington’s success to come back home as safe streets, reliable infrastructure, affordable housing, and neighborhood services that actually improve daily life.
I’ve spent years as a nonprofit worker and food service worker, allowing me to spend my time in Arlington fighting alongside my neighbors for voting rights, public resources, and environmental health.
I’m running to make the American Dream City affordable. For Arlington, for all of us!
Do you have any other experience or qualifications you believe make you best suited to be a city council member that you would like to share?
My experience is rooted in real life and real work. I’m a food service worker, and I know what it’s like to live on a tight budget. That perspective matters when making decisions about taxes, fees, utilities, and city services.
As the coordinator of the Texas Program for GreenLatinos, and having worked with organizations such as Greenpeace USA, NextGen America, JOLT, and TOP, I’ve learned firsthand how to turn community concerns into concrete policy pushes.
My time at the University of Texas at Arlington has also offered me the education I need to serve my community, providing me the knowledge to become an environmental scientist.
I’m comfortable showing up, having the tough conversations many are unwilling to have, and working across differences. That’s what local governing requires every day, week, and year, and I’m ready and willing.
What are the top three issues facing the city, and how would you seek to address them?
I believe the three most important issues facing the city are affordability, public health and environmental accountability, and responsible budgeting.
Affordability: Arlington needs to protect renters from unfair fees and unsafe conditions, and protect homeowners from skyrocketing costs and appraisal shocks. I’m focused on housing stability because the true American Dream City is one without displacement.
In City Council, I will push for stronger renter protections through code enforcement, proactive inspections, and “fix-it” timelines for hazardous conditions. Clear limits and transparency around junk fees and repeat “processing” fees where the city has leverage are also incredibly important. As well as that, I will push for targeted home repair, weatherization support, and property-tax relief strategies that don’t just snowball costs down the road.
Public health and Environmental Accountability: Arlington residents have been raising public-health concerns while the city approved new gas well permits in 2024, and council members have acknowledged state constraints like HB 40. Even within those limits, Arlington can do more to protect people. As your council member, I will push for city-supported air monitoring and transparent reporting, especially near sensitive sites like homes, schools, and parks. Stronger emergency preparedness and neighborhood-level health protections are also incredibly important.
Responsible Budgeting: Arlington has faced a major budget squeeze tied to appraisal changes, increasing protests/lawsuits, and other revenue pressures. Leaders have discussed gaps in the $20M–$25M range for Fiscal Year 2026 planning. I will push for plain-language dashboards and navigable user interfaces, earlier community input, and clear tradeoffs in City Council. I will prioritize core services that residents feel, such as streets, drainage, code enforcement, and neighborhood safety. I will advocate for fair appraisal policy impacts on cities and for stable revenue planning.
Should Arlington seek to adopt AI in transportation (i.e. autonomous vehicles)? Please explain your opinion:
I’m absolutely open to innovation, but as the largest city in the U.S. without mass transit, we should focus first on building foundational transportation infrastructure. As it stands, there’s not much to innovate on, and that’s something I will advocate for as part of my responsible budgeting plan.
Autonomous vehicles and AI traffic systems should only be considered if they improve safety, reduce congestion, serve everyone, and come with strong public oversight. As well as that, usage of data centers that use our water should be minimal.
I believe that the most practical approach would be to start with lower-risk and high-benefit uses first—think smart signals, safer crosswalk timing, and better crash analytics—before releasing self-driving cars on our aging streets.
Should Arlington incorporate AI in other areas, including if that implementation could result in lost jobs for human workers?
AI exists to improve service and reduce bureaucracy, not to treat workers as disposable. Any sort of AI implementation that would reduce jobs should require a worker impact assessment before procurement, a plan for retraining, reassignment, and wage protection where possible, clear rules against using AI as a shortcut for cutting service quality, and strong privacy protections.
The bottom line is that if AI saves money and doesn’t affect our environment, residents should see the benefit and workers should not be sacrificed.
City leaders said changes at the Tarrant Appraisal District led to financial woes in the city during budget planning last year. How do you think the $25 million budget gap was managed, and would you have sought to do anything differently?
From the reporting and city discussions, the gap has been approached through considering a property tax rate increase as a last resort, debating reductions such as foregoing raises, modifying benefits, and using reserve funds to temporarily cover positions.
If it were me in City Council, I would advocate first and foremost for earlier transparency: residents should not learn about huge gaps after the machine is already rolling. It is also important to protect frontline services first. I’d advocate for maintaining our streets, drainage, public safety response, and neighborhood code enforcement before all else. Importantly, I would ensure that Arlington’s budget is not balanced on the backs of working people—city staff and working families should not be the shock absorbers. This can best be done by building a longer-term plan for revenue stability, especially given the city’s own acknowledgment that factors like the senior tax freeze can significantly affect the general fund.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been seeking partnerships with local police across the country. Would you support or oppose a partnership with ICE in Arlington? Please explain your answer.
Local police should focus on public safety, not turning routine interactions into immigration traps that make people afraid to report crimes or cooperate as witnesses.
Also, Arlington leadership has recently stated that the city will not partner with ICE for enforcement operations not for political reasons, but because our city simply lacks manpower, and that civil immigration is handled in civil court.
I agree with that direction, and I’d work to keep Arlington focused on trust, safety, and community stability.
Arlington's council voted last year to suspend anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people in the city over concerns of losing federal grant funding. Do you support or oppose this decision? Please explain your answer.
Civil rights are not optional. They’re not privileges that are “nice to have.” They set expectations for how we’re treated in housing, public accommodations, and daily life. The extent to which the city grants and protects these rights signals what kind of city we are.
City officials argued that continued protections for the LGBTQ+ community would risk funding, while advocates in favor emphasized the value of such protections.
Arlington can and should protect people and the city’s finances, but we shouldn’t solve one fear by creating real harm for our neighbors. I strongly oppose suspending protections for LGBTQ+ residents of District 4 and the American Dream City.
What are the top three issues facing your district specifically, and how would you address them?
District 4 shares many of the challenges faced by Arlington. Affordability issues, environmental accountability, and infrastructure strain affects District 4 just as it affects Arlington—but the conversation centers around how these issues show up locally.
Safe Streets and Neighborhood Safety: Safety isn’t just an abstract concept, it’s about traffic speeds on residential streets, pedestrian crossings near parks, and ensuring emergency response times remain strong as the city grows. As your council member, I will prioritize traffic-calming measures in residential areas, safer pedestrian crossings and improved lighting, proactive investment in road maintenance and drainage to prevent hazards, and data-driven public safety strategies that focus on preventative measures.
Affordability and Tax Stability: Affordability looks different in District 4 than in some other parts of the city, but it’s still a concern. Homeowners worry about appraisal volatility, rising property taxes, and long-term financial stability. Renters in District 4 also feel these effects. As mentioned before, the answer is transparent budgeting with early input. As well as that, I will also push for long-term financial planning to avoid sudden tax increases, as well as careful scrutiny of spending to ensure core services come first.
Responsible Growth: Like all of Arlington, quality of life matters to District 4 residents—clean water, pure air, and thoughtful land use. Citywide environmental accountability has a direct connection to our neighbors’ concerns about traffic congestion, infrastructure strain, and development decisions. State imposed restrictions on local control don’t have to stop us. In city council, I can still push for transparency in air and water monitoring and push for responsible development standards. I will also ensure infrastructure capacity is evaluated before approving major projects.
Is there anything else voters should know about you?
I’m not running to “be somebody,” I’m running to do something. I’ve organized for years because I know that Arlington and District 4 work best when everyone has a voice and when city decisions reflect real life. I will fight for your dignity, civil rights, and proper use of your money. I will fight for an Arlington where opportunity doesn’t depend on your zip code.
Lisa J. Ventura
Age as of election day:
64
Years as an Arlington resident:
Our family has lived in Arlington since July of 2014.
Campaign Website:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578379053750&sk=directory_contact_info
Email:
VenturaForArlington@gmail.com
Best way for voters to contact:
Email at venturaforarlington@gmail.com. They can always text me on my personal cell phone: 972-357-6162.
Have you ever been arrested or charged with a felony?:
I have never been arrested or charged with a felony. I have never committed a felony.
Have you ever declared bankruptcy? If yes, please provide context including date, reason and anything else you'd like voters to know.
I do not recall ever having a bankruptcy myself. We have had 1 in our family, but it was back in 1998.
Have you held elected office before? If yes, please list along with the start and end dates of your time in that office along with any accomplishments while in office you'd like voters to know about:
I have never held an elected office, but held positions of authority in organizations that I volunteered for including Girls Scouts USA overseas, Arlington Home School Association, Armed Forces Network Overseas, American Red Cross Overseas, Armed Women of America, and 4-H.
Have you run for office before and not been elected? If yes, please list the races:
While I have not run for elected office, I have been a part of many campaigns and volunteered for other candidates. I am a precinct chair, which is an appointed position and have worked in that capacity for several years.
Have you been on any boards, commissions or held any appointed office? If yes, please list the position, start and end dates and any accomplishments while in that position you'd like to share with voters:
My extensive volunteer work with multiple organizations gives me a wide array of experiences to draw from. As I was previously the Girl Scout president of the neighborhood, I had the same duties as one would have managed a business. I organized all the troops, all the parents, all the leaders, monitored safety, held trainings for leaders, managed the base-wide cookie sales, managed and executed pallets of cookie donations to troops overseas, execute fundraising events, council trips, troop trips, troop events, community events, and doing the paperwork for all of that.
Why are you running for city council in Arlington?
I want to improve this amazing city for residents and citizens for all of us to enjoy. I want to see smart growth that protects homeowners. I'd like to see Arlington have safe streets and responsive city services. I want to promote good money management. I'd love to build good infrastructure, awesome parks, great happenings that give us all enjoyment of Arlington life.
Do you have any other experience or qualifications you believe make you best suited to be a city council member that you would like to share?
I learned to manage a small business by owning an independent bookstore. I learned to comply with Government rules and regulations when I worked in the Aviation industry. I learned about family life raising 4 beautiful daughters. I learned about working with people in my volunteer work with more than 10 different organizations. My experience in working with others will help me to make the best decisions for all our citizens.
What are the top three issues facing the city, and how would you seek to address them?
Public safety: you can’t have walkable neighborhoods if they aren’t safe to walk. One idea is incorporating private security officers, which can be hired by HOA’s. Police departments need equipment, vehicles, and training.
Bring business in the city limits. Attracting businesses by fostering a business-friendly environment. This, in turn, attracts investors, which in turn attracts new homeowners. Smart growth and development.
Fiscal responsibility by encouraging our city depts. and organizations to save money with effective streamlining. We can incentivize this by offering bonuses. (Perhaps we can cut down on paper and ink by digitizing or eliminating unfillable positions.)
Should Arlington seek to adopt AI in transportation (i.e. autonomous vehicles)? Please explain your opinion:
When the SAFETY of the technology rises to the point that the public and the Council will be comfortable with it, then it would be an asset to the City. With the problems that AI is having presently, I do not feel that it's a good idea. In areas where there is a dense population, it is risky because the vehicles cannot always stop in time in all situations. In a sparsely populated area with few pedestrians, it could work.
Should Arlington incorporate AI in other areas, including if that implementation could result in lost jobs for human workers?
AI might replace some workers. I would like to see re-training happen so those workers can learn to manage the AI systems and equipment. This would give them better pay and a better quality of life.
City leaders said changes at the Tarrant Appraisal District led to financial woes in the city during budget planning last year. How do you think the $25 million budget gap was managed, and would you have sought to do anything differently?
I am going to work to find ways to SAVE money in each individual department without altering services. Perhaps, we could offer a bonus like the military does. Look, we cannot continue to raise taxes on suffering families year after year. It’s simply unsustainable. What we CAN do is find ways to bring revenue into the city through tourism, investments, and new jobs.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been seeking partnerships with local police across the country. Would you support or oppose a partnership with ICE in Arlington? Please explain your answer.
Local police do not have the training, nor is it in their jurisdiction to enforce immigration law. ICE does have the training and jurisdiction and IF they have issued a detaining order on a subject, that should be honored by our local P.D If dangerous subjects are turned out into the community, then ICE must chase them down causing an elevated risk to everyone. We cannot place the citizens of Arlington at unnecessary risk.
Arlington's council voted last year to suspend anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people in the city over concerns of losing federal grant funding. Do you support or oppose this decision? Please explain your answer.
We don’t need laws to tell us to be nice and treat each other with respect! I, Lisa J. Ventura, do publicly denounce all forms of discrimination and racism. I don’t care what your difference is, you should not lose housing or employment or a loan because of it. If anyone is subjected to any of these losses, they can contact me through my email at VenturaForArlington@gmail.com and I will look into it!
What are the top three issues facing your district specifically, and how would you address them?
Public safety: you can’t have walkable neighborhoods if they aren’t safe to walk. One idea is incorporating private security officers which can be hired by HOA’s. Police departments need equipment, vehicles, and training.
Bring business in the city limits. Attracting businesses by fostering a business-friendly environment. This, in turn attracts investors, which in turn, attracts new homeowners. Smart growth and development.
Fiscal responsibility by encouraging our city depts. and organizations to save money with effective streamlining. We can incentivize this by offering bonuses. (Perhaps we can cut down on paper and ink by digitizing or eliminating unfillable positions.)
Is there anything else voters should know about you?
I learned to manage a small business by owning an independent bookstore. I learned to comply with Government rules and regulations when I worked in the Aviation industry. I learned about family life raising 4 beautiful daughters. I learned about working with people in my volunteer work with more than 10 different organizations. My experience in working with others will help me to make the best decisions for all our citizens.
Tom Ware
Age as of election day:
77
Years as an Arlington resident:
47. We had our current home built in 1978 and moved in a few days before Christmas.
Campaign Website:
www.WareForArlington.com
Email:
tom.ware@wareforarlington.com
Phone:
Mobile: 817-891-6431. Text is best and preferred. This is my only phone and is on my campaign materials with a note to leave a voice mail. If someone calls more than once and doesn't leave a message or a text, I assume it's spam and block the number.
Best way for voters to contact:
Texting me at 817-891-6431
Have you ever been arrested or charged with a felony?:
No.
Have you ever declared bankruptcy? If yes, please provide context including date, reason and anything else you'd like voters to know.
No.
Have you held elected office before? If yes, please list along with the start and end dates of your time in that office along with any accomplishments while in office you'd like voters to know about:
No.
Have you run for office before and not been elected? If yes, please list the races:
No.
Have you been on any boards, commissions or held any appointed office? If yes, please list the position, start and end dates and any accomplishments while in that position you'd like to share with voters:
Arlington Planning and Zoning Commission, 2021 to present, Vice Chair
Why are you running for city council in Arlington?
I’m retired, I’m healthy, planning to be around a long time and I want to continue giving back to my city. I’ve done a lot of volunteer work in Arlington, including being the president of two prominent civic clubs – The Optimist Club of Arlington (1990-1991) and The Rotary Club of Arlington (2019-2020).
Actually running for office is my next step. I’m running for my children, grandchildren and their kids who I hope will call Arlington their home. In my five years as a planning & zoning commissioner, I’ve learned a lot more about Arlington and how it works. Arlington is facing build-out and much renovation is already needed as we are at the 50-year mark since our city really started exploding in population and developed areas.
Suzy and I moved here in 1978, so we have seen a lot of amazing growth. When I came to Fort Worth as a trainee for a Tandy company and sat watching the Rangers play in their first season, little did I know Arlington would be my home and where my kids would go to school and grow up. Now my two granddaughters are doing the same and I dearly hope they will come back to Arlington to raise their families.
I want to help make Arlington the greater city that makes them want to live here in wonderful neighborhoods and work here in prospering businesses that our relatively new Economic Development Corporation is bringing here. I absolutely believe my life, proven leadership and city experience will be a plus on the city council. Two former mayors and the current mayor do, too.
I have the endorsements of Former Mayors Richard Greene and Jeff Williams and current Mayor Jim Ross. They have seen my work in the city and know who they can trust and depend on to keep Arlington thriving. I want to emphasize to all constituents that I don’t want to feel isolated as a councilman. Talk to me!
Do you have any other experience or qualifications you believe make you best suited to be a city council member that you would like to share?
I have mentioned that I have been president of The Optimist Club of Arlington and The Rotary Club of Arlington. I am currently on the board of directors for both organizations 501c3 foundations. I was also on the board of the national Craft & Hobby Association from 2000-2006 and the Mr Handyman Franchise Advisory Council and President's Circle during the time I was a franchisee.
What are the top three issues facing the city, and how would you seek to address them?
1. Build-out. There is not much we can do except demand the highest and best use for what is left and accept only the best construction. 2. Old and Decaying Apartments and Shopping Centers. A new inspection report is in the works to replace the HUD report the apartment city inspectors use now. This should help considerably with relentless inspection process and rigorous follow-up.
3. Tierra Verde Development Plan. This is the last large area in Arlington and needs a plan to attract middle and upper management single family homes or the companies that our EDC is bringing to our city. We want the companies and the employees in Arlington.
Should Arlington seek to adopt AI in transportation (i.e. autonomous vehicles)? Please explain your opinion:
Certainly. This is the future of transportation, and we have been experimenting with it for years. Automated Vehicles (AV’s) need to be emphasized to handle our mass transit. From what I have read, Waymo and Tesla are looking like the top finalists that will share most of the future AV market, so I want to emphasize them as partners for Arlington. Both have said “Dallas” will be a market they will be expanding in soon and I believe Arlington will be included.
Should Arlington incorporate AI in other areas, including if that implementation could result in lost jobs for human workers?
AI is inevitable in all areas. Arlington needs to stay aware of the problems and capabilities of AI and implement only where it has been proven to work.
City leaders said changes at the Tarrant Appraisal District led to financial woes in the city during budget planning last year. How do you think the $25 million budget gap was managed, and would you have sought to do anything differently?
The 25-million-dollar short fall is a challenge. I am not privy to all the financial information to provide a comment on the decisions that have been made. However, I would like to prioritize diversifying our city’s revenue streams, so we aren’t as vulnerable.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been seeking partnerships with local police across the country. Would you support or oppose a partnership with ICE in Arlington? Please explain your answer.
It would depend on the partnership, but our police department is certainly not overstaffed, so I'm not sure where the manpower would come from. Our mayor and police chief have said this recently when asked by KERA.
Arlington's council voted last year to suspend anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people in the city over concerns of losing federal grant funding. Do you support or oppose this decision? Please explain your answer.
I can’t answer that question because I don’t know all that is involved in the council’s decision. I believe in making evidence-based decisions rather than reactive ones. Because I was not privy to the executive sessions or the specific legal advice provided to the council, stating a hypothetical vote would be disingenuous.
My time on the P&Z Commission has taught me the importance of entering every session with an open mind; I have seen firsthand how testimony and expert evidence can shift a perspective. I respect the nuances that led to a split council vote and require that same level of deep-dive due diligence before saying I support or oppose the council’s decision.
I have been talking with the mayor, council members and will talk with city legal counsel if they will meet with me. At some point I hope to be able to give you an answer.
What are the top three issues facing your district specifically, and how would you address them?
1. Continue the improvement and replacement of our old streets. The design, construction and completion of Pleasant Ridge Rd extension from Plumwood to Enchanted Bay as soon as possible. It needed to be done now to relieve neighborhood traffic being increased due to the SE Connector rebuild. Replacement of more neighborhood streets as done in Tiffany Park and Waterwood. Are Enchanted Lakes and Interlochen on the list?
2. Protect our strong neighborhoods. Encourage our neighborhoods to build more equity in their homes by homeowners and landlords. Improve our shopping centers and office buildings with city help through the EDC when necessary. Re-vitalizing Southwest Plaza Shopping Center should be under discussion. Support and promote our local entrepreneurs.
3. Keeping Parks Mall successful, but with a “Plan B” that may include mixed use with apartments, or preferably condominiums.
Is there anything else voters should know about you?
The Core Values for my campaign and service as city councilman: -Truth -Communication -Transparency -Unity -Education -Enjoyment.
