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Candidates Resume Campaign In Irving Council Runoff

By BJ Austin, KERA News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-901088.mp3

Dallas, TX – An Irving City Councilman and his challenger are back on the campaign trail after Saturday's election.

Mayor Pro Tem Sam Smith will meet South Irving resident Gerald Farris in a runoff next month for Place 7 on the council.

Smith says his experience with difficult budgets should be important to voters.

Smith: I don't think we will have any major cuts in city services at all. We're strong financially. We have actually shrunk the size of city government in Irving Texas over the past three years.

Gerald Farris says he wants to make sure that budget-cutting does not interfere with neighborhood quality of life.

Farris: I really gets back to some of the very simple things that people want out of their neighborhood. They want to come home at the end of the day and feel glad to be home: very proud of their neighborhoods.

Next week, the City Council is expected to approve a June 12th runoff date.

Two new council members, Roy Santoscoy and Mike Gallaway, are waiting to be sworn-in. The two "minority" council members, Hispanic and African-American, will bring diversity to the all-white Council.

Email BJ Austin