Kenneth Bell run for El Paso City Council could bring progressive politics to City Hall
The District 3 seat on the El Paso City Council is open to new blood as current East-Central city Rep. Cassandra Hernandez is terming out this year. Kenneth Bell, a grassroots organizer, veteran and member of the U.S. Army Reserves, is running for the District 3 seat on the City Council in El Paso, which is now up for grabs. Bell's campaign focuses on issues like campaign finance reform and LGBTQ+ advocacy. His focus is also on public safety, public education, and infrastructure improvements. Bell has previously worked on numerous campaigns, including campaigns for county commissioners, and Andy Beshear's run for Kentucky governor. Despite his extensive political career, this is Bell's first bid for public office. He also advocates for higher property tax bills and for the city to avoid relying on certificates of obligation for projects that require no voter approval.
게시됨 : 10개월 전 ~에 의해 Adam Powell, El Paso Times ~에 Politics
The progressive cause in El Paso has taken a series of hits over the last several months.
While El Paso remains home turf for the Democratic Party, attempts to press a progressive agenda forward in the Sun City have been repeatedly stifled — the ambitious El Paso Climate Charter was overwhelmingly rejected by voters; liberal firebrand Alexsandra Annello lost her bid for the Texas Legislature; and activist Veronica Carbajal was narrowly defeated in the El Paso City Council District 2 contest.
But Kenneth Bell, a grassroots organizer, veteran and member of the U.S. Army Reserves, is looking to change that trend with his run for the District 3 seat on the City Council, which is now up for grabs with current East-Central city Rep. Cassandra Hernandez's term coming to a close.
With issues like campaign finance reform and LGBTQ+ advocacy at the center of his campaign, Bell's run for City Council represents an opportunity for progressive politics to make headway at City Hall, but only time will tell if that message will resonate with District 3 voters.
"I am a dedicated public servant, whether it's military service, volunteer work, issue advocacy or political organizing," Bell said in an email. "I'm running to represent folks who feel disenfranchised and forgotten about."
Bell's progressive resume is extensive, stretching back more than a decade across numerous campaigns.
A veteran and current Army Reserve member, Bell set to work in advocacy after graduating from the University of Texas at El Paso with a bachelor's degree in communications.
"This August will mark 12 years of service for me," he said. "I work as a campaign field organizer for political candidates and issue advocacy. I have worked on campaigns in El Paso and other parts of the country."
Among those efforts were campaigns for El Paso County Commissioners David Stout and Iliana Holguin when they ran for office and campaigns for Andy Beshear during his run for Kentucky governor. Bell also worked with the Kentucky Democratic Coordinated Campaign, Texas Rising and Fair Shot Texas.
Between 2020 and 2022, Bell served as a State Democratic Executive Committee member and in 2021 he and Carbajal founded Justicia Fronteriza PAC, which has been at the forefront of local efforts to enact campaign finance reform.
Despite that history of progressive activism, Bell's run for the District 3 seat marks his first bid for public office.
Like many candidates for public office in El Paso, tackling high property tax bills is among Bell's top priorities.
"Property taxes should not be used to subsidize the wealthiest El Pasoans while parts of our city fall apart," he said, noting that he opposed the Downtown arena project over its rising cost to taxpayers. "The sweetheart deals that have been made in the past are an unfair burden to people."
Perhaps guided by his military background, Bell is also focused on public safety with an emphasis on deterring and preventing crimes, an effort that should be made easier by the El Paso Police Department's new Cielo Vista Command Center in District 3.
"The need is to reduce 911 call times," he said. "We must ensure that we have law enforcement presence at night, when a lot of catalytic converters are being stolen from vehicles.
"We must fully utilize the Crisis Intervention Team to prevent folks who are having mental health crises from being mistaken for criminals," Bell added. "This protects the individuals in question and protects the department and the city from lawsuits."
But it's not just the police department — Bell hopes to ensure the El Paso Fire Department has the tools it needs "to fight fires citywide."
Infrastructure is another area where Bell sees room for improvement, but not on the backs of taxpayers via city-issued certificates of obligation, which require no voter approval before being issued.
"We must ensure that the city properly budgets funds for street and sidewalk maintenance," he said. "The city should not rely on certificates of obligation to fund projects that should come from the general fund. The city should aggressively seek funds."
Although last on his list, there is no doubt that campaign finance reform — something he has already advocated tirelessly for as a community organizer — is a key priority for Bell.
"One of the reasons why the city has subsidized the rich is because they fund the campaigns for many Council members," he said. "Then they get what they want once those folks are elected."
"(We) need to impose a $1000 campaign contribution limit on individuals per candidate per election," Bell added. "This will ensure that candidates for office seek the support of all El Pasoans, not a handful of oligarchs."
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Progressive Kenneth Bell mounting bid for El Paso City Council seat
주제: Governance-ESG