Quotes from Dr. Jones response to the Dallas Morning News:
“I oppose the Council’s apparent philosophy of paying companies to stay in Duncanville”. My Response: The state of Texas during the decade of the 1990’s passed a law allowing cities the ability to use sales tax for economic and community development. So, in the eyes of Texas, it’s ok to “pay” companies to locate or stay in a city. One of our top three sales taxpayers was approached by Mabank, Texas to expand a plant in their area and also move their headquarters there. We countered the offer, and the result is Duncanville keeps a major industry and also gets the additional sales tax generated by the new plant in Mabank. Why? In our area, the Cities with the lowest property tax rate have a high business presence (Grapevine, Southlake). Duncanville’s property tax base is 67% residential and 33% commercial. We need more businesses to help the homeowners provide the resources for quality City services. The cities in our area with the highest tax rates are primarily bedroom communities. Since I have been on Council, businesses added to our community include EON Reality (the world’s largest virtual reality software developer), Win Co, Walgreens, Wingstop, Louisiana King Crab, and the Rocking Crab. I prefer more business development, not less. Do you agree?
Stay tuned for more.
Patrick Harvey 
Good.
I did a report for Duncanville using US Bureau of Labor Statistics with our median income of $56,040 per annum which equates to $42,312 after tax. After usual and normal expenses the remaining is $28.00 after all expenses are paid.. We need economic development. You are right. We need to keep the people in town shopping. I am with you. Reminder, that 4480 or our approx 14000 dwelling units are investor owned. A program like Lancaster just started this year and Mesquite and Garland have been doing for years may help. If we charged investors $55 per annum enrollment, thats $246,000 to run the inspection program. It may help some of our deferred maintenance and property values, to boot. Implemented in the right way, conjuncting with city revitalization could imporve attitude and invite city spirit and renewed vitality. It has to be coordinated and getting people to buy in. I preach to the choir.
I went to a long time residents house 2 nights ago. He and his wife live in a Duncanville custome home. When I drove up, I asked myself why anyone would move from a beautiful home like this. When I entered, I stepped back into 1972. Not ever house is like this, but many are.
There is real value in Duncanville real estate. A person can buy a custome home and spend 50-60K updating and have a great home. How can we draw the crowd who will buy the real value in Duncanville real estate? Economic development, having something to draw people to, entertainment, restaurants…the kind of restaurants that people will see as a destination, beautiful parks, park utilization as income producing. I digress.
I’ll be at the meeting tonight. See you then.
Cary