The three candidates seeking the Waco mayor’s seat in the May 4 election prioritize downtown economic development, infrastructure and public safety but differ on city support for upscale development.
District 5 Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Holmes faces attorney Aubrey Robertson and pastor and activist Eric Brown in the election. Early voting starts Monday and runs through April 30.
Candidates agree on the need for more housing, especially low-income housing.
But Robertson and Brown oppose the city’s proposed $130 million deal with a developer to create Riverway, a 1,887-home development on the Brazos River that is expected to bring homes starting in the $300,000 to $400,000 range. Robertson is also questioning the city council’s priorities, such as a proposed minor league ballpark and performing arts center.
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Jim Holmes
Holmes, who has served District 5 as council member since 2015, said running for mayor was the logical next step for his career in public office and would allow him to continue the work he has done on the council.
“The last six, seven years, we’ve had over 30 new businesses, $3.3 billion of new investments and 4,300 new jobs have come into Waco,” Holmes said. “That has a positive economic benefit in the city of a bigger tax base. We’re able to shift some of the burden from residents onto these large companies.”
Holmes said the investment to bring new and higher-paying jobs has been a priority during his time in office, along with more investment in roads.
Holmes also said he has supported the city’s efforts improve quality of life in Waco, including free concert series and downtown events, helping to keep Waco graduates in town.
Holmes also said public safety would be a major emphasis if he is elected.
“It’s very important to me that we have a strong police force and a strong fire department that’s well-equipped, well-trained and well-led,” Holmes said. “Both the police force and the fire department have experienced reduced response times, which is great. And we’ve had the lowest crime rate in 20 years, as reported by (police) Chief (Sheryl) Victorian a couple of months ago in her report. So I want to continue that focus.”
While on council, Holmes said Waco’s police and fire departments have expanded by 10%, and the city has built three fire stations. Holmes also said his focus on public safety includes investments into streets and sidewalks.
Holmes said Waco has been able to cut tax rates in each of the last three years and said he would work to continue to do so in the face of rising supply chain costs and high inflation, as many taxpayers have begun feeling the burden from increased prices.
Holmes said Waco needs new housing in all price ranges, including the lower end. He said a study the city commissioned showed a need for between 5,000 and 10,000 more housing units in Waco.
Holmes said Waco has strategically purchased land throughout the city with plans for housing developments, including the former Floyd Casey Stadium site. The city is also considering a $130 million deal with developers to build Riverway on 520 acres at Lake Shore Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Riverway is not expected to include lower-income housing, but Holmes said the economic benefits for having a large, master-planned community so close to downtown would be tremendous for downtown businesses and the growth of the city.
Audrey Robertson
Robertson, a defense attorney, is a former McLennan County prosecutor who ran unsuccessfully for district attorney as a Democrat in 2022. He also narrowly lost to Josh Borderud in the 2020 election for District 3 council member.
Robertson said he is motivated to run by a sense of duty and service for the residents of Waco.
He said he chose to run as mayor rather than against Borderud this time so he would not face an incumbent.
Robertson said he supports economic development, but does not want to push development “for development’s sake.”
He said with rising downtown development, many residents could see higher property tax bills, which he would fight to decrease.
Robertson questioned the city’s support of high-profile, upscale developments at a time when affordable housing is scarce.
“They are not using their resources wisely,” he said. “For example, when we know that there is an incredibly short supply of affordable housing in this community, I do not understand why we’re building a minor league baseball stadium downtown. I do not understand why we’re building a state-of-the-art performing arts center on the river. I would like those things too, but I want to make sure that you want to prioritize that housing.”
Robertson said it was a “missed opportunity” to not require the developer of Riverway to build low-income housing, and said as mayor, he would direct the city to build more housing projects itself to benefit residents.
On the other hand, Robertson said the new ordinance allowing backyard accessory dwellings was a step in the right direction and could be a focus for new housing.
Robertson said he would seek to improve government transparency and responsiveness, citing a man who he said has been waiting for a sidewalk to be built in front of his house for over 40 years.
“Going to these neighborhood associations, there’s such a disconnect between what’s happening at City Hall and what’s happening on the street,” Robertson said. “They feel like there’s not good communication back and forth between city government and the people.”
Robertson said he would also seek to strengthen public safety as well as water and sewer systems and roads.
While Robertson praised Holmes’ economic background and budgetary experience, he said he brings experience as a litigator to the job.
Robertson said that while he lacks local government experience, his outsider status makes him a potential agent of change within City Hall.
“If you want more of the same vote for the other guy,” Robertson said. “If you want something different, if you think that city government has not fulfilled its promise to you, if you think that they have not done what they’re supposed to be doing, then vote for me.”
Eric Brown
Brown was born and raised in Chicago, lived in Florida for 10 years and has called Waco home for four years.
He said he has been involved in nonprofits and is starting a church in Waco. He said he has seen a strong sense of community in Waco, and he would seek as mayor to get underrepresented communities more involved in municipal government.
Brown also opposes the city’s Riverway deal, and said Waco needs to emphasize low-income housing developments. As mayor, Brown said he would focus on buying vacant properties and building on them, as well as expanding Mission Waco’s tiny homes project.
Brown is also in favor of downtown economic development, but not at the expense of expanding housing. Brown said he wants to focus on developing all parts of Waco and all local communities, not just the downtown corridor.
“Everybody doesn’t have the accessibility to go downtown,” Brown said. “Some people don’t want to go downtown. So I’m more on the side of let’s build in the inner communities. So we can have different grocery stores, or different amenities or different things that the community can use.”
Brown also said he wants to build Waco’s profile to include more jobs and hopes to attract tech companies. Brown also singled out public official transparency as a big focus for him.
“I’ve seen how the council operated, and I’ve seen how people have come to the mayor, and their requests have not been answered,” Brown said. “The city really concerns themselves with a downtown development and Baylor development, and the inner communities are suffering. So the reason why I decided to run for mayor is because I’m tired of the requests of the citizens not being answered. I want the mayor’s office to be an office of transparency. My door will always be open.”
Brown also circled transportation, the drug crisis and stopping human trafficking as his three major issues. Brown said he wants to expand public transportation through Waco’s bus system. He said he wants to establish a drug task force within Waco PD and create resources for addicted individuals to receive help, and would work closely with the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office to combat trafficking.