Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert resigns before term is up

He would not confirm publicly that he's running for Senate.

Mayor Tom Leppert

DALLAS — Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert made his resignation official at a city council meeting today -- a statement we'd seen coming for quite some time. His last day as Dallas mayor is Friday.

“There's never been a dull moment,” he said. “I feel like we faced up to some very tough challenges and we made some great accomplishments for our city. Now, though, I feel I can better serve our city, region, and state in a new capacity.”

Leppert failed to confirm that he will be running for Senate. “I won't say more on that now,” he said, instead hinting that we'd hear more about his future plans soon.

Leppert listed a few of the council's accomplishments, including the fact that the city is safer and that their efforts helped boost economic development. He then blasted the tax increase and said the council had significant work to do in the coming years.

“The painful choices that we faced last year were only deferred. Raising taxes didn't let you escape the tough choices; it only delayed them,” he said. “High taxes hurt our competitiveness and they also drive down property values. That's simply not how you grow a city.”

And yet, Leppert said he still remains “enormously confident about our city's future” and praised city manager Mary Suhm and city attorney Tom Perkins for their hard work. He also thanked the council but said nothing specifically about Dwaine Caraway, the current mayor pro tem who is slated to take Leppert's place until the new mayor is elected. (Caraway was recently chastised for giving Michael Vick a “key to the city.”)

“It has been an honor to serve with each and every one of you,” Leppert said at his last Dallas city council meeting.

Clay213, anonymous:

What an assh*le

2 years, 3 months ago
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shotokhandragon, anonymous:

So, Mayor Leppert quit his job to go do another job better? Isn't this just another example of the Sarah Palin Syndrom? Doesn't he understand that he will always be labeled as "a quiter". If elected to the Senate, will he quit that job too, if it gets too rough?

2 years, 3 months ago
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samplerayt, anonymous:

"High taxes hurt our competitiveness and they also drive down property taxes. "

Drove down property taxes? I had to read that sentence a couple of times to make sure I didn't miss something. I don't know who he is trying to fool, property taxes are out of hand. Mine have doubled in six years despite my yearly protests. Dallas gov't spending is equivalent to a high school kid in the mall with the parent's credit card.

2 years, 3 months ago
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Clay213, anonymous:

Sarah Palin Syndrom(sic)? What's that?

Politicians have been quitting for a better paying higher profile gig long before she ever got elected.

2 years, 3 months ago
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Clay213, anonymous:

And her quitting is closer in line to Nixon anyway

2 years, 3 months ago
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jstargazer46, anonymous:

He was a flash in the pan. Just don't let that idiot Caraway take over, even for a day. And DO NOT elect Kyunkle who couldn't even run the police department and maintain the safety and respect of his officers. Laura?? Laura?? Come back....