Area cities which have adopted the tax are Brownfield, Littlefield, Floydada, Levelland, Lamesa, Syder, Hale Center, New Deal Slaton, Sudan, Friona, Spearman, Olton, Clarendon, Groom, Gruver, Wellington, and Paducah. Paducah city officials say 25 new jobs have been created and New Deal credits 20 new jobs to the tax. Slaton used the tax funding to lure agricultural airplane repair and maintenance company HIS Turbines, Inc., from Dallas. Three hundred jobs in Brownfield have been attributed to the use of economic development. As of Tuesday, March 20, there were only two locally contested races.
State law allows entities who have no contested races to forego the expense of having an election.
The contested races will be between Incumbent Lockney City Councilman Bil Anderson and challenger Ginger Mathis in District 4. In the LISD race, Incumbent Trustees Mike Mathis will be challenged by Moses Blanco. Also in the school race, Pct. 3, Raymon Cortez and Aaron Wilson will face off. Incumbent Louie Bybee will not run again. Incumbent Bil Anderson has signed up and will be opposed by Ginger Mathis.