Photo courtesy of Moore for Dallas.

When Ryan Moore was living in Singapore for about 1.5 years, he saw news articles about Dallas, where he attended college, and how the city handled crises.

After he came back to Dallas, he wanted to get involved. He noticed how many policies are tax-centric, and he believed he, as a tax attorney, could offer valuable perspective and expertise to the local government. 

But he also wanted to see more representation on committees and boards from parts of the district that lack representation, such as the Vickery Midtown area. 

“The more I talked to people in the district, I realized that we weren’t really even utilizing our potential because we weren’t involving everyone in the district,” he says. 

How to spend $10 million 

Part of the money would be spent on strategies to incentivize developers to add mixed-use properties, including housing and retail areas, to places such as the intersection of Walnut Hill and Marsh Lane. Building these projects would also improve public safety, as they would include more lights and encourage a higher volume of traffic.

Moore would use part of the money to maintain and improve green spaces, such as parks. And he would examine current projects to see if just a little more money spent could have a bigger positive effect. For example, the city might consider making playground slides just a little bit wider so parents or caregivers can slide with children. 

Thoughts on the city’s efficacy in responding to the pandemic and winter storm

The city could have done a better job with communicating during the winter storm. For example, if the city was able to tell the community earlier on to drain their pipes, there may have been fewer pipes that burst. 

Moore says there were problems with distributing the COVID-19 vaccine at the outset, but the city was quick to address those issues, he says.

Something the city council has done right

The city council has addressed the need for COVID-19 safety measures well, in that council members both respect individual choices and set good examples as leaders. 

“I think that that is really important when people are looking to our leaders and asking what the best course of action is, that they actually walk the walk, instead of just putting out statements,” he says. 

They’ve also put a good emphasis on growing the city’s economy and attracting business owners and residents alike, Moore says.

Policing 

Moore says there are more than two options — funding or defunding — when it comes to the police budget. He wants to have conversations about how the police budget is being used that haven’t been held in the past.

He also has a view of public safety that doesn’t just equate the police with public safety. Rather, he includes transportation infrastructure, like smooth roads and sidewalks; redevelopment, which brings more traffic, businesses and patrons to well-lit areas; and great green spaces that are used by many people. 

Hidden gem in District 13 

Vickery Midtown 

What he’s reading 

He reads “The Economist” every week. 

Who inspires him 

Everyone. 

“Whenever I see anything different, I learn from it. And seeing other people’s experiences, hearing their stories, that’s what gets me excited,” Moore says.