As North Texas experiences rapid population growth, the economic strength of the Dallas-Fort Worth region stems from a shared commitment among city leaders to effective governance and cooperation, according to six mayors who spoke at the Dallas Regional Chamber’s annual State of the Region event. The gathering, which included the mayors of Fort Worth, Arlington, Frisco, McKinney, Garland, and Richardson, highlighted how regional unity contributes to sustained prosperity despite common urban challenges. n nFort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker emphasized that while cities face similar issues—such as infrastructure demands, homelessness, and public safety staffing—the key to success lies in nurturing each city’s role as an economic driver. She pointed out that DFW’s model of city management, where professional city managers serve as chief executives while mayors act as board chairs, fosters stability. This structure avoids the disruptions caused by leadership turnover seen in cities with strong-mayor systems, where new administrations often replace entire staffs. n nDale Petroskey, president and CEO of the Dallas Regional Chamber, noted that since 2014, the 11-county DFW area has attracted over 800 major corporate relocations or expansions and more than 300 company headquarters. This growth reflects a coordinated effort among municipalities to draw businesses to North Texas. Arlington Mayor Jim Ross added that many companies have already decided to move to the region but are still choosing their exact location, giving local leaders a competitive advantage. n nWhile cities compete for investment, collaboration remains strong. Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney light-heartedly referenced the Dallas Cowboys’ training facility in Frisco and games played in Arlington as an example of inter-city partnership. n nThe mayors also expressed concern about state-level legislation that undermines local control. Parker criticized lawmakers for applying one-size-fits-all policies without recognizing municipal differences. She viewed the failure of several such bills during the legislative session as a significant victory for local governance. Ross stressed that continued economic success depends on cities’ ability to self-govern and remain focused on public service, rather than partisan agendas. He voiced frustration with state and federal legislators, suggesting their loyalty often lies more with political parties than with constituents. n
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Public service, collaboration are key to Dallas-Fort Worth economic success, mayors say
As North Texas’ population continues to surge, the secret to the region’s economic prowess lies in its cities’ shared commitment to success, six local mayors said. n nThe area’s economy, and how to facilitate its ongoing success, was the focus of discussion as the mayors of Fort Worth, Arlington, Frisco, McKinney, Garland and Richardson gathered Wednesday morning for the Dallas Regional Chamber’s annual State of the Region. n n“Our problems up here as mayors are all very similar: dealing with infrastructure challenges and homelessness and making sure you have police officers on the street and firefighters,” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said during the panel. “But importantly, what drives our success is our focus on the economic engine and powerhouse of each of our cities.” n nThat engine is a powerful one, said Dale Petroskey, president and CEO of the Dallas Regional Chamber. n nThe DFW region that spans 11 counties has seen more than 800 “significant corporate relocations and expansions” and more than 300 company headquarters move to the area since 2014, Petroskey said. n nThose numbers are a testimony to the “group effort” city leaders use to attract others to the area, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said. n n“How many of you in your respective cities have been speaking with prospective businesses moving in who have made the decision that they’re coming to North Texas? They just haven’t decided what part of North Texas they’re coming to yet,” Ross said. “That gives us the edge on so many communities around the country.” n nThe collaboration still leaves room for competition as cities vie for economic opportunities, the panel’s mayors conceded. n n“Frisco is a great regional partner because we’re the worldwide headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys, and I lend them to Jim for eight days a year,” Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney joked, referencing how the football team trains in his city but plays in Arlington. n nThe region has an “unspoken secret,” Parker said. Most Texas cities use a city manager-led form of government in which the manager acts as the CEO of the city, while the mayor acts as chair of the board of directors, she said. n nCities with a strong mayoral government often deal with city management and staff turnover, which weakens institutional knowledge and expertise as new administrations often hire their own staff to replace previous administrations, she explained. n n“Imagine in each of your respective companies if every time you had a manager or a CEO change, everybody else went with it,” Parker told the audience. “It’s not how you run a city well.” n nCities also don’t run well when they lose local control, the mayors agreed. The group had sparse praise for the Texas lawmakers’ work this year as they lamented various bills that sought to relinquish aspects of government control from the local level to the state. n nParker said legislators attempted to paint all Texas cities with “one broad brush” without acknowledging each city’s unique identity and needs. She was blunt with what she considered a success out of the legislative sessions this year. n n“A lot of bills died, which was a really big win,” Parker said. n nFor Ross, DFW’s continued economic success relies on each city’s ability to manage and govern itself. He said state legislators are too embroiled in partisan politics, and local officials must keep their sights set on public service to their communities. n n“I am convinced, as I’m sitting here today, that our federal and state legislatures are more loyal to their parties than the public they serve: you,” Ross said. “And that pisses me off.” n nCecilia Lenzen is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org. n nAt the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here