Irving candidate forum spotlights South Irving infrastructure, affordable housing and library debate

A League of Women Voters of Irving candidate forum on May 7 brought the six city council contenders together to outline priorities for North and South Irving, including infrastructure, economic development and the city’s library-policy disputes.

The forum, held and moderated by the League’s appointed moderator, gave each candidate two-minute opening and closing statements and one-minute answers to audience questions. Candidates for Place 1 (John Block, Tony Grimes, Ricky Lightfoot) and Place 7 (incumbent Kyle Taylor, Brian Jones) emphasized investment in parks, rec centers, drainage and streets, and offered differing approaches to affordable housing and library oversight ahead of the election.

Several candidates focused on South Irving’s needs. Kyle Taylor, the incumbent, cited recent drainage work he said removed "almost 300 homes out of the flood plain," and argued maintaining infrastructure and public-safety services is a priority. Candidates from District 1 described older infrastructure, closed community pools and a need for recreational and senior centers spread more evenly across the city.

On retaining headquarters and corporate tax revenue, candidates said Irving must use incentives and workforce development to keep and attract businesses. "Over 70% of our tax base comes from our corporations," Kyle Taylor said, framing corporate retention as essential to hold down property-tax pressure on residents.

Affordable housing drew frank assessments of constraints and trade-offs. Candidates agreed Irving lacks developable land and that solutions would require funding, clearer definitions of "affordable" and partnerships with federal programs. Tony Grimes and Ricky Lightfoot recommended creating a task force to study local options and to explore HUD programs and low-income housing tax credits; Kyle Taylor pointed to a recent housing study and a need to balance multifamily and single-family housing options so service-sector workers can live in Irving.

The forum turned to controversy over library books after an audience question. Brian Jones and John Block said parents and the community should have input and urged transparency; Jones also recommended careful hiring and oversight of the library director. Kyle Taylor said the city has already begun reviewing policies and procedures. John Block framed the issue differently, calling it "not a free speech issue" but "a public safety issue" when materials intended for older readers are shelved where children might access them. Ricky Lightfoot said he did not support violating constitutional rights while expressing concern about public funding for contested materials.

Candidates also addressed why no women were running for the seats, with responses ranging from the time commitment and complexity of council work to active recruitment efforts on boards and commissions. Several candidates described outreach programs intended to broaden the candidate pool.

The forum closed with each candidate restating long-term goals: building and maintaining infrastructure and parks, supporting public safety, encouraging homeownership and small businesses, and managing growth so development aligns with neighborhood character. The League encouraged voters to consult its voter guide resources and to vote in the May 7 election. The meeting then transitioned to the Irving ISD school board candidate forum.