Irving City Council candidates outline plans on trash pickup, police pay, housing and transparency at League forum

At a League of Women Voters candidate forum in Irving, candidates for the Irving City Council detailed competing priorities that centered on sanitation, public safety, housing and questions about budget transparency.

"We need to return to twice a week trash pickup," said Matt Varble, a candidate who said he has been pressing the issue since October 2022 and who noted endorsement by the Irving Police Association. Varble also called for higher pay to recruit and retain police officers, saying Irving compensation is "only in the 65th percentile of all of Dallas–Fort Worth."

Several candidates tied service levels to the city's finances. "Right now, a little over 12.6 percent of our budget is for interest on our debt," Paul Bertinzetti told the forum, arguing municipal debt constrains services such as sidewalks, pools and trash pickup. Bertinzetti said some bonds are "maxed out" and cited payments to DART as a pressure point.

Affordable housing emerged as a point of contention and agreement. Candidates including Mark Kronenewet and Matt Varble said Irving has a high renter share and needs more housing and homeownership pathways. Heather Stroup urged careful matching of development to infrastructure and highlighted local programs such as first-time-buyer grants of up to $20,000.

Parks and recreation — and public pools in particular — drew discussion about usage, workforce and maintenance. Mark Kronenewet and others proposed exploring partnerships with the YMCA and schools and considering year-round or multiuse aquatic facilities that might generate revenue. "We should look at smart things like that," Kronenewet said.

Transparency and fiscal oversight were prominent. Varble said an information request he filed produced internal communications he said showed a $125,000,000 figure under consideration to move City Hall to North Irving; he framed that as an example of why more openness is needed. Other candidates stressed that budget documents are posted online and urged public engagement in workshops and bond discussions.

The forum, organized by the League of Women Voters of Irving and moderated by David Pfaff, gave each candidate short opening and closing statements and one-minute answers to questions on housing, economic development, parks and budgeting. No formal council actions or votes took place.