On Election Day, Amarillo voters turned down a $275 million bond for various downtown projects by a nearly 24-point margin. In a recent interview, Mayor Ginger Nelson criticized the opposition’s “negative campaign,” saying many who voted “no” acted on “incorrect facts” from a billboard and the city is going “back to the drawing board.”
Last week, Nelson appeared on a talk show hosted by KFDA-TV in Amarillo to discuss the results of the election.
“The group of citizens that were against it were very negatively against it, and just really took that, rather than a conversation about it, into a negative campaign,” she said. “And that’s very disappointing.”
Nelson also spoke on why she believes many voted “no.”
“I think a lot of people voted ‘no’ on that proposition because they were voting on incorrect facts that they got off a billboard,” Nelson said.
Regarding where the City of Amarillo intends to go after the second defeat of a civic center-related bond in four years, Nelson suggested city leaders will now consider a new plan for the venue.
“I heard the voters say not now, not in this package. And I respect that result,” Nelson said. “So, now we go back to the drawing board.”
At this point, it is unclear what would be included in a new plan for renovations to the venue.
