Mayor Harpole Not Seeking Reelection In 2017

Amarillo mayor Paul Harpole announced this morning he will not seek reelection for his current term that ends in May.

Mayor Harpole has served a decade on the city council.  The day for filing intention to run for the office happens tomorrow.

Mayor Harpole cites progress on downtown revitalization, new ordinances like the ban on texting and driving, and expansion of secondary education with West Texas A&M University and Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in the area as some of the high points he accomplished while in office as the mayor.

Mayor Harpole is also the current vice-chairman of the Amarillo Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone board as one of the city's representatives.  It hasn't been announced how the decision not to seek reelection will affect that position.

Mayor Harpole began his run in city politics in 2005 when he was elected as city commissioner.  He served until 2007 and declined to run again.

He next ran for mayor in 2011 against a record 10 opponents garnering 77 percent of the vote in his first run for mayor.