A 24-year resident of Frisco, mayoral candidate Bob Allen is one of the most involved people in the city. He has 13 years on the City Council, nine years on the Economic Development Corporation, seven years on the Frisco Education Foundation, and currently serves on the board of Medical City Frisco and Medical City Plano.

Allen’s priorities if elected mayor would include ensuring transparency in the budgeting process, keeping taxes low while still providing high quality services, driving corporate business development, expanding infrastructure and promoting responsible economic development, ensuring diverse housing and balanced multi-family zoning, prioritizing public safety and health, and preserving the quality of life for Frisco families.

He said he would bring a view centered on bringing more change to the city.

“My priorities will focus on technology,” Allen said. “We’ve got issues with taxes, congestion and density but all those are solvable problems.”

Frisco’s continuing growth is a major issue for citizens of the city. Allen said while Frisco won’t stop growing, the challenge is to do it in a way that makes sense.

“The question is how do we do it so we can allow property owners to have their rights as to what we’re allowed to build and where, and how to do it in a way that drives improvements to traffic congestion,” Allen said. “Again, we’ll do that through technology, vehicle to vehicle technology, infrastructure and communications technology. All of those are positive things. There’s also best practices in road design that we’re going to be bringing forward. All of those things will continue to make Frisco a better place.”

Allen, however, said he can’t speak for his opponent’s views on such issues.

“I have nothing to say for or against him,” Allen said. “But I do know I have a wealth of knowledge and experience to bring as mayor of the city, I will bring that vision and continue that vision forward.”

Frisco’s booming school district is another popular issue considered by voters when choosing the next leader of the city, as schools are one of the most integral parts of any city. Allen says he works for FISD and is making changes for the district already today.

“I’m responsible for bringing innovative, vision-based technology changes with things we’re doing now, so I’m making your life as a student better, your parents’ lives better, taxpayers’ lives better, and most importantly, the lives of teachers and the administration better,” Allen said. “What I’m doing for the district today is what I did for companies, almost 30 years with EDS and HP.”

He said his policies are about bringing innovation, change, and vision for the future.

“I want to keep doing that for the FISD and I want to keep making it better,” Allen said. “The greatest thing about the FISD is relationship with the city. Nobody can have a better relationship with them than I can.”

Allen sees Frisco going in the right direction, thanks to its people.

“The biggest key to Frisco and why it is what it is is because you’re here,” Allen said. “People come here, they love it, they want to get involved, that involvement makes other people want to get involved, so we’re on a good path.”