They featured my race (District C) in the paper today. Check it out (I am Sims by the way). http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2157606 Hopefuls challenge District C 2-termer Goldberg facing two-pronged attack By MELANIE MARKLEY Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle RESOURCE • Election Central: Complete information on local elections. Councilman Mark Goldberg, in his re-election bid, has drawn two challengers who say the two-term incumbent isn't doing enough for District C, which wraps around Bellaire and West University Place and extends into southwest Houston. Tasso Triantaphyllis, 50, said Goldberg has had too many feuds with the mayor to accomplish much for the district. Malaki Sims, 25, said the incumbent hasn't spent enough time staying in touch with people who live there. "What prompted me to run," said Sims, "was the fact I never saw my councilman. I didn't know who he was. I didn't feel my part of town was getting the amount of services it deserved." Goldberg, 46, has a completely different perspective. He said he attends neighborhood meetings in the district but has never seen Sims at one. As to his disagreements with the mayor, he said they haven't hurt the district fiscally. Of the nine council districts in the city, he said, District C is receiving the second-highest amount of capital improvements funds. "I think people make allegations just to make them, thinking if they say them enough times, people will believe them," he said. District C encompasses a diverse part of southwest Houston that, according to the 2000 census, is 40 percent white, 26 percent Hispanic, 25 percent black, 7 percent Asian and 2 percent biracial. The candidates somewhat reflect that diversity. Goldberg is white, Sims is black, and Triantaphyllis is a Greek immigrant. Goldberg, a lawyer with a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas and a law degree from South Texas College of Law, said he wants to continue his focus on improving the infrastructure in District C, including better streets, more parks and improved storm drainage. In his first two terms, he said, he has increased the amount of the city's spending on the district's capital improvement projects -- from $68 million in 2000 to $175 million this year. In drainage alone, he said, the district will benefit from about $76 million in improvements over the next five years. Goldberg also said street improvement projects are either in the works or planned for Chimney Rock, Kirby, West Alabama, Greenbriar, South Braeswood, West Bellfort, West Airport, Holmes and Buffalo Speedway. Sims, an auditor, said he believes his professional skills equip him well to estimate budget revenues and expenditures. Such skills are critical, he said, particularly "in this time of financial crisis." Sims, who has a bachelor's degree from Morehouse College and a master's in accounting from the University of Texas, said he would help develop creative ideas for additional revenues and push to lobby for more state and federal dollars, particularly in transportation. Sims also said he would work hard at reducing crime, particularly around apartment complexes in his neighborhood that have been plagued with shootings and robberies. He said he would promote a program that trains apartment managers and residents how to take proactive steps against criminal activity. Triantaphyllis is a lawyer specializing in business law and also has worked as a chemical engineer. Besides his law degree from the University of Houston, he has bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering from Rice University and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Houston. Triantaphyllis, who ran unsuccessfully for state district judge last year, said he is seeking the council seat because he believes the city is in a crisis due to a lack of leadership, a lack of teamwork and a lack of long-range planning. He is disappointed, he said, that people who are supposed to be leaders of the city have continuously fought among themselves. "Instead of working together and trying to find solutions, they created more problems by arguing," he said. "I saw a lot of things happening in the city that showed me there was no leadership."
