Haltom City Billboard Proclaims "Time for a Change"

    HALTOM CITY, TX, March 05, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- "What's in it for you?" That's a question frequently asked of Haltom City entrepreneur Ron Sturgeon when it comes to his Make Haltom City Thrive Again advocacy campaign.

According to Ron, the answer is quite simple. Over the past two decades, he has seen business after business close its doors in the southern and central areas of the city. He has also witnessed a decline in quality of life for the residents who have not only lost access to local jobs, goods, and services, but have also been subjected to a corresponding rise in crime. Simply put, he wants to give something back and "help Make Haltom City better."

In a new video posted by the campaign, Ron addresses the claim that he's doing this to benefit himself or his business in some way. Pointing out that he owns property throughout Tarrant County with only a small percent in Haltom City, he states, "I haven't heard anybody say anything criticizing me that make any sense at all because all my properties are full, I don't have any undeveloped properties, I don't have any properties that stand to gain from new ordinances or anything like that."

Instead, he is focused on the fact that Haltom City residents "shouldn't have to drive to North Richland Hills to buy their groceries, to get their car work done, to buy their swimming pool supplies… or their dry cleaning." According to Ron, Haltom City has far too many hoops to jump through to start a small business, such as the requirement that public hearings for something as simple as a dry cleaner opening up shop. Haltom should instead make it easier to start a business by having "low barriers to entry for small businesses. Let's make it the small business incubator for all of Tarrant County." He likes to say that the city staff can say whatever they want, but we can see with our eyes the declining corridors in the south and central parts of the city.

In the video, Ron expresses concern that the city council and staff won't even listen to the ideas put forth because they've "kind of demonized me" due to his advocacy efforts. Says Ron, "Forget me, just listen to the ideas… the ideas have come from a lot of other people than me." He adds that the billboard is to create awareness and says, "I hope people will go to the website…. the whole story is there, and what my motivation is, and even the plan on how I believe that we can make the city better." Anyone looking to achieve a brighter future for themselves, their children, and their community should seriously consider getting involved. As this release is issued, over 7,000 viewers of the billboard have visited the Make Haltom City Thrive website.

About Haltom City
Haltom City is a diverse, majority working-class city located between Dallas and Fort Worth in Tarrant County, TX. Haltom City is minutes from both the DFW Airport and Downtown Fort Worth with direct access to major highways including I-820 and SH-121. Due to an outdated and restrictive use matrix that discourages new business and deters growth, several areas of Haltom City have seen a decline in small businesses which provided goods and services and were a significant source of jobs, including the once-thriving automotive industry. However, Haltom City can reverse this trend and should prioritize development of inner-city land and vacant buildings, particularly in the major corridors close to the city's center. The city is financially healthy with a capable manager and staff who would like to see diverse business development occur and need the support of the City Council to make it happen.

About Haltom United Business Alliance
Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA) wants to give members of Haltom City's business community an advocate and to keep those businesses informed about issues that affect them. They want to make sure Haltom City is business friendly and nurtures small business growth, including automotive businesses in the industrial districts, and bring more restaurants including breweries and eventually a major grocery store to the city. New businesses and growth in existing businesses will create a stronger tax base which will allow the city to pay its first responders wages that are competitive with surrounding cities while improving Haltom City's facilities and infrastructure. HUBA believes that the southern and central parts of the city need a revitalization plan, to prevent further degradation in those areas, and wants that to happen before the inner-city experiences increased crime and more blight. As retail and office uses are in decline, it's more critical than ever to attract new businesses. They believe that such a plan requires a strong relationship and support of the business community. Anyone who owns a business in Haltom City is eligible to join HUBA. Dues are $20 annually or $50 for a lifetime membership, and membership is 100% confidential. To join, contact Joe Palmer at (682) 310-0591 or by email at [email protected]. Visit the group's Facebook at Haltom United Business Alliance.

About Make Haltom City Thrive Again
Make Haltom City Thrive Again is a movement to return prosperity to the older parts of South and Central Haltom City by luring the small businesses that have left over the past decades back to Haltom City. A vibrant business community not only allows for greater employment and choice of goods and services, but also can ease the tax burden on residents. The movement is led by local entrepreneur and business owner Ron Sturgeon. For more on Sturgeon's ideas and background, check out his book, Keeping the Lights on Downtown in America's Small Cities and watch the videos on his Facebook page. Ron is also the founder of the Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA) which represents existing business interests in Haltom City and promotes growth of diverse businesses. HUBA is not a political action committee and does not endorse candidates. If/when Ron endorses candidates, he will do so on his own via the Make Haltom City Thrive Again organization.

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