Iowa City councilor to seek re-election in November

City Councilor John Thomas will seek re-election for his seat in the November 2019 election, focusing on street improvements, affordable housing, and community safety.

City+Councilor+John+Thomas+addresses+complaints+regarding+the+new+benches+for+the+Pedestrian+Mall+at+City+Hall+in+Iowa+City+on+Tuesday%2C+Jan.+22%2C+2019.+Some+community+members+feel+that+the+new+benches+are+hostile+to+the+homeless.+

Alyson Kuennen

City Councilor John Thomas addresses complaints regarding the new benches for the Pedestrian Mall at City Hall in Iowa City on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019. Some community members feel that the new benches are hostile to the homeless.

Caleb McCullough & Kelsey Harrell, News Reporters

Iowa City Councilor John Thomas has announced that he will seek re-election for his seat representing District C in the November 2019 election.

A retired landscape architect from San Francisco, Thomas began representing District C in 2016; his term is scheduled to end Jan. 2, 2020. In addition to serving on City Council, Thomas has been a board member on the Friends of Hickory Hill Park.

In a letter to the Iowa City Press-Citizen, Thomas outlined his goals for his potential second term.

“I hope to further advance council’s wide-ranging initiatives, listening attentively to the concerns and aspirations of those whose lives will be altered, at times dramatically, by the changes ahead,” he said in the letter.

The issues he plans to focus on during the upcoming term include street improvements, affordable housing, and safety of vulnerable communities, he said.

Thomas hopes to develop a Streets-Improvement Plan as well as update the Affordable Housing Action Plan to reach more low-income residents. He plans to speed up the implementation of the Climate Action and Mitigation Plan, he said.

He also hopes to increase collaboration with local agencies and groups to improve community solidarity.

Thomas did not wish to give any additional comments to The Daily Iowan by the time of publication.