Deb Shinder announces mayoral candidacy
Debra Shinder, currently Deputy Mayor Pro Tem in place 6 of the Rowlett City Council, has announced her intent to run for mayor in the special election on May 3, 2025. Deb and her husband, Tom, have lived in Rowlett for over twenty years. She is now retired, her children are grown, and she has the time to be the full-time mayor our growing city needs.
“The changes that come with growth are challenging,” said Shinder, “but working together, we can turn this transition into a positive transformation. It will require big-picture, long-term thinking on the part of city policy makers to manage growth in a way that respects the character of existing neighborhoods and preserves the friendly, home-town ambiance on which our community was built.”
Deb is a native Texan, born and raised in DFW. Her experience in municipal government and public service is extensive and spans a lifetime. Since the 1980s, she has served in various roles in different jurisdictions, as a city secretary, police officer, academy instructor, consultant, and board and commission member. She was elected to the council in Seagoville when she was in her 30s. Since 2004, she has served Rowlett citizens on the charter commission, bond committee, Board of Adjustment, P&Z Commission and now as a councilmember. She’s ready to take the next step.
Deb’s priorities as mayor will focus first on the essential functions of government – public safety, roads and streets, water and sewer and other infrastructure elements. “We must get those right, and we have to make our city processes more user-friendly for citizens, business owners, and developers. Strategic economic development – attracting and retaining the right kind of businesses in the right places – is the key to controlled, responsible growth. It’s imperative that city leaders be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars and find ways to reduce the tax burden on residents.”
As a Rowlett councilmember, Deb serves on several council subcommittees, including the Public Safety Committee that she founded and chairs. She represents Rowlett residents not only here at home but at the regional level, and advocates in Austin for legislation that benefits our citizens. Toward that end, she has established working relationships with other Texas mayors, council members, and citizens, as well as state legislators and the governor’s office. She is also a member and supporter of the Rowlett Chamber and the local business community and is the council’s appointee to the Economic Development Advisory Board.
Deb is Rowlett’s representative on Rockwall County boards and coalitions, and she played an important role in establishing a voting location for citizens who live in the Rockwall County section of Rowlett, so they no longer have to go across the lake to Rockwall to vote.
“I love Texas, I love Rowlett, and most of all, I love the people of Rowlett. We don’t all agree all the time, but we all care about our city and want to make it a better place to live, work, and play. I believe my experience, ability, vision, values, and the time I can devote to leading that effort can make it happen.”