Joshua Gibson for Mesquite City Council District 4
About Me
My name is Joshua Gibson. I'm a 28-year-old small business owner in the construction industry. I come from two hard-working parents, my mother is an immigrant from Mexico, and my father built a successful business that I watched him work for throughout my childhood. Their determination and dedication to building a secure life for not just our family, but also their employees, has always inspired me.
I believe it’s time to redefine what growth looks like in the City of Mesquite. The city has focused on corporate and industrial expansion, but the neighborhoods and people who call Mesquite home have often felt left behind. Economic development is important, but it has to be balanced with real investments that improve quality of life, like safer streets, walkable neighborhoods, thriving small businesses, and great parks.
I want to create more opportunities for local small businesses to thrive. Others focus on real estate profits or short-term industrial deals, I think that’s the wrong focus and a continuation of what residents have repeatedly said they don’t want. I’m focused on building a city that young families, entrepreneurs, and long-time residents can be proud to live in.
Instead of giving tax incentives and more land to massive warehouse projects, I want to repurpose underutilized buildings to support local entrepreneurs who want to open coffee shops, barbershops, bookstores, and more. Vacant buildings attract crime and the longer they sit empty, the more expensive they become to occupy. By revitalizing these spaces, we can reduce low-foot-traffic areas, create opportunities for new businesses, and bring long-term economic growth to the areas that need it most.
Endorsed by:
Why I’m Running
I’m running because I want to be a representative who listens to the community and fights for what matters to them. When speaking to people in my district, the most common concern I’ve heard is the state of our infrastructure. Residents feel forgotten as the city continues to prioritize commercial growth over maintaining and revitalizing residential areas. Mesquite has more homeowners under 35 than any other city in DFW, many of whom are raising young families.
My main pushes will be to better allocate the budget toward road and sidewalk maintenance, adding crosswalks so the kids who walk to school don't have to dodge traffic to get there. Implementing bike lanes and improving our existing public transit system will better connect the city for those who cannot afford a car or would like a healthier or more affordable way to get around. We could achieve a lot of this by improving the city’s credit rating, refinancing our existing debt and reprioritizing our budget to take care of our residents' needs.
I believe that we need to shift our focus from corporate expansion to the large population of entrepreneurs who deserve a chance to live and work in their city without feeling like they need to move to Dallas to succeed. Mesquite is full of talented and driven people, what we are missing is the support to turn that talent into successful local businesses.
The people of Mesquite deserve safe streets, strong neighborhoods, and a city government that works for everyone. I’m running because I want to make sure our tax dollars are being used where they matter most, that includes working closely with Dallas County to make sure we’re getting everything they have to offer for cities in their boundaries as well.