Joe Wells Files in the Democratic Primary for Dallas County Treasurer
January 29th, 2006
Joe Wells, former assistant to Dallas County Commissioner Chris V. Semos, filed to run for Dallas County Treasurer in the Democratic Primary. As assistant to Commissioner Semos from 1983 to 1994, Wells assisted in the oversight and planning of county budgets and operations, and participated in the development and implementation of county bond programs.
Wells currently manages a local nonprofit administered court-ordered community service program, which refers 12,000 mandated volunteers to 600 nonprofit agencies. The program, which Wells has managed for the past 11 years, documents, verifies and reports over 600,000 hours of community service annually to referring county criminal courts, district courts, municipal courts, and school districts in Dallas and Tarrant counties.
“For over 20 years I have worked successfully with public officials of both political parties, judges, county department directors, and non partisan municipal and school officials and community organizations,” Wells said. “My experience in working in a cooperative and positive manner with these officials and organizations, along with my extensive administrative experience, has prepared me to manage the Dallas County treasurer’s office effectively.”
Wells promises to wage a spirited campaign against the one-term Republican incumbent treasurer. “Although the administrative and financial management functions of the treasurer office are nonpartisan, the treasurer is elected in a partisan election,” Wells noted.
Dallas County has become a very competitive two- party county. Democrats are challenging the past Republican monopoly on county offices. By giving voters a choice, candidates and office holders will be more accountable to tax payers and county government will be strengthened.
Wells, a veteran, served from 1968 - 1972 in the US Air Force Security Police. He was discharged as a staff sergeant after four years of military service in the Strategic Air Command. Following his military service, Wells attended the University of Texas at Arlington on the GI Bill, earning bachelors and masters degrees in political science. He was recognized for academic achievement by political science honor societies.
Wells has been an active leader in local, state, and national conservation and environmental organizations and has chaired the board of the Dallas Nature Center, and has served as vice chair of the Dallas Sierra Club. He received volunteer recognition awards by the Dallas American Lung Association and Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club for his environmental advocacy. He served on numerous local and regional boards and committees including NCTCOG Air Quality Committee, Dallas Environmental Health Commission and Dallas County Local Emergency Planning Committee. Wells also served for eight years as a parent on the Woodrow Wilson High School Centered Education Committee.
Wells is an east Dallas native and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School, class of 1966. He and his wife of 30 years, Beth, lived in north Oak Cliff for 22 years before moving to Grand Prairie. He has two children: Daniel, Woodrow Wilson Class of 1997 and a graduate of Texas Christian University, who lives in Dallas; and Emily, Woodrow Wilson Class 2002 and a University of Texas at Austin graduate, who lives in Austin.
Entry Filed under: Campaign News
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