Tim Raine has always been very enthusiastic about helping his community.
“I've been created to help,” Raine, who is campaigning for the Colleyville City Council, said to The Dallas Express.
He has been endorsed by Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare and Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn. Raine’s aims are to ensure financial responsibility by keeping taxes low, opposing high-density housing, and investing in public safety, according to his campaign website.
Raine graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He has worked in various roles, including as a section chief for a real estate company, director of Atlantic Asset Management, and for his own insurance agency.
“I started to get involved in the community because I had small children and eventually was selected to the school board in … 2000,” Raine told DX.
Raine only served one term as a Grapevine-Colleyville ISD school board member.
“There was quite a bit of restructuring that went on during that time, but by the time I left, we had built the fund balance back up from like $2-3 million to around $15-16 million, all in a Robin Hood environment,” Raine said.
During the 20 years between his time as a school board member and running for city council, Raine said he continued to serve the community through school volunteer work and serving on city boards.
“I held positions in the chamber of commerce, I was in the Grapevine Rotary Club,” Raine said. “I am currently in planning and zoning.”
Raine said that he plans to continue the progress that Colleyville has seen over the past several years.
“I want to see that continue because it’s yielded one of the top five safest cities in Texas, named by some organizations. It’s yielded the top place to live and raise a family by another organization, and our tax rate is very low, and we have very little debt,” Raine said.
He argued that term limits have improved the city but can also be a double-edged sword since people with experience will leave after only serving a fixed number of years. Raine said he believes that people with experience and a record in the community should be involved, which is why he is running.
When asked about the top issues for the city, he mentioned continuing the financial path that the city is following, the city master plan, and infrastructure work.
“There’s a master sidewalks and trail plan. I realize a lot of people don’t feel like it’s being done enough or passed enough in certain places,” Raine said. “Second thing is don’t get out of whack with our tax base that is diversified. It’s balanced.”
Raine mentioned that he would continue supporting law enforcement and providing all necessary resources to keep Colleyville one of the safest cities in Texas.
“The continued investment in our first responders. You don’t get to attain the top of safe cities in Texas without manpower and material and good men and women. And I don’t want to see that slide,” Raine said. “People love living here. People want it to stay — the high-quality life that has been attained.”
When talking about what sets him apart from his opponent, Raine mentioned “experience” and “involvement.”
“He hasn't been involved, and his voting record demonstrates that,” he stated.
Raine said that having a track record of involvement in the community and civic participation is necessary. He mentioned that if someone truly wants to serve, they would make time for it, even with a job and a family.
When questioned about his endorsement list and its message to voters, Raine said that endorsements from O’Hare and Waybourn indicate that they trust him to do the job properly.
“This guy is dependable, committed to service, we know what he will do, he has a history and you can rely on him, that's the message to voters,” Raine mentioned DX.
He also mentioned that faith has always been a part of his life.
“Faith, for me, is a fundamental thing. It’s a perspective [through] which you see morals, openness, and honesty in someone as it pertains to serving and representing others,” Raine stated.
He noted that people had urged him to run for office, and after reflection and prayer, he decided it was time to run.
“I care enough about my city to not want to see it regress,” Raine expressed DX.
When asked what guidance he would offer younger generations, Raine said that younger people have a duty to get involved and support their community since, someday, they will have their own kids and families.
“So you better pay attention to who you elect. Because you may have to live under what they tell you, not just who’s going to be the president, not just who’s going to be your congressperson or your senator,” Raine said. “It’s the people that you elect right around you that you will have to deal with first.”
