CITY OF STAFFORD
2610 SOUTH MAIN STREET | STAFFORD, TEXAS 77477
(281) 261-3900 | FAX: (281) 261-3994
WWW.STAFFORDTX.GOV
COUNCILMEMBERS
WEN GUERRA
CECIL WILLIS, JR.
KEN MATHEW
VIRGINIA ROSAS
DON JONES
ALICE CHEN
FRED WOOLRIDGE
CITY SECRETARY
TOMIKA R. LEWIS
MAYOR
LEONARD SCARCELLA
Mayor Leonard Scarcella, the nation’s longest, continuous serving Mayor
died today, Sunday, June 28, 2020 at 2:58 p.m. after a brief illness. Mayor
Scarcella served over 50 years as Mayor having first been elected in 1969.
His leadership and vision for the City of Stafford has been the springboard
to numerous and notable achievements. He led the battle to create and
implement the Stafford Municipal School District, the only municipal school
district in the state of Texas. In 1995, under his leadership and with the
sound and disciplined fiscal approach he was known for throughout the
country, the City eliminated the city Property Tax making Stafford the
largest city in Texas to abolish city property taxes. As Mayor, he facilitated
a partnership between the City of Stafford, the Texas Department of
Transportation and Union Pacific Railroad for a $110 million enhancement
of the U.S. 90A Corridor. He led the charge for the development of the
Stafford Centre, a unique entertainment and cultural complex with a 1,100
seat performing arts theatre, 25,000 square feet of convention center space
and four festival fields on 43 acres of land. Mayor Scarcella sought and
achieved the passage of innovative legislation to finance and construct a
state-of-the-art, Science and Technology Center for Houston Community
College in the City of Stafford as the first such authorized city/college
educational facility in the state.
Mayor Scarcella was a life-long resident of Stafford. He attended grade
school in Missouri City and graduated from Missouri City High School. He
is a graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of Houston Law
School having practiced law for 53 years in Stafford. He served in the
Texas Air National Guard with active duty in the United States Air Force.
Mayor Scarcella was a lifelong member of Holy Family Catholic Church –
Missouri City, Texas.
