Texas mayor quits after calling residents ‘lazy’ and ‘weak’ amid power outages from storm

COLORADO CITY, Texas -- The mayor of this Texas town of about 4,000 people stepped down Tuesday in the wake of a controversial social media post in which he said residents without electricity and water due to a winter storm are "lazy" and "weak," adding that local government and utility services owed them "nothing," ABC affiliate KTXS reported.

Now-former Colorado City Mayor Tim Boyd called complaining constituents "socialist" and then told them: "the strong will survive and the weak will perish."

"Let me hurt some feelings while I have a minute!!" Boyd continued in his post. "No one owes you or your family anything; nor is it the local government's responsibility to support you during trying times like this! Sink or swim it's your choice! The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING!!"

He also complained that residents were looking for a "hand out" and told them to accept personal responsibility for being left in the cold.

"If you are sitting at home in the cold because you have no power and are waiting for someone to come rescue you because you're lazy, is a direct result of your raising!" he wrote.

"Bottom line quit crying and looking for a handout! Get off your ass and take care of your own family!" he added.

Boyd later deleted the post after it went viral and drew significant online uproar. In a subsequent post, KTXS reported that he announced his resignation.

Colorado City mayor... literally speechless at how anyone can be this tone deaf in a public service position. People are freezing without information and PAY for these services and somehow we are still blaming socialism. 😐 pic.twitter.com/jOZbOHvIn4

— alyssa 🤠 (@achavez48) February 16, 2021

This is what happens when you don't research who you vote for for local office. Tim Boyd, mayor of Colorado City, TX, thinks electricity and water, which ppl PAY for are "handouts". From the disability community, many of whom can't even leave their homes,🖕, Tim. pic.twitter.com/Fp0XYHU3M1

— Kristen (@CripCamper2020) February 16, 2021