Randall Lloyd is challenging incumbent Shane Arabie for Kyle City Council, District 3. We asked both candidates the following questions.
What prompted you to seek election?
I believe that the citizens, the taxpayers of Kyle, have lost their voice on the city council. I am willing and able to be their eyes and ears on the council. I will listen to their concerns, and be available to them by phone or email or in person. And I will actually respond to them unlike my opponent.
What do you bring to the table that your opponent doesn’t have?
Unlike my opponent, I work in Kyle and see the citizens of this town everyday. I talk to them and hear what their issues are, as well as what they love about Kyle. The priorities for our town should be set by our citizens, not outside interests. And, unlike my opponent, I am accessible to everyone. I will respond to all emails and return all phone messages. More importantly, I will actually listen to the concerns of the people of Kyle. I will represent the citizens of Kyle on the city council, not special interests. It is time for everyone to be represented by our city government, not just a handful of friends
I have lived in Kyle for 13 years and paid taxes on my home for all those years. I understand how difficult it is when the tax rate skyrockets and the council votes for unnecessary spending. I will work diligently to lower taxes by voting against wasteful spending of our tax money. What I lack in experience, I make up in work ethic.
What are the three most pressing issues in your district and how will you alleviate them?
The Place 3 position is a city wide district, so the “most pressing issues” are those that are facing the entire city. Three might be a magic number for a question, but it’s more complicated. Our city is facing rapid growth due to its location on the I-35 corridor. Being able to manage this growth, while maintaining our citizens vision for the future of our city, is the key issue. The citizens of Kyle want a city they can be proud of. We must make improvements to our infrastructure, including our roads and the expansion of our wastewater facility, if we are to continue to grow. We need to add to our police force and provide amenities to make our city attractive. But this costs money. We must bring a more diversified economy to Kyle in order to reduce the tax burden on our homeowners. They have shouldered the burden too long. Rather than continuing to give away tax incentives, I would prefer to attract new businesses with a streamlined development process that is more efficient than surrounding cities. We must also reduce unnecessary spending in the city budget, just as our citizens do.
Is Kyle managing the increasing growth? What would do to help the city manage the growth?
No, we are not efficiently managing the increasing growth. We have gotten behind on expanding our infrastructure, including roads and our wastewater plant. After I first moved here, the city was in a building moratorium due to a lack of water sources for the growth. We can’t let that happen again. Planning is the key to managing the growth. The city has drafts for a wastewater and water model. We need the final models immediately to plan for the future. We also need to begin work on our master transportation plan, and begin actually implementing our comprehensive plan. The city lacks an ETJ plan and it’s time we had one. We also need to work more effectively on a regional basis with our neighboring cities and the county.
What are your thoughts on Kyle’s current ad valorem tax rate?
As a homeowner and tax payer, our current tax rate is too high. In fact, it is the highest tax rate of any city in Hays County. This is unacceptable and makes it difficult to attract new businesses. Lowering the tax rate needs to be a high priority for our city council, and it would be my number one priority if elected. In the last budget, the city added many new and nonessential staff positions. It is critical to cut wasteful spending. We cannot afford a new city hall and police station at this time, as has been discussed by the city manager. Unnecessary spending must stop. Until we can lower the tax rate, we must attract new businesses by focusing on streamlining the development process and promoting the unique image of Kyle.
What television program are you currently watching or streaming?
Blue Bloods
