1. Which local current or former elected officials (Hays County or any city, school district or other political subdivision therein) do you think most closely reflect your sensibilities and/or style in governing? Why?
I really like Mark Jones because of his conservative approach to government. I also really like the fact that even those who did not support Mark in the last election still had a lot of respect for him. I spoke with many people that felt Mark was fair and would listen to the people. That is what I want to aspire to be like. I also thought that both Ray Bryant and Mark Jones ran very clean campaigns last election. They focused on their messages and refrained from attacking the other person. After all of the negativity that went around in other races last election, that one was refreshing, reminding me people can still respect one another even if they disagree on issues. That is the kind of reputation I hope to receive if I am chosen by our citizens to represent them on council.
2. Describe what your candidacy is all about in 140 characters or less.
I started attending council meetings about two years ago because the council wanted to build a 20 million dollar recreation center. While that sounded nice, the impact on our taxes would have been significant. For this reason I was opposed to the project. My candidacy is simple. Let’s stop wasting time and money on “feel good” projects and focus on improving our infrastructure here in Kyle. That is how we will bring jobs to our city. We need to add support to our police department. We need to balance our budget.
3. Size and scope of government have been leading issues in recent elections on the local, state and national level. Do you think the city of Kyle spends too much in its general fund budget? If so, what specifically would you cut and how much money would this save?
I believe there may be areas where spending can be cut, but council should refrain from dictating what cuts are made. Rather, all discretionary spending should be justified. Council should direct our new city manager to direct that process and come back with recommendations.
4. What is the ideal tax rate for the city of Kyle and how would you get there?
The ideal tax rate is what balances the budget while keeping taxes low. I like the tax rate that we are currently at. However, our citizens are not being given the whole story on our current tax rate. Our utility fund subsidizes the shortfalls in our current spending. In other words we are paying more for our utilities, so that there is a surplus of about 1.5 to 2 million dollars a year. The city then relys on that money in order to break even. The city should run a balanced budget, and either return surplus money from our utility fund back to the people, or put that money back into infrastructure (roads, water, and sewage). I personally like the second option because this can be a source of coming up with the funds needed for added infrastructure projects.
5. Generally speaking, what is your plan for improving Kyle area streets and roads and which three projects do you think are most pressing?
We need fix Burleson and Goforth roads first. Both of these streets have two way traffic and the roads are just too narrow and worn out. I also feel that we need to continue to improve the roads in old town Kyle.
6. Do you think Kyle has enough police officers on the streets to maintain reasonable levels of public safety?
I would like to see more police officers. If there are any spending increases this is where the money should go.
7. What is the most recent book you have read?
“The Breakthrough Factor: Creating Success and Happiness Through a Life of Value” by Henry Marsh. I loved reading this book because it helped me identify the things that cause stress in my life, and helped me change how I perceived these events. It really changed the way I look at life and how I respond to difficulty.
8. Mac or PC?
I am not sure what the relevance of this question is but I use a PC.
