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?
Judge Howard Warner, Hays County Court at Law No. 1.
Why? I had the pleasure of first meeting the late Judge Warner in 2000 during one of our community events in Kyle. He was a warm and thoughtful man as well as a tireless public servant. To this day, his passion and commitment to the children and families of Hays County inspires me to devote time and energy to local non-profits and other community-based organizations helping our population in need. He was a great mentor and friend not only to me but to the countless number of people he helped with dignity and respect. Judge Warner will be missed, but never forgotten.
2. Describe what your candidacy is all about in 140 characters or less.
Becky Selbera is committed to Quality of Life, Public Safety, Improved Transportation, Access to Health Care, and Revitalizing Downtown Kyle.
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?
No, a 20% cut in general revenue does not mean the City will have to cut 20% of its total budget as general revenue is only a subset of our total budget. Given the state of the economy, we have had to deal with a number of issues and have worked to meet the challenges ahead to ensure our continued success. The City has worked to balance fiscal austerity with retaining the level of services we provide to our residents through the implementation of cost-saving measures in purchasing, technology and streamlining our processes as well as the proposal of a debt management policy.
4. What is the ideal tax rate for the city of Kyle and how would you get there?
We are facing important choices as a city and I am confident that we will find reasonable solutions that will allow us to maintain a manageable tax rate while not cutting services to our residents. I believe that it is unrealistic to expect a City our size to be able to maintain roads, water and wastewater infrastructure, and public safety without at least a .40 per hundred dollar valuation tax rate. Businesses looking for new locations weigh whether a potential site has both the population and infrastructure to support and sustain the opening of new store or restaurant. Again, in this economy, Kyle has been extremely successful in attracting economic development with even more exciting developments on our horizon none of which would be possible without those initial investments in our infrastructure.
5. Generally speaking, what is your plan for improving Kyle area streets and roads?
First and foremost, we need to prioritize the implementation of the transportation piece of our adopted Comprehensive Plan that so many of our citizens provided input on. I think we have done a good job with the roads that the City has control over and have partnered with the State and County to develop and maintain the transportation system to meet the current and forecasted needs of Kyle, such as efficient traffic flow, improved traffic safety, and addressing the pace of population growth. As always, there is room for improvement, but committing to our Transportation and Comprehensive Plans are the first step.
Which three projects do you think are most pressing?
A larger facility for our police department, working with the La Salle MUD District, and making sure that the families of Kyle continue to have a “SAFE” place to work, play and live.
6. Do you think Kyle has enough police officers on the streets to maintain reasonable levels of public safety?
No, I do not. I believe that Kyle’s growth is a major concern and more officers are in need to help maintain our safe environment. We have enjoyed the luxury of reporting a crime rate much lower than other cities our size; however, with increased urbanization it is incomprehensible to believe that this will continue. Making sure we have a professional, fully-staffed Police Department trained in up-to-date law enforcement techniques and equipped with the tools to handle the day-to-day challenges in keeping residents in a city our size safe should be one of our top priorities.
7. What is the most recent book you have read?
“Fireproof”
8. Mac or PC?
PC
