Why I am Running
Realizing that not all change is progress and not all challenges can be overcome quickly, I am running because I feel our City can better prioritize tax revenues to address "our needs before our wants." There is a need for greater transparency and improvements in our City’s operations beginning with the budget review process, term limits, better district representation, and the elimination of sole source contract practices and unnecessary permit fees.
Specific agenda items to improve our City
- Property Tax Relief:
Revise the annual budget process to begin with a tax rate goal (less than 0.50%) with a budget that first addresses the critical service needs of our City.
- police, fire, ambulance, water, sewers, streets, energy (electric/gas), and health-related services to include safety codes.
- Reallocate the venue tax (sale taxes) to address our deferred infrastructure maintenance needs (repair streets, sewers, alleyways).
- Eliminate future sole-source waste management contracts.
- Financial Transparency and compliance with the Texas State Comptroller Transparency Stars program.
- Improve street safety to address the safety needs of our children, disabled, and senior citizens.
- Require a financial prospectus/business plan for the Aviation District which identifies the total predicted expense, current accrued cost, and expected revenue benefit for the program investment.
- Require a business plan for City Enterprise operations that ensures long-term sustainability with earned operational income without additional tax burden. Stop underreporting expenses and including tax revenue as an earned income!
- Improved posting for crime, fire, and emergency services statistics.
- Post work orders to include the status of water, road, and sewer repairs. Establish a case log for the Citizen’s concerns (trackable by case number) with a goal of administrative action or resolution within 90 days.
- Reduce or eliminate unnecessary permit fees. Promote code compliance rather than code avoidance.
- Address City noncompliance with municipal codes and Texas State regulations.
- Term limits for Mayor and Council members.