(You may attach relevant biographical information that you feel expands on your qualifications to hold office)
1. Would you pledge to vote against increases in the property tax and sales tax rates during your term in office?
Yes as to Property Tax. I pay property taxes on my home and business. My plan: Rather than increase property taxes on the decreasing number of tax payers who do pay, I will increase the number of tax payers and taxable properties within the City. Half of us pay the burden for us all; as Mayor my job is to lead a Council that will restore equilibrium to the cost of living and doing business here. Yes as to Sales tax: Any further increases should be only if the voters approve.
2. Do you support retaining the tax and spending caps currently in place in Galveston?
Yes.
3. What is your position on collective bargaining with Galveston’s employee unions?
I don’t support decertifying the public safety unions at this time. This would create a community war and would sidetrack the real business of the City. However, I’m neither controlled by nor do I owe the Unions; and I have six years’ experience on Council observing what works and what doesn’t work in negotiations. As Mayor, I’ll ensure that Council hires a first class negotiator – the City Manager should not be the actual negotiator. Second, I will ensure we use collective bargaining to the City’s advantage: by tying raises to employees’ residency on the Island.
4. Would you support permitting a referendum on ending collective bargaining for city employees?
No, as stated above. I believe we ought to make Island residency a requirement for those seeking raises through collective bargaining. I believe our dedicated Police and Fire workers should drive the same streets we drive – not just “at work” – but when taking their children to school, when shopping for groceries and when pursuing leisure activities. This way all our interests are better aligned when we engage in collective bargaining. I am keeping my mind open to the question of a referendum for a future time. Let’s see if our hard-working Police and Fire can work with us first.
5. Have you sought or received a municipal employee endorsement?
No. I have neither sought nor received a municipal employee endorsement in this race. I have sought and received in some but not all previous races; but not in this race for Mayor.
6. Would you make it a priority to spend a greater percentage of city revenue over time on infrastructure and capital improvements?
Yes. I support a complete overhaul of how we budget for our streets, lights and signs. There must be a new day at City Hall, emphasizing our core mission: to provide safe, clean and state of the art infrastructure. We should use the hundreds of millions of federal dollars available to us now to catch up with decades of neglect, and then set a preventive maintenance schedule in place to ensure this ragged state of affairs never returns.
7. Will you make fixing the city’s drainage problem a priority?
Yes. Regular flooding is the most exasperating reminder of our municipal decay. It looks bad, it’s a health hazard and it costs us dearly in business productivity. As Mayor I’ll ensure the following: After FEMA’s contractor is done vacuuming our lines, we’ll replace broken storm sewer infrastructure in main thoroughfares; we’ll require the State of Texas to overlay their highways within Galveston in a way that eases, not worsens flooding and we’ll develop a plan to prevent lawn clippings and trash from entering our sewer lines (i.e., install screens in storm drains).
8. Would you support a plan for Seawall redevelopment that includes paid parking on Seawall Boulevard?
Yes. The City has several plans, developed by numerous “blue-ribbon” committees over the years. We don’t need another committee: I support Council and Manager developing a plan that incorporates some of the best choices: My personal vision is that we park all cars on the north side so we can enhance the view of the Gulf and expand the space on the seawall available for recreation. I support surface lots, a few appropriately placed two-story parking lots and retail-accommodating angled parking on the north side – all paid. I support free or reduced-fee parking for locals.
9. What’s your position on redeveloping property managed by the Galveston Housing Authority?
Galveston City Council needs to forcefully address Island poverty, rather than turns its back on the poor and expect GHA to house them all with federal dollars. I believe there is a need and a place for excellent public housing in Galveston, but it must: be single family or duplex style living; be part of a program that provides more than a house, it must give tools to GHA clients to create a five year plan to self sufficiency; and it must be limited in number so that Galveston residents only are served.
10. Do you favor a change in the structure of city government? If so, specify.
Before we consider a change from the Council/Manager form of government, as Mayor I will ensure Council grades the City Manager twice a year in open session in a positive, objective, results-driven performance review. Until we have a measurement of the things that matter most (tons of litter removed; number of derelict properties razed or abated; miles of streets and curbs upgraded; number of jobs created; number of population) we can’t yet say the City Manager/Council form is obsolete.
11. Do you favor implementation of the proposed local wetlands ordinance?
I support a reasonable wetlands ordinance, providing that all presently permitted projects are grandfathered, and further providing that for new projects the maximum setback be 50 feet. In those instances where a variance might be appropriate, it’s settled that the Zoning Board of Adjustments is empowered to consider and, if appropriate under Texas law, to grant a variance. Any such variance should be the exception, not the rule.
12. If the Texas Legislature approves casino gambling in Texas, do you believe Galveston should seek casinos?
Yes. In the event the Texas Legislature votes to allow a constitutional referendum on whether to legalize casino gaming – and if Texas voters approve it (which I believe will happen) – I will support (as I did during my years as Councilmember for District Three) a municipal “local option” vote so Galveston voters can have the final say. Once approved, then I will work hard to make our town Texas’ best destination for gaming and locate the attractions appropriately so that residents enjoy the economic benefit and the least detriment.
13. What would you do personally to ensure that the University of Texas follows through on plans to fully redevelop UTMB?
I filed and prosecuted an open meetings act lawsuit Kay Sandor, et al vs. The University of Texas System in which I obtained a settlement with the UT System that guaranteed priority rehiring for those who were RIF’ed after Ike. The settlement terms are posted on UTMB’s website. I know how to use the law to guarantee UTMB and the UT System honor their promises to Galveston. I will maintain my strong relationships with legislators and UT System leaders to ensure Galveston and UTMB’s position here is respected and protected.
14. Are you affiliated with any group or business that might create conflicts of interest in some council votes? If so, specify.
No. None whatsoever. I am independent in my employment, and I am not aligned with nor controlled by any special interest that would create a conflict during Council votes.
15. Do you believe that Galveston’s regulation of new development on the island is too rigid, not strict enough or about right? Explain.
Too rigid. Unfortunately, the routine experience is that developers spend large sums of money in due diligence, only to face a City Council practicing politics rather than sound urban planning. City Hall must publish clear and exacting standards and then enforce them. What we don’t need is to lure developers, give them guidelines and then suddenly change the rules when they face Council. Quality developers will gladly meet exacting standards as long as they fairly expect them.
16. What would you do to promote business growth and development in Galveston?
I will personally recruit business and quality development to Galveston by using my considerable network of relationships in Houston and throughout Texas to offer Galveston as a destination for success. I will lead a Council that will finally address Galveston’s ragged appearance; when we look better we will better recruit business and development. I speak Spanish fluently, and I’ll use those skills to build lasting relationships with, among others, Mexican and Cuban business interests
17. Do you support development of commuter rail between Houston and Galveston? If so, specify your plan to pay for it.
I strongly support it. Commuter rail serving Houston and Galveston will be the Island’s “economic seawall” for the next 100 years and beyond. Galveston will pay for its share the same way the rest of the region pays for theirs – by joining a regional mobility authority (Gulf Coast Rail District) that draws funding from national transportation dollars appropriated by Congress, from state transportation funding and from user fees.
18. In recent decades, Galveston has helped finance much of its development through the use of MUD district and tax increment reinvestment zones. Do you favor continuing the use of those incentives? Explain.
I voted for various TIRZs while on Council in 2000-2006, and I still favor using TIRZs and other municipal financing tools sparingly. I served as a TIRZ attorney for Houston’s Old Sixth Ward TIRZ, and I understand how these programs work. I feel there is more than enough blight in Galveston to merit continuing increment reinvestment financing when appropriate opportunities arise.
19. What more should city council do to promote development of tourism on Galveston Island?
Council should aggressively improve the City’s appearance. Clean litter, pave streets and reconstruct curbs, improve lighting and signage and fix drainage. That’s a tall order, but it is the core of what City government must do for private business within its city limits to succeed. Council should make the beach and the Seawall beautiful and clean. Council should explore bringing the function of the Park Board within the City, while ensuring that present HOT revenue is secured. Much of what the Park Board does is fine; we just don’t need two administrations. It’s all one government; don’t duplicate expenses.
20. Do you live in the district you seek to represent? Have you ever been convicted on a felony? Do you own property in Galveston, and are your property tax payments up to date?
I live in Galveston at 1028 Winnie in a home my wife and I own and have restored – twice! Our children attend school here. We have a mortgage, we pay flood, windstorm and homeowners insurance and we are and have always been current in our annual property tax payments. I also own a law practice in downtown Galveston for which I pay business property taxes. I have never been arrested for nor convicted of any crime, misdemeanor, felony or otherwise. Clean record.
