Where I Stand

The absolute single most important aspect of my life is family. The one critical external factor most influencing my family is the community in which we live. I can not imagine that I am alone in that thought. That is why I have decided to run for The Woodlands Township Board of Directors on May 8.

As we move forward in this great community we call home, there are many issues which deserve attention. Not only because they affect our families or jobs, but because they are critical to the success of our community. These issues directly affect some, severely affect others and are important to most.

As we draw close to Election Day it is very important that you understand where each candidate stands on any particular issue that you feel personally affects you and your family. Here, I hope to take just a bit of your time, to let you know where I stand on some critical issues that not only affect you today, but will have a great importance on our future in The Woodlands.

Issue number one: Public Safety. There are people out there wanting to place fear in the hearts and minds of our residents. While the crimes in our area certainly have increased, the effort to prevent those crimes has increased as well. It is our responsibility, the leaders of this community (governing boards, the sheriff’s office and deputies, the constable’s office and deputies, the county judge, justices of the peace, etc) to do everything in our power to keep this community safe. Even one crime, is one crime too many. However, we must be realistic and know that as the population grows (not just the population of The Woodlands, but of the surrounding area as well.) so do the crime statistics. I pledge to you, that as a director, I will move to have proper policing at all times in all areas for this community. This is one issue that affects all of us.

Another issue at top of mind to most is the tax rate. You may already know that the new current tax rate imposed by The Township is far lower than the average assessment rates for the past five years of either of the two main residential associations. While some candidates are out there proposing to keep the tax rates down, I submit to you that your tax rate is down and it’s a great value for the services provided by The Township. Our goal is to maintain the current rate for a long as we can and to give the citizens the absolute best municipal services and protection we can. In order to keep the residential tax rate low, we much consider other sources (sales tax, user fees, hotel tax, etc.) You do have my solemn vow that whatever the tax rate is, as a board member, I will manage your tax dollars as prudently and conservatively as possible.

Some of you are concerned about the perceived rapid growth of the community. I say “perceived rapid” growth because this is a subjective term and many see the growth as too rapid. We must all remember that Mr. Mitchell’s vision was to develop The Woodlands into a magnificent community in which we could all live, work and play. His vision includes shopping areas, schools, hospitals, recreational areas, and various size homes. If we are to be a community where we can live, work and play…we must have both residential homes and commercial interest. No community can survive in a vacuum, one area devoid of the other. The residents cannot exist without the commercial aspects and the commercial aspects cannot survive without the residential. We must end this futile battle of one versus the other. What we must do, and what I assure you, I will do, is to work with all parties to ensure that our growth is calculated and measured in such a manner that we maintain the proper balance that sets the path for our future. Where would we be today with 90,000 plus residents and no hospitals? How far would your children travel to school, were it not for neighborhood schools? Whose tax base would your money support with your purchases of goods and services, if not for the local commercial interest? We must be realistic, and we must be fair. We cannot be so myopic to only see the near future without looking down the road to our children’s future as well. Mr. Mitchell’s original plan included development of all aspects of life here in The Woodlands and we owe it to ourselves to ensure that we do it right.

The issue of tax waivers is very important for some. Let me say without reservation that I am very much in favor of granting property tax waivers for seniors and the disabled. The real question is, to what extent do we grant these waivers, and where do we get the funds to cover the void of those tax dollars. This is the tricky part. While it sounds good to say we support something…it takes a plan in place to actually make that a reality. As a director it will be my job to institute that plan, make sure it works for the “waivees” while not imposing undue tax stress on others. It may require some trimming of budget areas, increase outside sources of funds or a combination of these and possibly several other factors. We can, and will find a way to make it work.

As I said in my opening sentence, the number one factor in my life is family and I believe that is the case with all residents of The Woodlands. That brings me to my final issue to discuss here; that of our recreational amenities and the over all quality of life. I do realize that these are not necessarily the same for all, but our recreational amenities here in The Woodlands certainly play a major role in the overall quality of life we’ve come to enjoy and expect. As the current president of The Woodlands Recreation Center Board, I realize amenities can be costly, but they can also play a very vital role in the growth of a community. Simply, our recreational facilities and amenities enhance our community and therefore support the quality of life for which we strive. Again, it is very easy to voice an opinion in support of something, but can be very different and difficult to actually find the will and dollars of support. The task for board members is to take a stand in being conservative and frugal with your tax dollars and at the same time provide for the quality of life you have come to expect. While I do not mean to belabor the point, balance is the key to our success.

There are many other issues that are as important as these few, but we simply do not have enough room here to go into detail on them. We must consider our future indebtedness, our need for water management, the importance of adequate fire protection, mobility, zoning restrictions, our ability to continue to work with other governmental agencies, future legislation that affects The Woodlands, possible incorporation, managing a relationship with Houston and other cities and municipalities, control of Township personnel issues and overall budget and fiscal management issues to carry us into the future.

I encourage you to attend the various candidate forums to learn more about each candidate and I hope that you will learn more about me and my views. Please contact me anytime to discuss your concerns in depth.

The future of The Woodlands is in your hands on May 8 (beginning April 26 if you vote early). This election is very important and I ask that you to consider my candidacy for Position 2 on the ballot.

God has blessed many of us in many ways, but as it relates to our community, none are more blessed than those of us who call The Woodlands home.