April 29, 2009
HP HOA “Meet the Candidates”

Ahead of time Questions, please limit responses to 2 minutes:

1. Maintaining streets in HP, would you support issuing city bonds to fund a major city wide project of resurfacing, repairs, continue to prioritize needs piecemeal, annually within normal budgeted funds, or push for a significant tax increase for the budget to speed up the process?

I recognize that some citizens believe that their street needs to be rebuilt and that the costs for this are beyond the available money allowed in the current budget. A Street bond would be one way to secure a larger sum of money to fix a larger amount than the current budget process would allow. I am in favor of the democratic process that allows citizens to vote to tax themselves to pay for these major repairs.

2. How do you plan to encourage citizen interest/participation in the city?

I think that the first step is “To Ask”. We all have busy schedules and family time is important. The spirit of volunteerism is being offered here with HP HOA. These are dedicated neighbors who want HP to be the best place to live. Your participation of being here is important too, in face of all the other demands on your schedule; you chose to be here tonight to listen to us, the candidates.

3. If an agreement both financially and operational for the city and residents could be reached with SAWS/BexarMet to install a sewer system, with hook-ups by individuals  being optional, would you support this change, or continue with septic only?

Yes

4. The last city tax rate was .49, the highest in recent history for HP, to meet an unexpected contingency, the rates for the two years before, 08-09 and 07-08 were both .38 and .38.  Do you feel the approximate tax rate, as a philosophical belief and goal for the next fiscal year, Oct 2010 -11 would be to roll back to near the previous rate levels of .38, maintained at the current .49 level,  or increase beyond .49 to meet unexpected contingencies or build up the reserve?  

I have no philosophical belief or goal connected to rates. The rate fluctuates on valuation and requires the starting point of the rate to be what is necessary to raise the same amount of taxes as the year before. We could have maintained the same rate as the year before by divesting the city of the service of waste collection. Then each home could have paid for their garbage collection like most other cities. Estimated cost of waste collection was $35 month or $420 year. The tax increase was $107 per $100,000. The average home in Hollywood Park was $241,000. If your home was valued at $392,525, your tax increase equaled the estimated cost of $420 for garbage collection. The winners on the tax increase were those citizens whose homes tax value was less than $392,525, conversely for the losers. If we factor a federal income tax savings rate of 25% the value jumps to $490,654.

Topics for questions at the Meeting, responses will be limited to 2 minutes:

1.Deer Management - possibly including feeding/watering, slaughter houses, and trapping :

I believe in game management. I want to employ scientific management techniques. I recognize that there are those on both sides that say I am either a deer hater or a deer lover. I want to minimize conflict and maximize the beauty of the park. The deer are an asset we must protect for our home investment.

2.Cut Thru traffic :

This is a difficult issue. The truth is that any cut thru traffic is too much. We have limited options and all have carrying costs to residents and/or budget.

3.Goals/Ideas for HP

Sound monetary/budget policies, a safe environment for our children and to make HP a great place to live.

4.  "2 AM to 5 AM No Parking"  on the street

 
I have heard complaints from citizens on this topic and I am not in favor of having our police looking for parking violators during those hours.