Short of a foot-race or washer-pitching match, we do our best to let voters compare candidates
Although the Chamber does take policy positions on issues of importance to the membership and the business community, we don’t endorse individual candidates. But, since having the privilege of becoming a part of the Chamber team in 2004, I’ve had a great time getting to know candidates and helping our members get to know candidates who have thrown their hat in the ring for a number of races at all levels of government by bringing our members the candidates’ views on issues. We’ve done this in a variety of ways, depending on time and resources, both of the Chamber and those with whom we partner on various efforts.
These efforts haven’t included comparing candidates’ foot-race or washer-pitching skills (to-date, hmmm), but depending on the scheduling and planning capacities of the Chamber and our partners, it has included Chamber meet-and-greet events, candidate questionnaires, and–as time and resources allow–award-winning candidate forums or debates, one of which ended up as a national broadcast on C-SPAN in 2004. We and our broadcast partners, usually local television stations or Lubbock ISD, put much behind-the-scenes time, energy and organization into these forums, and this was recognized last year by the U.S. Chamber when our efforts at producing these forums was cited as a “Best Practice” for Chambers by the organization. (In fact, few people know to this day that the Chamber had fewer than 4 hours’ notice back in 2004 that the District 19 Congressional Debate would be nationally broadcast. But, more than 6 months of planning, preparation and fine-tuning by the many folks involved paid off, and without scarcely a blink, we went national with the flip of a switch!)
But, enough reminiscing…here are our latest efforts to bring you the views of the candidates for the contested City Council races and the Mayoral race for the City of Lubbock in the May 2010 election coming up on May 4. (Early voting starts Monday, April 26!)
CONTESTED CITY COUNCIL RACES:
District 1 – CLICK HERE to see the recent candidate forum for City Council District 1 hosted by the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce and KCBD NewsChannel 11.
District 5 – CLICK HERE to see the recent candidate forum for City Council District 5 hosted by the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce and KCBD NewsChannel 11.
Tune in Sunday, Apr 25, 6 to 8 p.m., to catch rebroadcasts of the District 5 (6 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and District 1 (7 p.m. to 8 p.m.) forums on KCBD’s “THIS” station, which can be accessed over the air at channel 11.2 or on Suddenlink Channel 127.
MAYORAL RACE:
Below are responses to questions we submitted to Mayoral Candidates Cody Smart, Richard Quade, Rogert Settler and Tom Martin.
(Listed in Ballot Order)
1. What role can the Mayor and the City Council have in rebalancing Lubbock‘s growth pattern to include development in other parts of town besides the southwest?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: For many years, the mantra was “Move Southwest”, leading to an exodus of the population in that direction, and the abandonment of the Downtown Business District. The result has been urban decay, with many vacant buildings and residences. A common-sense program of tax incentives, grants and loans should be implemented to insure that all areas of Lubbock share in the life of the community. Every city needs a vital city core. This has been neglected for too long in Lubbock, and attention is long overdue.
MARTIN: The Mayor and Council will appoint a Redistricting Committee to recommend an acceptable plan to the Council.
2. What do you see as the most pressing issue for small businesses in Lubbock, and what would you as Mayor do to help resolve this?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: Taxation and user fees, specifically water and sewer usage fees, have greatly affected small businesses. In the harsh economic climate, mere survival is the goal for some small businesses. Current businesses should be encouraged, and new business should be recruited. In no circumstance should existing businesses be removed as part of a grandiose “Master Plan”.
MARTIN: The Mayor takes the lead in keeping property taxes as low as possible.
3. Potential changes to the City Charter are now being discussed by a Citizens Committee. What changes to the City Charter would you like to see passed by voters and why?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: 1) Expansion of the City Council from six seats to eight, plus the Mayor.
Such an expansion would allow for Council Districts which are more geographically compact, with proper communities of interest, and protected diversity…..specifically, if the current system remains in place, the Black community shall, in all likelihood, lose its representation on the Council within a few years because of demographic trends. An eight member system would preserve this representation, while providing communities of interest in other Districts…..for example, the Northwest District would be more compact, and not diluted with Central Lubbock neighborhoods, and the Overton, Heart of Lubbock and O’Neill Terrace neighborhoods could be included with Tech Terrace, a more appropriate community of interest. 2. The LP&L Board, and the City Secretary, should be elective offices. 3) Regular meetings of the City Council should be mandated by Charter to occur at night, to promote citizen involvement and feedback.
MARTIN: The voters should have the opportunity to limit future transfers from Lubbock Power and Light to the general fund, so that excess earnings continue to be rebated to the customers of LP&L.
4. What specific attributes or skills do you believe differentiate you from your opponents in this race, and why are they important?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: I have 40 years of experience in the political and business arenas of the community. Having attended countless City meetings and functions, I have a wide range and depth of experience which would serve me well in the office of Mayor.
I believe that the Mayor should be a visionary and inspirational leader, with the ability to create a vital partnership between the private and public sectors, while maintaining employee morale within the City structure. I have many years of experience in Federal and Tribal Courts as an American Indian Traditional Attorney. Over the decades, I have founded and helped establish many organizations, including a number of neighborhood associations. This richness of experience which I possess would make a difference in my ability to serve as Mayor.
MARTIN: My forty years in municipal government, six of which are on the City Council, give me the greatest experience in this race.
5. There are many road and street projects now under construction in Lubbock. What specific transportation or streets project do you believe should be the next top priority if and when funds become available, and why?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: Streets: 1. Top priority: paving the unpaved streets in North, Central and East Lubbock, something which should have been done long ago. 2. 34th Street, from the Interstate to Slide Road, should also be a top priority. Other projects, like the proposed Outer Loop and streets which serve new developments, should be postponed until the City revenue situation improves…..everything cannot be done at once. Transportation: 1. Preliminary plans for light high-speed rail should be put in place for the distant future, as Federal funds might become available. 2. The current bus system needs to be scrupulously reviewed, and large, empty buses should be phased out, and replaced with smaller, more efficient vehicles. Ridership surveys, which should be easy to conduct, would reveal which routes should be affected.3. Green initiatives should be established whenever possible, not only in the transportation area but in all phases of City Government.
MARTIN: Continuing the rebuilding of our older thoroughfares and continuing to extend our major streets in developing areas would give us the best street system in Texas.
6. Besides our challenges with water that are now being addressed by city leaders, please name one specific issue or factor that today is keeping Lubbock from realizing its full potential and what could the City Council do to help resolve it?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: Cronyism and Corruption in the day-to-day conduct of City affairs, with a lack of accountability and transparency, has held the City back in many ways. Too often, projects are presented to the public as a “done deal” without any realistic public input. This must stop if Lubbock is to ever achieve its full potential. Everyone should have a equal chance, without favoritism or prejudgment. A great City is always defined by the richness of its diversity and free expression. Government should reflect this diversity and creativeness.
MARTIN: We must continue to develop the Ports-To-Plains highway and rail system to allow Lubbock to grow as a regional distribution center. Lubbock has led this effort for 12 years and this must continue.
7. Back in 2003, LP&L was near financial collapse. Since then, the municipal utility is thriving. What specific measures should be put in place to ensure the continued financial health of LP&L?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: 1. A Charter provision should be put in place which would disallow the “raiding” or transfer of LP&L surpluses to the General Fund. This would guarantee financial stability for LP&L. 2. The LP&L Board should be elected rather than appointed….this would promote accountability and transparency in a City-owned company. 3. The proposed buyout of XCel Energy should be voided, and a healthy competition maintained for electric services. Government-owned monopolies are not the answer…..the current competition serves the public well, and should not be undermined for the narrow purpose of promoting a specific kind of “Downtown Renovation”. The needs of the people must always be paramount over the needs and wants of special interest groups, particularly developers.
MARTIN: See question number 3.
8. Please discuss your knowledge of the various roles that Visit Lubbock, the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance and the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce play in Lubbock’s economic well-being.
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: These institutions play a significant role in promoting Lubbock as an entity, and creating jobs in the private sector. A vibrant private-public sector partnership is crucial in the life of the City.
MARTIN: All three organizations work in harmony to expand business opportunities for existing businesses, and attract new businesses to Lubbock.
9. Up until 1995, the Lubbock community came together at least once each decade for almost 50 years to strategically plan the city’s development. However, Lubbock hasn’t conducted this effort since 1995. Do you believe Lubbock should once again undertake this effort, and why or why not?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: This coming together was an integral factor in the consensus building which took place politically in those times. The polarization and fragmentation we experience today in City politics could be significantly impacted by such meetings, which would strengthen the political process and allow citizen involvement. These efforts should be re-established at the earliest possible time.
MARTIN: Since 1995, the city does a much better job of planning in all areas of the city’s growth. Each area of the city government continues to keep it’s portion of the strategic plan updated.
10. What is your opinion of the efforts to redevelop downtown Lubbock and what are your personal preferences for changes to downtown?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: The proposed “Downtown Renovation” plans led by a “Master Redeveloper”, the McDougal Companies, is financially infeasible in the current economic climate.
Taxpayer monies, some in the form of water fees, should not be used for such purposes. As Mayor, I would lead an effort to replace the “Master Developer” with City staff members, who would be directed to formulate an effective partnership between the private and public sector, and approach “Downtown Renovation” on a piecemeal basis, as funds were available. Existing businesses should not be removed, as some proposals formulated by consultants have advocated, and only the worst buildings should be removed. Hard economic times mandate a conservative, pragmatic approach rather than grandiose visions which might prove exorbitantly expensive. Since the Downtown area is composed of many public and non-profit facilities, the opportunity for meaningful renovation is limited. “Basics, not Boondoggles” should be our guiding principle.
MARTIN: The efforts have just begun within the past year. The elimination of duplicate electric lines will make these efforts more cost effective. As the economy recovers, private capital will start coming into the downtown area.
