In the Nineteenth installment of the 2015 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire we hear from Jenifer Rene Pool, candidate for Houston City Council, At-Large Position 1.
Please note: Responses are directly from the candidate, and have been posted ver batim from the email received. This is done out of fairness to all candidates. Publishing these responses does not constitute an endorsement, but may be considered during the endorsement process.
TL: What is your name, as it will appear on the ballot?
JP: Jenifer Rene Pool
TL: Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)?
JP: No.
TL: As a political candidate, you clearly care about what happens in certain levels of government. In your own words, why is government important?
JP: Government is the people’s way of acting collectively for the betterment of the community and its citizens.
TL: If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it.
JP: 1. Improve the services at the Permitting Center by instituting solid business principles to make the process more efficient.
2. Make sure our TIRZ agreements are following their mandates and spending money for the good of all citizens.
TL: After decades of deferred maintenance and neglect, Houston’s infrastructure is in a critical state of disrepair. Ask any driver, cyclist or pedestrian, and they can readily tell you that city streets and sidewalks are crumbling… some to the extent that they pose significant danger to those that would traverse them. The Parker Administration has attempted to address the problem by the voter-approved ReBuild Houston program. Knowing that the next Mayor has no choice but to invest in city infrastructure, do you support the continuation of ReBuild Houston? If yes, please explain why. If no, please explain how you would address our copious infrastructure needs differently.
JP: Yes. I believe that the principle of “pay as you go” represented by ReBuild Houston is the best way our city can invest in infrastructure and not continue borrowing on the future to pay for today.
TL: At present, the city of Houston has one of the strongest forms of “Strong-Mayor governance” in the state of Texas, to the point that the Mayor alone decides what business comes before City Council. If elected, would you support an amendment to the City Charter that would allow any coalition of 6 Council Members to place items on the Council Agenda without prior approval from the Mayor? Whether yes or no, please explain your answer.
JP: Yes. A Strong-Mayoral government may have been the best in years past when Houston was a much smaller city. However we are a different city today, and Council Members represent a quarter million people. Their contributions should be heard.
TL: If elected, would you support and seek to continue the current administration’s Complete Streets policy, which establishes that any new or significant re-build of city streets will work to prioritize and incorporate safe access for all road users, including pedestrians, persons with disabilities and cyclists?
JP: Yes, I am in full support of the administrations’ Complete Streets policy.
TL: What makes you the best candidate for this office?
JP: I am a successful businesswoman with years of experience serving the people of Houston as a liason between citizens and the city government. I was appointed by Mayor Bill White to the Buildings and Standards Commission in 2009, and to the Police Advisory Commission by Mayor Annise Parker in 2010. With expertise in political activism, infrastructure repair and and construction management, I have an intimate knowledge of what needs to be done to improve city services and how to accomplish the best outcomes for all Houstonians.
TL: When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?
JP: I work with women recovering from physical and drug abuse to empower them to succeed and build a better future.
Thanks to Ms. Pool for the responses.
Election Day 2015 is Tuesday November 3rd, and Early Voting runs from October 19th through October 30th. Check out this year’s Harris County Early Voting informationfor locations and times.
In the Seventeenth installment of the 2015 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire we hear from Tom McCasland, candidate for Houston City Council, At-Large Position 1.
Please note: Responses are directly from the candidate, and have been posted ver batim from the email received. This is done out of fairness to all candidates. Publishing these responses does not constitute an endorsement, but may be considered during the endorsement process.
TL: What is your name, as it will appear on the ballot?
TM: Tom McCasland
TL: Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)?
TM: No.
TL: As a political candidate, you clearly care about what happens in certain levels of government. In your own words, why is government important?
TM: Government, at its best, can accomplish those goals and activities which we have set for our society and which the free market either cannot accomplish or as a society we have chosen not to entrust to the free market. Properly construed, I believe the work of government is too important to be done badly. Thus, I believe the best defense of the continued role of government at any level will be government that is thoroughly competent, fiscally responsible and effective.
At the municipal level, city government should ensure the effective delivery of core services such as ensuring safe neighborhoods (including both safety from crime and safety from traffic collisions due to poorly designed or managed streets), delivering water and waste water services, maintaining streets and proper drainage, and picking up the trash. These core services reflect what our residents should expect from a minimally competent city government.
However, there are many other quality of life indicators that make our shared, compact existence as a city far more enjoyable, healthy and economical that residents should expect the City to deliver or assist in delivering. These include a robust arts community, revitalized parks, recreational venues, economic opportunity through job training for middle skills jobs, a welcoming environment for small businesses (e.g. reforming the Permitting Office), creating a beautiful and interesting streetscape for all street users, and supporting (while not replacing) the local public school system as it attempts to deliver a quality public education to every child in Houston.
I will work to make Houston a city that does not simply deliver the minimal services (although that must be the first task), but instead is striving also to be a great place to live, play and raise a family in addition to being a great place to work.
TL: If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it.
TM: While I have important goals relating to quality of life concerns and economic opportunity to address income disparity, the top priority for the next mayor and city council must be resolving the serious financial challenges faced by the city. Every other goal discussed above and below requires a strong financial footing for the city. Thus, resolving the pension issues, ensuring a secure source of funding to rebuild our streets, drainage & sewer lines, and rebuilding the trust between the taxpayers and the city government that is (hopefully wisely) spending the taxpayers’ money will be my first priority.
TL: After decades of deferred maintenance and neglect, Houston’s infrastructure is in a critical state of disrepair. Ask any driver, cyclist or pedestrian, and they can readily tell you that city streets and sidewalks are crumbling… some to the extent that they pose significant danger to those that would traverse them. The Parker Administration has attempted to address the problem by the voter-approved ReBuild Houston program. Knowing that the next Mayor has no choice but to invest in city infrastructure, do you support the continuation of ReBuild Houston? If yes, please explain why. If no, please explain how you would address our copious infrastructure needs differently.
TM: I support ReBuild. While ReBuild is back to the trial court and I cannot predict what the outcome will be, Houston’s streets and stormwater sewer system need immediate and extensive work. I support the pay-as-you-go model of ReBuild, but I believe that the City needs both more transparency and better communication about its “worst first” approach to streets. Regardless of whether the source of funds is ReBuild or some other mechanism, City taxpayers must be prepared to pay for streets, and City officials must be prepared to answer publicly and transparently for the way they administers those funds.
TL: At present, the city of Houston has one of the strongest forms of “strong-Mayor governance” in the state of Texas, to the point that the Mayor alone decides what business comes before City Council. If elected, would you support an amendment to the City Charter that would allow any coalition of 6 Council Members to place items on the Council Agenda without prior approval from the Mayor? Whether yes or no, please explain your answer.
TM: I have not yet decided whether allowing a certain number of council members to place items on the council agenda would be beneficial in the long run for the City.
TL: If elected, would you support and seek to continue the current administration’s Complete Streets policy, which establishes that any new or significant re-build of city streets will work to prioritize and incorporate safe access for all road users, including pedestrians, persons with disabilities and cyclists?
TM: As a regular pedestrian, cyclists and transit rider, I will support and aggressively push to ensure that every street is designed to be safely used by every likely user of that street. Specifically, I will work to ensure that every street funded through Rebuild Houston is built in a way that accommodates all users of that street, that we swiftly implement the Houston Bike Plan currently being developed, and that we fund a pilot Neighborhood Greenway program, with a rollout for at least one major Neighborhood Greenway in every District in the City. I will also support Complete Streets by working to build connected off-street infrastructure, including swiftly completing ParksByYou and beginning to build important North/South connectors along the Centerpoint easements.
Finally, I believe that complete street design provides Houston with great options for creating landscape that both slows and cleans stormwater runoff rather than pushing it downstream as quickly as possible, negatively impacting downstream neighborhoods. With a complete streets design, bioswales, planters, and street trees that can be planted in traffic calming curb extensions or as an additional barrier along a sidewalk can provide reduced flooding, cleaner water and safer mobility.
TL: What makes you the best candidate for this office?
TM: I work hard. I make sure I understand the issues. I seek input from all sides. I practice transparency in government. I try to make the best decision I can based on the information I have. And if I’m wrong, I work quickly to mitigate any damage done by my wrongheaded decision. This is how I’ve run the housing authority, it is how I attempt to live my life generally, and it is also how I will serve as your City Councilmember.
While I believe the qualifications above are the most important qualifications for the office sought, the qualifications from my resume include nearly four years working for Vinson & Elkins representing corporations and local governmental entities, one year running Bill White’s research department for his gubernatorial campaign, one year working to fund the trails and parks being built along the bayous, and 3.5 years reforming and running a local governmental entity called the Harris County Housing Authority. This experience provides significant background for addressing the legal, financial and political issues facing the City.
TL: When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?
TM: I deeply believe in the importance of recharging through soulful activity and practices. My preferred methods to recharge include gardening, dancing (mostly blues, fusion or lindy hop), cooking, and wilderness hiking, canoeing or backpacking. I am also a cyclist and runner, although most of my cycling is done primarily for transportation.
Thanks to Mr. McCasland for the responses.
Election Day 2015 is Tuesday November 3rd, and Early Voting runs from October 19th through October 30th. Check out this year’s Harris County Early Voting informationfor locations and times.
In the Seventh installment of the 2015 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire we hear from Hon. Chris Oliver, current Houston Community College Trustee and candidate for Houston City Council, At-Large Position 1.
Please note: Responses are directly from the candidate, and have been posted ver batim from the email received. This is done out of fairness to all candidates. Publishing these responses does not constitute an endorsement, but may be considered during the endorsement process.
TL:What is your name, as it will appear on the ballot?
CO: Chris Oliver
TL: Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)?
CO: For the past twenty years I have served as Houston Community College Trustee for District IX.
TL: As a political candidate, you clearly care about what happens in certain levels of government. In your own words, why is government important?
CO: I believe that government is vital because it was established to serve the people. I believe that efficient government, at its core – along with the non-profit and private sectors – can help empower our communities not just for today, but for tomorrow as well.
TL: If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it.
CO: Once elected, my top priority will be to empower local communities across the City of Houston. I will look to accomplish this by focusing on developing Houston’s approach to workforce development that helps give citizens the skills needed to acquire the jobs of today and tomorrow.
TL:After decades of deferred maintenance and neglect, Houston’s infrastructure is in a critical state of disrepair. Ask any driver, cyclist or pedestrian, and they can readily tell you that city streets and sidewalks are crumbling… some to the extent that they pose significant danger to those that would traverse them. The Parker Administration has attempted to address the problem by the voter-approved ReBuild Houstonprogram. Knowing that the next Mayor has no choice but to invest in city infrastructure, do you support the continuation of ReBuild Houston? If yes, please explain why. If no, please explain how you would address our copious infrastructure needs differently.
CO: I support the purpose and application of ReBuild Houston in that it seeks to address our crumbling infrastructure issues through a “pay as you go” funding model. With the fiscal issues we currently face, I am not interested in the city accruing any more debt that it will be unable to pay down. While we don’t know what will ultimately happen with ReBuild Houston as it’s tied up in the courts, I think it is vital that the city does a better job of being transparent and educating the citizens of Houston on where their tax dollars are going.
TL: At present the city of Houston has one of the strongest forms of “strong-Mayor governance” in the state of Texas, to the point that the Mayor alone decides what business comes before City Council. If elected, would you support an amendment to the City Charter that would allow any coalition of 6 Council Members to place items on the Council Agenda without prior approval from the Mayor? Whether yes or no, please explain your answer.
CO: I would support such an amendment because I think it is vital that the City of Houston considers the views of everyone in setting its course. That is, I think that our Democracy is built on the principle of power coming from the many, not from just one point of view or perspective. I believe that such an amendment will help ensure that the voices and concerns from citizens across the City of Houston are heard before the agenda is set.
TL: If elected, would you support and seek to continue the current administration’s Complete Streetspolicy, which establishes that any new or significant re-build of city streets will work to prioritize and incorporate safe access for all road users, including pedestrians, persons with disabilities and cyclists?
CO: I support keeping our city’s streets accessible and open for all road users, pedestrians, persons with disabilities, and cyclists. With that said, I think our City Streets program should focus on completing projects in full vs. making incremental improvements as its currently structured.
TL: What makes you the best candidate for this office?
CO: I believe that I am the best candidate for this office because I am the only person in the race who currently holds public office and has the crucial experience representing citizens in the City of Houston. I believe that this experience has best prepared me to hit the ground running for the citizens of Houston on day one as Houston City Council Member, At-Large Position 1.
TL: When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?
CO: When not on the campaign trail (or operating my own small business) I like to spend as much time as I can with my wife Valerie and our four-year-old son, Geovanny.
Thanks to Mr. Oliver for the responses.
Election Day 2015 is Tuesday November 3rd, and Early Voting runs from October 19th through October 30th. Check out this year’s Harris County Early Voting informationfor locations and times.
In the Fifth installment of the 2015 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire, we hear from Lane Lewis, chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party and candidate for Houston City Council, At-Large Position 1.
Please note: Responses are directly from the candidate, and have been posted ver batim from the email received. This is done out of fairness to all candidates. Publishing these responses does not constitute an endorsement, but may be considered during the endorsement process.
TL: What is your name, as it will appear on the ballot?
LL: Lane Lewis
TL: Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)?
LL: I am currently the Harris County Democratic Party Chair; Harris County is the nation’s third largest county with nearly 2 million registered voters. I was elected unanimously in a special election in December 2011, was re-elected in May 2012 with over 55% of the vote and won re-election again in 2014.
TL: As a political candidate, you clearly care about what happens in certain levels of government. In your own words, why is government important?
LL: I began my community involvement organizing friends and neighbors 25 years ago focusing on public safety and social issues. Time and time again the issues I encountered in communities came back to city services and infrastructure. This motivated me to run for office, so I could help provide the help communities and community organizers need to better their neighborhoods. Just recently after a tragic murder in of a young man in Neartown, I helped organize a formal dialogue between HPD and neighbors. The topic of safety again led back to infrastructure, the community and law enforcement agreeing sidewalks and lighting would be key in deterring crime. It only reinforced for me that; a prosperous, safe, world-class city cannot be built on crumbling streets.
As an At-Large Council Member, I will be able to influence initiatives that affect the entire city and benefit multiple districts. Infrastructure improvements need to be streamlined for the engineers, contractors and constituents.
TL: If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it.
LL:
1. Improving infrastructure
As an At-Large Council Member, I will be able to influence initiatives that affect the entire city and benefit multiple districts. Infrastructure improvements need to be streamlined for the engineers, contractors and constituents. I am also concerned that infrastructure needs are not adequately addressed in all neighborhoods fairly. City council can work with departments and stakeholders to find better ways to identify and address infrastructure issues, a process which has begun in earnest and I will help the current efforts anyway I can.
2. Growing the tax base with quality businesses paying livable wages
Houston needs a sustainable solution to budget and pension shortfalls. Tax hikes are not a long-term solution and drive away businesses and residents to surrounding municipalities. I will work with District Council Members and business leaders to expand business opportunities that are beneficial to hard working Houstonians. The city government plays a central role in making a city attractive to development and business investment and should pay particular attention to helping minority owned business participate and grow.
3. Relieving transportation and traffic congestion
Working with METRO and public works, city council can find solutions that fit the diverse needs of Houston. Properly executed alternatives like ride sharing, bike paths, new bus routes, and light rail can open our roadways. City council needs to lead on these initiatives.
TL: After decades of deferred maintenance and neglect, Houston’s infrastructure is in a critical state of disrepair. Ask any driver, cyclist or pedestrian, and they can readily tell you that city streets and sidewalks are crumbling… some to the extent that they pose significant danger to those that would traverse them. The Parker Administration has attempted to address the problem by the voter-approved ReBuild Houstonprogram. Knowing that the next Mayor has no choice but to invest in city infrastructure, do you support the continuation of ReBuild Houston? If yes, please explain why. If no, please explain how you would address our copious infrastructure needs differently.
LL: ReBuild Houston is not perfect, but the imperfections are mostly on the political side of its inception and the program itself is a strong step in the right direction. New projects are coming online and helping with Houston’s flood issues. The immediate problem is that we are so far behind that we are vulnerable today and ReBuild’s full impact will not be felt for decades to come. Once ReBuild finishes paying off decades of debt, it will produce about $600 million a year to our infrastructure and the number of projects will increase rapidly.
ReBuild’s pay-as-you go philosophy is a much needed improvement; however, it requires a project to be fully funded before work begins. I would like to explore the possibility of starting projects simultaneously based on a predicted revenue stream prior to being fully funded, but without borrowing money.
TL: At present the city of Houston has one of the strongest forms of “strong-Mayor governance” in the state of Texas, to the point that the Mayor alone decides what business comes before City Council. If elected, would you support an amendment to the City Charter that would allow any coalition of 6 Council Members to place items on the Council Agenda without prior approval from the Mayor? Whether yes or no, please explain your answer.
LL: I would approve such an amendment to provide balance to the horseshoe. I have strong personal and working relationships with most of the Mayoral candidates and am comfortable that I will be able to work effectively with any administration. Even if the power to place business on the agenda was granted to council, the Mayor of Houston would still hold tremendous power and influence over the process of voting and implementing that business. City council would still need a good relationship with the Mayor and the main trump card to counter the Mayor would still be public opinion. I am in favor of empowering council more with the understanding that the key to a productive council will always be the ability to work with the Mayor and fellow council members.
TL: If elected, would you support and seek to continue the current administration’s Complete Streets policy, which establishes that any new or significant re-build of city streets will work to prioritize and incorporate safe access for all road users, including pedestrians, persons with disabilities and cyclists?
LL: A significant change in our transit system must include options for pedestrians and cyclists of all ability levels. Complete Streets along with rail, bike paths, ride sharing, traditional cabs and most importantly the reimagined bus system, must work in concert to make a Houston a multi-mobile city. New development should encourage walkable neighborhoods and the city should provide that foundation.
TL: What makes you the best candidate for this office?
LL: My service to the community has given me strong relationships with elected officials and decision makers that can help me get things done. I have strong ties to leaders across the city, county, and state from all walks of life and in all areas of town. As a Houston City Council Member, you cannot accomplish your goals without the help of other council members, the Mayor, and constituents. My valuable relationships will enable me to be an effective council member from day one at City Hall.
My decades of service, the relationships I have nurtured with integrity, and my experience as an elected and appointed servant have prepared me for the job of Houston City Council. Public service is about solving problems and meeting the needs of constituents. That requires being able to pick up the phone on day one and having a positive relationship already established with the person on the other end.
No one else running for Position 1 has the number of or quality of both professional and personal relationships that I have with other elected officials and decision makers in the city or the state, which will allow me to get to work on day one.
TL:When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?
LL. I have a large library collection of books, so I read a lot. For the past year or so, most of my reading has been news and policy related rather than simply a good book. I have very little free time, so often by the time I get home around 9pm, I just make myself something to eat and lay in the floor with my dogs while watching a few minutes of TV before going to sleep.
In the realm of partisan politics, Harris County Democratic Party Chairman Lane Lewis has proven himself one of the most influential and effective Democrats in the state of Texas. Under his leadership, the state’s largest county voted majority Democratic in 3 straight electoral cycles.
But this week, Houstonians have learned that Lewis will turn his attention to the non-partisan arena in 2014. Here’s the story directly from the Houston Chronicle…
Harris County Democratic Party chair Lane Lewis will run for an at-large city council position, he told Democratic activists Wednesday evening.
Lewis, who has led the county’s party operation since 2011, is running to succeed Stephen Costello in At-Large Position 1, one of two open-seat at-large races next year. Lewis will remain party chair during his campaign.
Several other candidates already have appointed campaign treasurers in advance of runs for at-large positions, though only Philippe Nassif, a local Democratic activist, has specified that he will run for Position 1.
The announcement will almost certainly cause some significant changes to dynamics in the City Council races. Like fellow bloggers Texpatriate, Dos Centavos and Off the Kuff, I too am left to wonder why so many candidates are leaning towards the At-Large 1 seat as opposed to At-Large 4. Both seats will be open for the 2015 election cycle. But with Lewis in the hunt for AL-1, there is no doubt that many Democrats will steer towards AL-4 to avoid potential conflicts.
As for Lewis himself, he benefits from a strong record of accomplishments, city-wide name ID and a massive infrastructure that would readily support his campaign. Indeed a world of difference from 2009 when he last ran for the District A seat and was beaten by current Council Member Brenda Stardig. Of course anything can happen in the next eleven months, but at this point, chances look good for Lane Lewis’ run at City Council.
