Tag Archives: Houston Early Voting

2016 Democratic Primary Recommendations

As many readers are aware, Early Voting for the 2016 Texas Democratic Primary started today.  Texas Leftist has decided to wait on the formal endorsement process until the General Election. But for those interested, here are recommendations for the Primary Election…

 

President:  Hillary Clinton

 

Texas Railroad Commissioner:  Lon Burnam

 

State Representative

District 126: Joy Dawson-Thomas

District 131:  Alma Allen

District 139:  Randy Bates

District 137:  Gene Wu

District 148:  Jessica Farrar

 

State Board of Education, District 6:  Dakota Carter

 

Harris County Sheriff:  Ed Gonzalez

Harris County Tax Assessor:  Brandon Dudley

Harris County Commissioner Pct. 3:  Jenifer Rene Pool

 

14th Court of Appeals:  Jim Sharp

 

District Judge

11th:  Jim Lewis

61st:  Julie Countiss

165th:  Josefina Rendon

174th:  Hazel B. Jones

176th:  Shawna L. Reagin

177th:  Robert Johnson

178th:  Kelli Johnson

179th:  Randy Roll

215th:  Joshua A. Verde

333rd:  Daryl Moore

351st:  Greg Glass

 

Justice of the Peace 

Pct. 1, Place 1:  Eric William Carter

Pct. 3, Place 1:  Joe Stephens

Pct. 7, Place 7:  Cheryl Elliot Thornton

 

Good luck with your choices, and make sure to VOTE!!!

 

Texan for Hillary

 

 

 

Texas Leftist 2015 Endorsements

Here’s the Full List of Endorsements for the 2015 Houston Municipal Elections.  The Hyperlinks take you to the full-length endorsement page.  For more information on the candidates, check out the Questionnaire Responses, and be sure to also visit Off the Kuff’s 2015 Elections Page.

 

Houston Mayor
Sylvester Turner

Houston City Controller
Chris Brown

Houston City Council
At-Large Races
Position 1: Tom McCasland
Position 2: David Robinson
Position 3: Doug Peterson
Position 4 Amanda Edwards
Position 5: Philippe Nassif

District Races
District A: Brenda Stardig
District B: Jerry Davis
District C: Ellen Cohen
District D: unopposed (Dwight Boykins)
District E: unopposed (Dave Martin)
District F: Richard Nguyen
District G: Greg Travis
District H: Roland Chavez
District I: Robert Gallegos
Distrcit J: Mike Laster
District K: unopposed (Larry Green)

City of Houston Proposition 1:  Y-E-S!!!!
City of Houston Proposition 2:  No endorsement

 

And just to say one more time…

Like Dallas, Austin, Ft. Worth, New Orleans, hundreds of other cities and 17 states across the county, all Houstonians deserve to live in a city that does not condone discrimination.  Please vote yes to uphold the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance.  Don’t believe the lies!!

Early Voting runs now until October 30th, and Election Day is November 4th.

HUEfest Mural

Photo credit:  Gary Paul Smith from Flickr

 

TLCQ 2015: Kenneth Perkins

In the Twentieth installment of the 2015 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire we hear from Kenneth Perkins candidate for Houston City Council, District B

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?

KP:  Kenneth (KP) Perkins

 

TL:  Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)?

KP:  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?

KP:  We need justice in our society to maintain peace, bottom line public values are very important.

 

TL:  If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it.

KP:  Safety and public work in the community. I plan to meet with the head of staff, discuss some of the current issues and collectively we will come up with some ideals to improve  issues at hand. However, I will take input from the community leaders into consideration when creating the current policies and procedures. Community Safety/ Street Condition, Weeded Area/ Abandon Building/Property. 

 

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.   

KP:  Being that we are in a catch 22, I support Rebuild Houston. However lets review the program and see what can we do to make things better for us as a whole.

 

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.

KP:  Yes however perhaps with some stipulation, allow the Mayor to visit the issue and give his or her position, prior to bringing it to the table.

 

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?  

KP:  Yes

 

TL:  What makes you the best candidate for this office?

KP:  My ability to communicate and understand the need of the community. I worked as a public servant  for nearly 30 years (In The City of Houston) therefore I clearly understand the operation of business.

 

TL:  When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?

KP:  Visiting the elderly at the community center playing dominoes and cards. I actually love it!

 

Thanks to Mr. Perkins 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 information for locations and times.

Kenneth Perkins

TLCQ 2015: Jenifer Rene Pool

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 information for locations and times.

 

Jenifer

TLCQ 2015: Bill King

In the Eighteenth installment of the 2015 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire we hear from Hon. Bill King, former Mayor of the city of Kenah, Texas and candidate for Mayor of Houston.

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?

BK:  Bill King

 

TL:  Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)?

BK:  I served two terms on the Kemah City Council and two terms as Mayor of Kemah.

TL:  As a political candidate, you clearly care about what happens in certain levels of government. In your own words, why is government important?

BK:  I believe that municipal government is constituted to provide certain basic services—like streets, sewers, police, and fire protection—and to provide them well.

 

TL:  If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it.

BK:  Addressing Houston’s financial problems is a necessary predicate to any other objectives one may have for the city. I will implement zero-based budgets and independent audits of departments, stop relying on overtime work from city employees that costs the City more than it spends on parks, convert heavy city vehicles to natural gas, and other necessary steps to bring spending under control without compromising essential city services.

 

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.

BK:  I have consistently opposed ReBuild Houston. The pay-as-you-go scheme costs taxpayers more money than traditional infrastructure bonds, and it also means that citizens have to wait years for critical projects and lose the value of having roads and culverts completed when they are needed. Also, it is very un-democratic to have city bureaucrats and engineers making the decisions on which projects get priority. Infrastructure bonds give the voters a say.

 

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.

BK:  I support a mechanism for Council Members to set agenda items without the Mayor’s approval. In a more general sense, I think that Houston needs to work on de-centralizing some authority. The super-neighborhood system, for instance, has been deteriorating in many areas of town, depriving the mayor of valuable input on the needs of specific neighborhoods.

 

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?

BK:  I am all for providing safe, dedicated infrastructure for bicycles and pedestrians. But the Complete Streets policy is not what we need right now: Complete Streets can costs as much as 3 times what a regular street costs, and Houston is full of disadvantaged, largely minority neighborhoods where streets are impassible and sidewalks are nonexistent. We can’t get economic opportunity to the areas of town that need it most if we keep spending down our budget on amenities that always seem to find their way to wealthier neighborhoods first.

 

TL:  What makes you the best candidate for this office?

BK:  Running the City of Houston is a bit like being the CEO of a $5 billion corporation. Taxpayers have not been getting their money’s worth from municipal government, and I want to use my 40 years of experience in business and public service to deliver what the voters expect from City Hall.

 

TL:  When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?

BK:  I enjoy dining out in Houston and spending time with my grandchildren.

 

Thanks to Mr. King 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 information for locations and times.

 

Bill King1

 

 

TLCQ 2015: Tom McCasland

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 information for locations and times.

 

McCasland

TLCQ 2015: Adrian Garcia

In the Sixteenth installment of the 2015 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire we hear from Hon. Adrian Garcia former Harris County Sheriff and candidate for Mayor of Houston.

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?

AG:  Adrian Garcia

 

TL:  Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)?

AG:  Houston City Council; Harris County Sheriff

 

TL:  As a political candidate, you clearly care about what happens in certain levels of government. In your own words, why is government important?

AG:  I am living proof of the promise of Houston, where if you work hard and play by the rules, you can get anywhere you are bold enough to dream. My career has taught me the importance of listening to the needs of all communities and how we can make our City government work efficiently to serve Houstonians with a great quality of life today, while building our infrastructure for tomorrow. Government is important to ensure that all Houstonians have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. This city has been very good to me, and I want to make sure it remains as the city of opportunity to the next generation of Houstonians. I am uniquely qualified and passionate to be the next great mayor of this great city.

 

TL:  If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it.

AG:  Our most significant challenge is our overall city finances. We have been operating a structurally unbalanced system for too long. The biggest driver of this issue is our unpaid pension obligations. While I strongly believe that we must keep our promises to current retirees and employees so that they know their retirement is secure, I believe we need to take a holistic look at all of the city finances, including pensions, to find an efficient Houston solution going forward. Some people approach the pensions as three silos outside of the city’s finances, but I feel that such an approach misses the opportunity to redefine how our pension obligations play a role in our overall city finances. Local control, reduction of the COLA adjustment, a realistic rate of return, review of the DROP and balancing representation on the pension boards will all be explored in a plan for reform.

My whole career has been committed to public safety, and, as an HPOPS retiree, I have personal skin in the game when it comes to any pension negotiations. I am committed to bringing all parties to the table to craft a local solution that allows for the City to keep its promises to public employees while still maintaining critical infrastructure and the hiring of the public safety personnel we need to keep Houston safe.

 

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.   

AG:  I believe the ReBuild Houston program is an important part of our city’s approach to addressing our street and drainage infrastructure issues. It is a good program that has been poorly managed. I believe there is unnecessary confusion among stakeholders and the public regarding the program. If elected, I would implement a number of reforms including, but not limited to:

● More transparency in how the money is being used

● More frequent updates on the financials of the program

● Allow for more flexibility in our CIP/needs-based evaluation process for projects

● Incorporate regional detention into the program if possible

● Public meetings and access for the project decision meetings process so staff can justify the “worst first” approach findings that the ordinance requires.

Additionally, I believe there are efficiencies to be gained and savings to be had in a comprehensive review of the Public Works & Engineering (PWE) department. Savings could then be reprogrammed into more projects that are sorely needed across the city.

 

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.

AG:  I am someone who strongly believes in a participatory system. The City of Houston and its departments provide needed services for our residents, and the residents should therefore have a voice. If there is a more effective and efficient way to make this happen than the current structure than I will be happy to consider it. I am open to hearing and working on suggestions for how we can make processes work better, so that the voices of our all residents can be heard in City Council.

 

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?

AG:  I am strong supporter of “Complete Streets” policy. As we make continued investments in multi-modal transportation, we must also effectively market and promote the use of those investments we have already made. I am confident that once an individual uses a safe and convenient alternative means of transportation, they will use it again. For those that already use alternative forms of transportation, we must ensure that we are able to keep them safe by building an infrastructure that embraces vision zero and by educating the public about operating along “complete streets,” parks and trails.

 

TL:  What makes you the best candidate for this office?

AG:  As the only native-born American in my family, and as a lifelong Houstonian, I am asking for the privilege of becoming the mayor of my great hometown. This city has been very good to me, and I want to make sure it remains as the city of opportunity to the next generation of Houstonians. I believe I am uniquely qualified to lead the City of Houston because I’m the only candidate in this race with executive experience. I lead, managed, and reformed a major organization, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, into savings of over $200 million dollars while keeping the streets of America’s 3rd -largest county safe. Throughout my entire tenure at the HCSO, I promoted diversity in hiring and a professional environment of mutual respect and trust, so that the Sheriff’s Department could best protect all residents in the most diverse and culturally rich county in America.

My nearly 35 years in public service, starting as a patrol officer with the Houston Police Department, taught me a great deal about our government. From the front seat of a patrol car, you get a first-hand look at where our City is serving its residents and where it is failing to provide the services it should. My efforts to decrease gang involvement, a major national issue at that time, prompted Mayor Bob Lanier to appoint me to the Mayor’s Anti-Gang Office in 1994, and within 5 years I was promoted to be the director of the program. Our efforts were tremendously successful in decreasing the gang violence plaguing Houston neighborhoods through employing creative community policing initiatives, which were centered on building trusting relationships between the patrolling officers and the community.

I then took the skills that I learned as a police officer and directed them towards addressing the broader needs of our community by being elected to a seat on the Houston City Council, where I served three terms. Serving on the Council as Bill White’s Mayor Pro tem, I helped develop and pass initiatives expanding senior homestead exemptions and making homeownership more affordable because experience had taught me that neighborhoods are stronger when people can own their own homes. I had also learned from my experience as an officer that more crime could be prevented with a greater focus on timely data collection and analysis. This led me to work on creating HPD’s Real Time Crime Center, which produced immediate results in lowering crime rates. While I was an ardent supporter of METRO lightrail expansion as a councilmember, I listened carefully to the concerns of many residents about the new rail lines. Hearing concerns about the rail construction impact on longtime area businesses, I created the city’s Construction Mitigation Program to extend low interest loans to existing micro businesses who needed a little help to get through the disruptive construction period of a major infrastructure project. Throughout my tenure on City Council, I worked tirelessly and collaboratively to tackle major issues like crime prevention while also supporting the kinds of smart infrastructure and economic development initiatives that helped make Houston even greater.

Voters then awarded me the honor of leading a Sheriff’s Office of almost 5,000 personnel and a budget of roughly $500 million, and in dire need of new leadership and reform. When I arrived on my first day, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office was $60 million over- budget, and the county jail so overcrowded that taxpayers were paying over $10 million annually to house prisoners in Louisiana. By demonstrating leadership and establishing reforms aimed at progressive community policing, I was able to keep a lid on crime while delivering four straight fiscal years under-budget. I was also able to dramatically lower our jail population and stop sending prisoners out of state by developing programs and partnerships to make sure that our mentally-ill Houstonians began receiving the treatment they needed.

I am living proof of the promise of Houston, where if you work hard and play by the rules, you can get anywhere you are bold enough to dream. My career has taught me the importance of listening to the needs of all communities and how we can make our City government work efficiently to serve Houstonians with a great quality of life today, while building our infrastructure for tomorrow.

 

TL:  When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?

AG:  I really enjoy being in the community and get immense satisfaction from volunteering. When I’m not doing that you’ll find me with my family and likely running or biking through our beautiful parks and bayous.

 

Thanks to Sheriff Garcia 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 information for locations and times.

 

Adrian Garcia