Max for Mayor

Real Estate Council of Austin Questionnaire

The Real Estate Council of Austin, Inc.
Candidate Position Questionnaire

Please answer the following questionnaire and return it to The Real Estate Council of Austin, Inc. no later than 10:00 am on Friday, March 21, 1997.

1. What are the two most important goals you want to accomplish if you are elected?

To maintain the character that has made Austin the place and state of mind so loved by the people choosing to live here. To provide for all of the people of Austin in ways that will promote their well being.

2. What are your solutions for making the city more affordable? Will you work with other local taxing authorities to hold down the combined effect on taxpayers who are footing the bill?

Throwing more tax dollars at problems doesn't work. Appropriate funding aimed at long term solutions that correct and prevent escalating tax down the road. Let's get out in front of common problems with coordinated planning. My mother taught me at a very young age that an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. No tax abatements for businesses to locate here. Stop hiring unnecessary consultants. Adopt campaign finance reform.

3. What is your solution to making the electric utility competitive in a deregulated market? Do you support lower rates for the large industrial customers in exchange for their agreement to remain as customers?

Giving away dollars now to buy loyalty from large buyers who decide on price anyway doesn't make sense. Let's determine exactly how much it costs to provide our product before we make agreements to sell it - this is elementary economics. Large customers are nice to have, however the utility is for the benefit of all the citizens/users of Austin and I intend to be their representative in this matter. I do not support a quasi-independent board of [political] appointees to run the utility.

4. How will you make the development process more rational and less unpredictable?

(Much like war) great conflict and struggle between opposing forces destroys the stability needed to coordinate amounts of [the inevitable] growth that occur in the life of a city. I have shown, over my years as councilmember, that I can build consensus and that I can work with large and diverse groups of people. Controlled and guided growth is the answer from here on. I will work with the recommendations of the Citizen's Planning Committee.

5. How do you solve traffic problems in the City of Austin?

Promote telecommuting whenever feasible, if people could work at home an hour or two before coming to work the traffic congestion will be greatly reduced. Promote car pooling - three people in a car in front of you instead of one person in each of three cars enhances the possibility that you get to make it through the stop light faster! I'd like to see a city sponsored carpool web page with email and a hot line - and how about carpooling in the schools? Supporting cycling and strong bicycle lanes and other alternatives to automobiles. Yes I am for light rail! Increase downtown housing.

6. Will you vote to build SH-130, the alternative route to IH-35?

Yes, I believe it to be a viable alternative. NAFTA is doing wonders in increasing traffic on IH-35. We do need alternatives.

7. Will you vote to make major investments in our roadway system to ease traffic congestion? Will you vote for additional funds to extend Highway 183 and build the exchange at 290/Ben White?

Strongly elected city officials could go far in obtaining needed money to complete the Ben White and 183 projects. These projects needed to be finished yesterday! Strong voter turnout will help send a message to the powers-to-be that we mean business!

8. Do you support shutting down one or more vehicular lanes of Southwest Parkway? Please elaborate.

Some favor using this as a community divisive issue - I don't. The road is built, people are using it and that's that. Let's not do it again.

9. Do you support widening Lamar Street Bridge to at least six lanes of vehicular traffic? Please elaborate.

As I see it the bridge itself is not the problem. I like the bridge and I don't particularly care to see it radically modified. That said, let's look at what I do consider to be the problem and that is the intersections on either end of the bridge. We could modify them to handle a larger and smoother traffic flow and I believe that would satisfy most people.

10. What is your solution to an East-West Thoroughfare?

Various neighborhood residents have opposed different proposed plans over the years. I see their view and yet I also see the need for something to be done. We have some of the finest minds on the face of the planet right here in Austin. We don't need to leave the city to find a solution to this, or most any of our other problems. Citizens working together can and will solve this problem.

11. If the City faces a budget shortfall (as projected because of lower electric utility revenues), what expenditures will you cut?

I am running on campaign finance reform which in part means that I will be free of encumbrances that shadow elected officials that accept large money contributions from special interests. With this in mind and what is best for the city and its citizens as my guiding light I will not be prone to spending large sums of money on consultants, etc., that drain money away from items such as emergency services, libraries, roads, etc. Remember when I first came into office the first item of business was a tightening of the budget due to the bust/slump we were in at the time. I cut my political teeth on hard times and I think I did well - look at our economy today. I cannot take all of the credit, however, just look at my record and you'll see that I deserve a large measure of it.

12. Will you vote to privatize City services in instances where savings would result?

This is an area that I will look long and hard at. I don't favor giving away city assets - it's going to be an extremely strong argument to get me to favor any privatizing.

13. Will you vote for financial incentives and public participation to strengthen our downtown tax base?

You bet! My record shows that I am a strong proponent of most anything to get people downtown. I want to promote downtown as a human/people friendly core! As Mayor I'll work to enhance our downtown area as much as I can. Remember, I initiated the proposal and adoption of tax abatement for downtown housing.

14. As a Council Member you will appoint members to the Capital Metro board. How will you hold the board of Capital Metro accountable to the taxpayers? How would you allocate Capitol Metro dollars if you could? Do you support a non-binding referendum on Capital Metro?

Capital Metro is our best hope of resolving traffic congestion. I don't care to use it for political gain. This entity is in place and just a bit misguided at the moment. I sense the plight of the board members having as much authority as they have and yet not being accountable. As Mayor I'll work as hard and as closely as I can to get Cap Metro on the right track (so to speak). Remember that I proposed fare elimination in my first term that caused ridership numbers to go off the [then] charts. I do not support a non-binding vote. If people vote - it should be binding.

15. What is your position on Capital Metro building a light rail system?

I like the idea of light rail especially to areas of desired development, i.e.: our new airport. Capitol Metro should built it as soon as possible!

16. What is your vision for the redevelopment of Robert Mueller Airport after Bergstrom opens?

We have an unprecedented opportunity here. What can be done? We could develop it into a media mecca (a.k.a. 'Hollywood' of Texas -we're already known as the "third coast."); we could see it develop into a theme park (like Six Flags, Disneyland, etc.); we could convert it into a light industry park; we could develop it into a mixed-use area with lots of housing and small business... I favor letting our creativity and imagination run freely on this for a while and then explore the possibilities. I am not in favor of it remaining an airport; we don't need a Love field. We need not be pushed into anything and I say to the State: "Move to Bergstrom!"

17. Would you support an Airport Authority to manage the new Bergstrom Airport?

I read Capitol Metro here. I feel the Council is answerable to the people and that is fine for now. I do not think an airport authority is necessary.

18. What is your vision for Austin 20 years from now? How do you plan to achieve this vision?

I'm told to expect as many people coming to Austin in the next six years as have moved here during the past six years. If this is correct we have nothing to do but to plan for the inevitable growth. Question is do we want to be another Dallas or Houston? No slam on those cities but we know that Austin is different and do we want to remain different? I feel that we need to diversify much more so than we have ever done. A diversified economy will be much more adept in handling growth and potential bust. I feel that we may be relying a bit too much on some of the industry we now have. I like what we proudly call our high-tech industry but a world-wide downswing could produce disastrous results, i.e.: people out of work, property values declining, housing sales declining, crime increasing, etc. Some new technology could 'overnight' replace what we now have come to depend on and then where will we be? So for my vision I see a strong, vibrant city able to adjust quickly to changing times, able to meet the needs of its citizens in beneficial ways. A city that can be traversed quickly and easily. A user-friendly city were necessary things (fire, police, emergency services, trash removal, street repair, permits, etc.) happen unfailingly and rapidly.

19. If you had to choose another city as a model for Austin's future, which city would you choose and why?

Why should I attempt to compare Austin to another city? Let's turn this around and let others compare themselves to us! We can be leaders in so many ways. I feel that as Mayor I can bring factions into play that has been ignored for a long time. Bringing all of the players online will promote an enhancement of the quality of life the likes of which has not ever been experienced. Portland, Oregon has great downtown features: housing, transit, trees, pedestrians. Memphis, Tennessee turned their Main Street into a pedestrian mall, developed Beale Street, etc. We can do as good and better!

20. What is the one biggest problem you see Austin facing in the next five years'? How do you curb this problem?

Unplanned growth or, possibly worst yet, myopic special interest growth projects. Not setting in place the infrastructure necessary to handle the expected growth. The pandering to special interests that render little if anything for the benefit of all the citizens of Austin. Example: the proposed appointment of a (unelected) board to oversee (read sell) our electric utility which is possibly our most valuable asset. I stand squarely against this as I stood against the South Texas Nuclear Project.

21. How do you propose to bring the development community and the environmental community together to work towards a quality Austin?

I invite anyone to review my record. Some people might like to paint me as an extreme environmentalist. I have shown that I can work with both sides. I am not for wholesale development. I believe that we can work together and have ecologically sound development that is satisfying to all parties.

22. Do you support an overall Regional Planning Board to make critical decisions for regional infrastructure and how would you bring the political entities to a consensus on these issues?

Identifying and balancing the needs of the people throughout the whole area will give us the direction needed to satisfy the desires of the many. I'm in favor of a periodic meeting of all the elected heads of surrounding communities. I support regional cooperation. Hey, we're all in this together, why not do what we can to promote unity? I do not support a regional planning board.

23. Do you think HB4 or SB 1704 need to be weakened or strengthened by the State Legislature?

Neither of these laws are beneficial to the city of Austin. they should be repealed. They are fine examples of narrow-focus special-interest legislation, benefiting the few at the expense of the many.

24. Do you favor closing the Holly Street power plant?

I voted to phase out the Holly Street power plant. However, that was prior to all the talk about deregulation. It would be prudent to review the Holly closure plan in light of the Legislature's action toward deregulation.

25. Should the City expand the Convention Center?

I am a strong proponent of the convention center, I helped it come into being. I feel that now is the time to begin planning for expansion before it becomes a limiting factor. The convention center is a moneymaker and should remain so. It is one of the cleanest money making activities we have. As Mayor whatever we can do to enhance the Convention Center and promote its further use will be explored.

26. Do you think the City should aggressively annex existing municipal utility districts?

Yes.

27. Do you favor extending water and wastewater service to Davenport Ranch MUD?

No, not until annexation.

28. Do you feel safe in Austin? Please address your concerns about public safety and how you propose to improve the Police Department?

I feel that I can walk on virtually any street in Austin and meet and greet most anyone I encounter. I also know that there are people who are afraid to leave their home at night. I feel that working together we can rectify this situation. Neighborhoods are the foundation of our city. Lets work with people to beautify and otherwise enhance their neighborhoods. More trees, more greenery. Better utilization of our resources. Keep in mind that my goal is a user-friendlier city. What do the users want? I'd like to see the various boards that advise the council to be re-energized and re-charged with purpose! We have great resources, let's use them! We need more police officers to implement community policing, and that will cost money.

29. What has happened to Austin's street maintenance program? What is your solution?

Due to budget cutbacks many city departments are stained and yes our roads are beginning to show it. As Mayor I will not have a magic wand to fix things overnight however I am not interested in spending money on frivolous pursuits such as the hiring of lawyers to work towards withholding citizens' opportunity to vote on an issue that nearly 30,000 of them signed a petition to do so. I'm speaking of the petition to place campaign finance reform on the ballot. To date the city has spent more than $40,000 doing whatever it can to thwart the wishes of its citizens. I believe that we live in a democracy that is for the people and by the people. Whatever the amount of money the city spends on such things is money it doesn't have to fix roads, plant and maintenance trees, etc.

30. What will you do to make the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan a success? One year after adoption, the BCCP needs attention to ensure it's implementation is effective and actually results in habitat conservation.

The City needs to work with our partners in BCCP to insure that there is adequate funding to carry out the goals of the regional plan.

31. Specifically, how will you support the arts? No city has ever become socially strong without being culturally rich.

I strongly support the arts in this city. I make part of my living by being a musician. I helped develop and strongly supported proclaiming Austin as being the Live Music Capital of the World. I have a vision that we freely place the tools of art into the hands of our children and encourage them to freely explore the possibilities. The business community can make this so. I support upgrading or otherwise retrofitting Palmer Auditorium into a first-rate performance venue. The time to begin this is now. I also think that the City should acquire the Cinema West [porno] Theatre on South Congress Avenue and convert it into a live performance venue for the performing arts. With the local arts losing the facilities of the University and a few short years the time to move on this is upon us!

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