Politicians like to say that they “cut your tax rate” to give the allure that they are reducing the amount you pay in taxes. This is false! We need elected leaders who are committed to actually cutting the amount we pay in taxes, not just the tax rate. I do not, and will not, support raising taxes.

In the City of Manvel, we have seen our property taxes increase each of the past five years. According the the Houston Association of Realtors, Manvel is the least affordable city to live in within all of Brazoria County. This needs to change! 

I believe you can lower the amount people pay in taxes while properly investing in the essential services government is created to provide. Here is how:

• Cut taxes, not just the tax rate.
• Create a balanced budget and if there are excess funds, use those funds or return them to the tax-payer
• Have a pro-business approach
• For every new regulation, two regulations must be eliminated.
• Eliminate the use of non-voter approved debt.
• Any tax rate above the No New Revenue rate must be an unanimous vote of the City Council.
• Utilize grant dollars
• Conduct yearly efficiency reviews .
• Create new waivers for permits and fees.

One of the essential services of government is to ensure that the infrastructure which serves our community is well maintained and functioning properly. The quality of our infrastructure has a direct impact on the vitality of our local economy, the ability of our first responders to quickly respond to calls, and can bring down or lift up the satisfaction of our citizens regarding the city in which they live. 

In Manvel, the older parts of our city have been neglected as all of the focus has been on the growth. In order to be aa prosperous city for all citizens, government must focus on providing the proper resources to ensure that the health, safety, and well-being of its citizens are protected. Government does not work when it only focuses on serving one segment of its citizens. 

Here are some ways this can occur regarding infrastructure:

• Do not raise water rates in order to pay for development in the “new growth” areas of the city. This is robbing from Peter to pay Paul.
• Implement an asset maintenance program that addresses streets, ditches, pipes in the ground, lights, vehicles, and all other city assets. 
• For accountability, publish on the governments website the list of assets that will be maintained within the next three years, when they will be maintained, and how much the cost is estimated to be. 
• Improve water quality by creating loops in the system, regular flushes, and frequent tests of the quality. 
• Implement a strategy for water reuse in address projected water shortages. A nearby city which has done this effectively is League City.
• Conduct a semi-annual review of the capital projects plan – The committee formed to do this must consist of citizens that have the proper qualifications. 
• No people should ever be flooded out of their homes. Ensuring there is a special emphasis within the Master Drainage Plan on areas not within newly built subdivisions will help address this
• Many times citizens get told that their issue cannot be addressed due to the cost being to high and not enough of an impact on the “common good”. By coordinating like-minded, small-scale initiatives it will activate otherwise isolated efforts. 
• Ensure proper investments are being made into the digital ecosystem to get a head of the curb. Technology such as SCADA systems will allow the Public Works team to quickly address potential issues before they arise.

• Provide resources to police and first responders to ensure they have well-maintained vehicles, access to software that has up-to-date data, and access to critical infrastructure when responding to emergencies.
• Create a regional apparatus for emergency response that creates a comprehensive to respond to disasters, emergencies, or pandemics. 
• Ensure access to medical facilities throughout the precinct that builds upon the great work seen by companies such as Memorial Hermann, Community Health Network, UTMB, and HCA.
• Consistently engage with the County Engineers office to evaluate road and ditch maintenance efforts and provide the needed resources to the crews who put in the daily work to keep our infrastructure operating.
• Publish a list of the essential infrastructure that is projected to get maintained or replaced over the next three years
• Work with County Departments to properly classify the liabilities associated with all assets to ensure that maintenance and replacement work is properly funded. 

• Introduce a resolution to require the public posting of all elected financial campaign finance reports for all Candidates and office holders at the County level..
• Work with the District Attorneys office in the area of strengthening our ethics policy and conflict of interest affidavits
• Leverage our Information Technology Department to simplify the county website with an emphasis on community access to strategic plans and public viewing of county spending
• Conduct regular surveys to ensure that Precinct 2 is putting the needs of the community first.
• Work with the District Clerks office to provide a yearly report identifying the demographic make up of those called in for jury duty and those selected to ensure every individuals 6th amendment right is protected.
• Work with our State Representatives and State Senators to introduce legislation which requires the Appraisal District Boards and Emergency Service District Boards to be publicly elected.

• Create Advisory groups that are consulted once a quarter, or sooner if needed, which will focus on economic opportunity and business development, housing attainability, infrastructure and resilience, education and opportunity, as well as inter-governmental relations.
• Facilitate cross-city collaboration by hosting quarterly round tables with the Mayors and leaders in each governmental entity and influential organizations.
• Hold quarterly town halls where the community of Precinct 2 can hear from County leaders and ask questions.