KRIS 6 asked all the candidates the same 12 questions. These are the answers that we got back from Sylvia Campos.
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1. If elected, what would be your three priorities?
Addressing our water shortage and continue to offer alternative solutions other than Desalination in the Bay such as water recapture in a large scale. Water reuse. Underground storage container. Ground water and possibly looking into the Barney Davis Plant as an alternative to the proposed Desalination plant at Hillcrest.
· Making sure we keep Residential Streets a priority.
· Creating a sidewalk program
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2. The city budget has been a topic of concern this summer. What are your concerns with the budget? If elected, what steps would you take to improve it?
As we know a city budget is a moral document that reflect the needs of our city, so why is it every time there has been a short fall. It is the People’s programs on the chopping block. It is the responsibility of the City Manager to plan and execute a sound budget. He needs to make sure we the city are receiving all monies that we are entitled to, that is why I and Jim Klein fought hard to annex our city. We missed out on millions of dollars in lieu of a PILOT for 15 years. We have other cities like Richmond California that were about to tax their biggest employer Chevron on their product but instead settled for a $550 million agreement to be paid in 10 years. It was done because of organizing of its citizens. As a matter of fact, they do not have a free press instead it is owned by Chevron Corporation. First, I would stop giving away our water. It should be the more you use the more you pay. We need to stop offering sweet heart deals. We should also include public input as early as April or May before it reaches the people at the end.
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3. The Coastal Bend is home to several military installations, refineries, and industry. What kind of role do you see Corpus Christi playing in the next 10 years? How would you contribute to its growth?
Thank God we are not involved in a direct war. We are uniquely situated in the Gulf and we just need to stay relevant. Attracting heavy industries is dangerous. We are in a climate change crisis and we must address these issues. We must look at creating green jobs. We now have an Economic Development Department that will start to make it easier for other types of businesses to come here. We have a beautiful bay. We should be protecting it. We need to make sure our airport offers more direct flights. When we invest in our infrastructure and public spaces we contribute to the quality of life and if we can do this and keep costs down, the secret will get out that we are a big city with a unique small town feel with friendly, caring people. We can become the destination we know we are. Keeping our beaches clean is vital. We need to invest in our educational institutions. We need to make it easier for former felons to be able to transition back into society instead of living in the shadows. We need carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and farmers and artists. Why not invest in this population as well.
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4. Plans to build a desalination plant to serve Corpus Christi residents have been discussed for years. What additional water sources do you support and how long would it take to get them operational?
I support water reuse for example the Greenwood treatment facility center could yield 30 MGD. I also support underground water storage. Did you know Choke Canyon evaporation is about 50%? We can also look at a parallel line to the MRP. Ground water is another option. We just need to ask ourselves, who does the city serve? We have invested millions in tax abatements and has that yielded us? We still have a large population that is underserved and a stagnant population growth.
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5. In July, the Corpus Christi City Council voted to give City Manager Peter Zanoni a 10-percent pay raise. That increased his yearly salary from $372,000 to $409,200. That’s a $37,200 boost in pay. If you were on the council at the time of the vote, did you vote for or against the raise and why? If you were not on the council but had the opportunity to vote on giving Zanoni a raise, how would you vote and why?
I voted against it. I did not believe it was just, especially when we were looking at a 12-million-dollar short fall and cuts were being proposed to Greenwood Senior Center, Garcia Library, Oso Bay, Code Enforcement. All the things that add to the quality of life.
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6. There are several streets in need of repairs. What neighborhood streets do you think are in most need?
We should address the worst streets first, so I believe streets such as Pecan, Ray, Mistletoe, Kimbroug, Dorothy,Lum, Cedar, Ashland, Calvin, Adkins, Totton, Marie, Moravain, Kay.. Jean, Redwood. We have so many.
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7. Our viewers say the stray dog population is a problem in the city’s westside and northside. Some animal advocates say our city animal shelter is overpopulated and would like it to become a “no kill” shelter. If elected, how would solve these issues?
The city hired a consultant and we are anticipating the results of their work. Education is the key, so ACS has started to go into the schools and will start with the children. It is doing more outreach and aiding pet owners. Going neighbor to neighbor and informing them of their responsibilities. We need a DIRECT LINE to be able to track what happened to the reports. Neighbors need to cooperate with ACS and be willing to file an affidavit and be willing to let ACS place cages so these animals can be caught. We also need to make sure our ACS officers are being trained properly and are being paid adequately or a living wage. We need an on-going solid relationship with the non-profits.
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8. In other cities, law enforcement agencies hold news conferences to inform residents of major incidents in their communities. Yet, the Corpus Christi Police Department rarely holds news conferences especially after officer-involved shootings or to alert the public about crime trends. How would you encourage our local police department to be more transparent?
Sadly, the news is driven by the fallen families of the victims. We must request or demand the police department let the public know what is the status of these cases. Having Community Policing would make it easier to contact the officer in charge of that neighborhood to address an issue.
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9. Community events like Art Walk and Farmers Market have become popular over the last three years. What methods would you use to boost local businesses and with it, the local economy?
Feature them in our public station and of course word of mouth is the best form of advertising. An entrepreneur must stay with it and eventually it pays off but one must offer unique items, foods, a place for creativity to blossom and a place to park is a winning combination. It takes time to build that and now it is happening!
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10. The monthly Art Walk in Corpus Christi has become hugely popular over the last few months. If elected, what would you do to bring family friendly events like this to our city?
I think we need to encourage organizations, businesses, neighborhoods to experiment. The Arts are a big component. K-Space started Art Walk and Dia De Los Muertos, The Jazz Festival were started by musicians so these great events were not started by the city just groups interested in bringing the arts. We just need to sometimes get out of the way. The city can make it easier through permitting and being more flexible.
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11. Events like Art Walk, the annual Dia de Los Muertos, and St. Patrick’s Day Festival draw thousands of people to downtown Corpus Christi but many attendees say there isn’t enough parking. What is your solution to this issue?
Yes, venues like this do draw large crowds. You know our city is growing when that is an issue. I believe the RTA is offering rides from certain locations but it would be nice if RTA or DMD were to purchase a unique bus and pick up individuals from City Hall or the County parking lots. Maybe have encouraging signs that say walking is good for you. Encourage car sharing or drop off points.
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12. Where do you plan on being election night?
I will be at House of Rock with some of my other Clean Slate Candidates.
