KRIS 6 compiled a questionnaire for running candidates for the 2024 Nueces County General Elections, and here are their responses.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Question 8 has been edited for clarity. The answers to the question remain unedited.
________________________
1. If elected, what would be your three priorities?
My three priorities are opposition to seawater desalination, providing services for the unhoused, and improving street repairs.
________________________
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?
I applaud the City Manager's decision to schedule public input sessions on the budget, but believe that these sessions should be schedule much earlier in the budget making process to better shape the budget. Regarding specific spending, the City needs to increase its funding for services to the unhoused population, and it needs to increase the marketing budget for Animal Care Services to increase adoptions of seized animals and to educate the public on the need to spay and neuter their pets. We should reconsider REDC budget as I do not believe the City is gaining much benefit from an organization that recruits only multimillion-dollar corporations. The City also should reconsider the public relations or marketing budgets for Corpus Christi Water and Corpus Christi Gas because each of them lacks competition for the services they provide. While the number and salaries of assistant city managers typically is the purview of the city manager, the recent salary increases for these positions detract from the services the City can provide to the public. Council should revisit this also.
________________________
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?
Council should work with the Congressional delegation for this region to ensure the continued operation of Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and the Corpus Christi Army Depot. Heavy industry has grown in the Coastal Bend region in the last decade with limited benefits to Corpus Christi. We should work to diversify our economy to shield the city from the volatile nature of the fossil fuel market. We also should recognize that climate change is already upon us (a coastal city) and we should take steps to minimize our contribution to this.
________________________
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?
Seawater desalination is the most expensive method of producing water and will take the longest to achieve results. We should study water reuse, reduce the 50% annual evaporation rate at the reservoirs, and adopt rainwater capture and storage on a massive scale. Each of these alternatives will be cheaper and faster ways to relieve the pressure on our water supply. Water conservation will achieve the quickest results, but needs to be applied to all water users, not just residents (16% of water usage).
________________________
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 the raise. I strongly support some actions taken by the city manager (creation of a Public Works Department) and strongly oppose others (pursuit of seawater desalination). For this reason, I favored a much smaller raise, but opposed the 10% raise, particularly because it was apparent that the budget would need to be cut.
________________________
6. There are several streets in need of repairs. What neighborhood streets do you think are in most need?
Numerous residential streets in the city are in dire need of repair or resurfacing. There seems to be a high concentration of these in the west side neighborhoods, but also in parts of Flour Bluff. As far as specific streets are concerned, Lantana Street is in very poor condition as is Villa Drive and Gale Street. My desire is that the City make neighborhood streets (as opposed to arterials) a priority for repair.
________________________
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?
Animal Care Services is proposing to expand its kennel space, which should reduce its overcrowding issue. The City needs a greater spay neuter media campaign to reduce the stray dog and cat population. Stray dogs have attacked several people making this a public safety issue.
________________________
8. How would you encourage our local police department to be more transparent?
Police work is difficult and the Department knows best how to conduct its business, but transparency is paramount to maintaining the public's trust. I encourage all City departments to emphasize transparency.
________________________
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?
City officials can highlight particular businesses through social media and the City can encourage patronage of local businesses. The City also can increase its partnership with the Del Mar College Small Business Development Center to better provide advice and services to small businesses.
________________________
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?
The Downtown Management District (DMD) has done great work in promoting and enhancing Art Walk. The City should strengthen its partnerships with the DMD to support this work. Visit Corpus Christi (VCC) likewise has done amazing work in attracting sporting events and other competitions to Corpus Christi. The City can increase its support of VCC to further this work.
________________________
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?
The City should better utilize RTA service between remote parking lots and these events, but make certain that buses pick people up where they dropped them off to avoid any confusion.
________________________
12. Where do you plan on being on election night?
I plan to be at the House of Rock on election night.
