San Marcos City Council candidate Shane Scott hopes to lower taxes

Length of residency in San Marcos: 28 years

Experience: owner of three small businesses, served on City Council five years, served in the U.S. Air Force, received a criminal justice degree from Texas State University

Why are you running?

I am running for City Council again to fight for lower taxes. In 2015 while on City Council I introduced a homestead exemption on city taxes that the city of Austin had used to lower taxes for their citizens. I had the foresight that our taxes were getting out of hand and knew this exemption could be used to keep taxes from increasing. I am a believer that just because your home value rises because of growth that it does not mean you should have to pay more in taxes.

What do you believe is the greatest challenge facing the city? 

Transportation is one of the greatest challenges for San Marcos. The solution is right in front of us and is in progress of being built. I am referring to the 110 Loop that needs to go around the entire city. When I-35 shuts down because of wrecks and other traffic issues the 110 Loop will allow movement around the city instead of having people trying to cut through the city and jamming up the downtown area. Why do you believe you’re the most qualified candidate? There are many reasons I feel I make a great council member, the first being that I already have five years of experience in the position. I know and understand where the city's money comes from and where it gets spent. I understand the issues of the community and how to use the city resources to help find solutions. I am an independent business owner who views each council issue independently from other issues and has an unbiased point of view.

What do you believe the city should do to protect neighborhoods while ensuring adequate housing for students?

I have been a champion of student housing since my first term. Rent-by-the-room developments are a win-win concept. They have provided security to students who no longer have to worry about their roommates paying rent on time and also provide many more amenities that are not found when renting a house. When students are renting apartments designed for them it allows the available homes for rent to be rented by families who otherwise may struggle finding a place to live.

What do you believe the top priority should be as the city begins administering the $25 million disaster recovery grant from 2015's two floods?  I will push to spend the majority of the money on diversion. There is a clear way to move future flood water around the city and out of the neighborhoods.  I feel it makes no sense to try and fix a flood zone when we can help everyone by cutting a channel northeast of San Marcos through the farm land and back into the river southeast of town. The act of channeling the water around the city greatly reduces the chance of flooding for all involved, including those who would live in proximity to the channel.