Gerald Daugherty[/caption]
Gerald Daugherty (Incumbent)
Experience: An Austinite for over 40 years, I came to public office from the private sector. As a successful businessman, I know what business owners and taxpayers experience. I served as Precinct 3 commissioner from 2002-08 and returned in January 2013. I’m familiar with the court’s functions and responsibilities and will continue to tackle the ongoing issues of traffic congestion and affordability. I have a close working relationship with the Texas Department of Transportation and the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, and I serve on the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Board.
What are the biggest challenges facing Travis County?
A major issue for this community is ever-increasing congestion. I plan to address this by working on the following projects: SH Hwy. 45 SW, West Hwy. 71 improvements from the Y in Oak Hill westward, Hwy. 290/Hwy. 71 intersection enhancements at the Y in Oak Hill, RR 620 improvements near Bee Cave and Lakeway, and a study of the Loop 360 corridor. Another major issue is affordability. I will do my best by pushing to keep our county budget at the minimum necessary to deliver services to its citizens.
If elected, what will be your top priority?
The completion of SH Hwy. 45 SW. I have been working on this project since I first came into office, and I will see it built. We are almost there. Sept. 29 of this year, TxDOT approved a $60 million loan to CTRMA on top of a $28.9 million grant to build the 3.6-mile road—in addition to monies already contributed by Hays and Travis counties. The people of southwest Travis County have suffered long enough and deserve that this vital project move forward.
David Holmes[/caption]
David Holmes
Experience: I moved to Austin in 1993 to work for Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock and attend school. I worked in the Legislature over a period of 15 years and learned a great amount about creating public policy and intergovernmental relations. I went on to earn a master of public administration degree from the University of Texas Arlington, and I serve as a volunteer in the sheriff’s victim services unit where I was given Volunteer of the Year-South and Most Shifts awards in 2015. Victim services work has given me an understanding of all of the agencies and nonprofits that make this community function.
What are the biggest challenges facing Travis County?
Our biggest challenge is affordability. Too often we talk about important issues in silos as though they are not related to one another. The fact is, our transportation problems, our water planning and flooding problems all impact the affordability of living in Travis County just as much as our high property taxes. I will use my experience as a professional mediator to work with the other commissioners and leaders of local governments to improve procurement and contracting processes across the county to cut costs.
If elected, what will be your top priority?
To get to work on all of the problems people in west and southern Travis County have told me they feel have been ignored in recent years. From flooding and wildfire risks to the shortage of fields for children’s sports to long-promised improvements that have never materialized, we need a commissioner who can negotiate with the other commissioners to get things completed without endless lawsuits and poor planning.
I will always have an open door and consider serving the residents of Precinct 3 as my highest priority.
