Bob Dubey is seeking re-election to the Richardson City Council Place 1 seat. Dubey was first elected to City Council in 2017.Community Impact Newspaper sent Dubey a set of questions about his candidacy. His answers have been edited for publication style.
Why did you decide to run for this
office?
I ran for office two years ago, and I am hoping to get re-elected this spring.
I did not enter the race then or now with a set agenda. My purpose is to help the city I love and to continue working with staff to improve infrastructure, find ways to enhance what we have and to repurpose areas that need updating. I believe we have to take care of our first responders and maintain a strong relationship with our citizens. I moved to Richardson in 1962. My children have purchased homes here and are raising their families in Richardson. I want what is best for Richardson now and in the future.
What experience—professionally or politically—do you have that would prepare you for this position?
I recently retired after 40 years with Richardson ISD. My last 18 years, I served as the athletic director for the district. I believe the two positions are very similar. In both cases you work with people, listen to issues and problems, and try to find solutions to the problems. The handling of the budget for the district athletic department was a big task, and it is very similar to the working budget of the city. I believe my previous job made the transition very smooth. In addition to my previous job, I chaired the parks commission, and in 2015 I was honored to chair the charter review commission for the city. I am a proud graduate of Leadership Richardson, which helped build my knowledge of the city.
What do you think is one of the biggest issues facing Richardson today, and how do you plan to address it if elected to City Council?
I truly believe our biggest issue is to catch up with our infrastructure. Our great city is getting older, and we have issues with our infrastructure. Over the past two budget cycles we have passed a budget that has raised our funding in this area. Streets and alleys were neglected in our financial down years. Our economic growth is solid at this time, and we continue to grow. This is the time to continue to improve our streets and alleys.
The city in the past has used economic incentives and tax grants to attract companies. What means, if any, would you support the city using to attract companies in the future?
Attracting companies to Richardson is huge and positive for our tax base. Businesses currently pay approximately 60 percent of our taxes versus 40 percent for our homeowners. I believe strongly in providing incentives for companies to join our community and to partner with them. The way we have done it in the past does not cost our citizens any tax dollars. We provide an incentive program that reduces a company's initial taxes, allows them a reduced tax rate for a period of time. A few years down the road the agreement matures, and the company will be paying the full taxes. This allows the city to generate revenue they would never have seen and build lasting positive relationships with companies that want to partner with the city in other ways.
What else do you want voters to know about you?
I would like to thank all of the voters who elected me to my position on the council. I hope I can count on their votes again and many more. My promise as a councilman is I will always do my homework, be knowledgeable on all issues and listen to all sides before making a final decision on my vote. I take this position seriously and will do all I can to help Richardson be the best it can be.
