HOUSTON
Jersey Village mayor
Merrilee Rosene Beazley
Occupation: nurse; educational consultant
Experience: 40-plus-year resident; 50-plus years of work experience; certified school teacher; reading specialist; registered nurse; business owner; degrees in education, health care and business
Why are you running for Jersey Village mayor?
MB: I am running for mayor of Jersey Village because we need to have fiscal responsibility. Fortunately, I am financially independent. It is about “We the People.” It is important to have residents of Jersey Village be part of the process.
What do you think are the top challenges facing the city right now, and how would you work to address them?
MB: I think it is imperative for Jersey Village City Council to work toward the maximum tax benefits, like other communities have right now, for the residents. We need to control spending. We do not need to have extra projects, like [tax increment reinvestment zones], that the residents are not aware of. We must keep addressing flood mitigation. We must address aging infrastructure.
If elected, what would be your approach to budgeting and tax rates in this year's budget session?
MB: When I am mayor, we will make sure that all of the departments of the city of Jersey Village are fiscally responsible and [do] not overspend their budgets. We must look at the best practices with other cities our size. We must execute the building of the berm at the Jersey Meadow Golf Course, which was promoted decades ago. The first day that I am mayor, I will hit the ground running to make sure that these issues are properly addressed.
Bobby Warren
Occupation: oil and gas compliance manager
Experience: Jersey Village City Council member, Place 3 (2017-present), mayor pro tem (2019-present)
Contact: www.bobbywarren.org
Why are you running for Jersey Village mayor?
BW: Jersey Village is a great place to live. I am humbled that so many of my neighbors have encouraged me to run for mayor. With the challenges and opportunities facing our city in the coming years, we need a mayor who is ready to lead on their first day in office. My experience on City Council and as mayor pro tem uniquely qualifies me to lead our city as our next mayor.
What do you think are the top challenges facing the city right now, and how would you work to address them?
BW: Flooding is our greatest challenge. Since the adoption of our long-term flood recovery plan in 2017, we have successfully obtained $10.2 million in state and federal grants. With this funding, we have elevated 17 homes, and we will soon break ground on the golf course berm and Wall Street drainage project. As mayor, I will continue to work with the county, state and federal government to collaborate on flood mitigation projects in our city.
If elected, what would be your approach to budgeting and tax rates in this year's budget session?
BW: In 2019, I successfully led the effort to increase the residential homestead exemption in our city, the first such increase in more than 15 years. With the economy recovering from the impacts of the pandemic, I believe we will be able to provide further property tax relief while continuing to pursue important investments in public safety, flood mitigation, our streets and our parks.
