ELECTION GUIDE | 2014
Important dates:
- Last day to register to vote: April 10
- First day of early voting: April 28
- Last day of early voting: May 6
- Election day: May 10
Cedar Park City Council Place 4 candidate Q&A
Updated 3 p.m. CST April 25, 2014
Editor's note: This story was modified from its original version to more accurately describe Jahadi's service on city boards.
Mo Jahadi, 512-270-9505, www.votefordrmo.com
Mo Jahadi is a chiropractor and the owner and operator of Chirofit Wellness Center in Cedar Park. He is a past member of the Cedar Park Community Development Corp., or 4B Board, and served on the city's Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee. Jahadi was previously on the board of directors for Cedar Park–based nonprofit Samaritan Health Ministries and the Cedar Park Chamber of Commerce. He said his experience on various local boards as well as his engagement in and understanding of the community qualifies him to serve on City Council.
Why are you running for City Council?
I wish to bring strong leadership and better communication to focus on building a Cedar Park primed for the 21st century so that the city continues to be a great place to live, work and play for the next 40 years.
What is the most pressing issue facing the city?
With the fast growth facing Cedar Park, how we build out our remaining land and manage our expansion will significantly impact the future of Cedar Park.
What would you like to accomplish during your term, if elected?
There are many smaller goals that I [would] like to accomplish, but the biggest goal I would like to work on is to get a service road for [Toll] 183A. This will help with one of biggest issues facing Cedar Park residents, which is traffic. It will also help with economic development and job growth.
What should be the top priorities for the city in the next five to 10 years?
The top priorities for Cedar Park in the next five to 10 years should be economic development and job growth, [strategic] build-out of our remaining land, transportation and water.
Do you plan to host any campaign events or opportunities to meet with the public?
Yes. I will have an event on Tuesday, April 29 from 5–7 p.m. at Maggiore's, 1420 Cypress Creek Road in Cedar Park. I will also have several smaller events during the month of April that will be posted on my website.
Lowell Moore, 512-921-2100, www.lowellmoore.com
Lowell Moore owns and operates a management consulting practice and previously held the senior vice president position at a company ranked on Fortune Magazine's top 500 businesses list. He has been on Cedar Park City Council for a total of 10 years since 1998. Moore previously served as the president of the Cedar Park Economic Development Corp., or 4A Board, as it planned to fund and build the Cedar Park Center. Moore said his experience and success as an incumbent City Council member make him a qualified candidate for the Place 4 position.
Why are you running for City Council?
I want to continue the good work that I have done in the last several years. It takes time and experience to fully understand how cities work, how they provide value to citizens, and I have that knowledge [and] firmly believe that experience matters. I have a firm understanding of the vision and what it takes to help Cedar Park grow and continue to provide excellent services to citizens. We are a landlocked city, and how land is used and how we rehabilitate older areas of the city is critical. I want to help provide a Cedar Park that will be an even more desirable place to live for our children and grandchildren.
What is the most pressing issue facing the city?
The most pressing issue is how we grow the city and provide economic opportunities in order to keep the quality of life high and the taxes low. We will face full build-out of the city in the next few years, and I will help provide the direction for that growth. New jobs are imperative so that current and future Cedar Park citizens can live, work and play here. We need to grow retail businesses that create sales [tax funds], many of which are paid by people who live outside Cedar Park (think shoppers at Costco). New construction of office parks and other employment centers will bring new property taxes to help keep home taxes low.
What would you like to accomplish during your term, if elected?
I will keep Cedar Park as the most desirable city in which to live in Texas. In addition, I will to continue to build, expand and rehabilitate roads so that moving around the city is easy and hassle-free. I will continue to provide parks that are family-friendly and provide the services and features that are fun and meet our citizens' needs. I will provide the conditions necessary for new businesses and new well-paying jobs to come to Cedar Park. I helped reduce the property tax rate during the last budget cycle, and I will continue to look for [ways to] reduce them in the future.
What should be the top priorities for the city in the next five to 10 years?
I will continue to work to lower tax rates and maintain a continued emphasis on new high-paying jobs. I will continue to keep us a safe city. I will help keep our fire department's Insurance Service Office rating of [class] 1, the highest attainable. We are one of [fewer than 60] cities in the entire US to reach that rating. I will continue new road projects such as the recent improvement of [FM] 1431, and I will help make certain that we continue improving it to our eastern boundary [near] Sam Bass Road. I will continue to make Cedar Park a fun city in which to live.
Do you plan to host any campaign events or opportunities to meet with the public?
I will have various events that will be posted on Facebook and other social media. But I will continue to emphasize meeting with citizens in small groups and one-on-one. I think I have a powerful message about growth, taxes, roads, parks and economic development that is exciting to our citizens. I encourage citizens to look at my record and to visit my webpage and my Facebook page. I encourage citizens to email me with questions or comments, or call me.
