Three candidates are in the running to replace outgoing Kyle City Councilwoman Samantha Bellows-LeMense, who decided not to seek a second term. EMS paramedic Damon Fogley, business manager Laurie Luttrell and former Councilman Jaime Sanchez are on the ballot for the council's District 5 seat, which is elected at-large. Community Impact Newspaper sent the candidates a questionnaire ahead of the May 9 election:

Why are you running for a seat on Kyle City Council?


 

Fogley: I take pride in our city and what we stand for as a community. I have more than 15 years of public sector service. Our city needs effective and proven leadership, especially with the amount of growth that is anticipated over the next decade and the problems we face with water diversification and road maintenance. I want to be part of that change. Of all the issues at play I am the most passionate about public safety, transportation and water. I will do everything I can in order to keep our citizens safe and maintain a desirable quality of life.

Luttrell: I'm passionate about my city, and I want to make a difference. During the past six years, our tax rate has risen to the point that it is now the highest of any city in Hays County. Our water and wastewater rates have increased dramatically. We need to attract business by improving our infrastructure, lowering our tax rate and trimming our nonessential expenditures. I want to see Kyle continue to grow and be an affordable city for its residents.

Sanchez: I'm a lifetime resident of Kyle, and my passion for the community runs deep. I've seen Kyle go through many changes and continued growth. With that said, more than ever our residents need a voice. I want to be that voice that represents their needs and addresses their concerns. Along with the city's phenomenal growth, there are crucial decisions to be made that will keep Kyle on the right path. These decisions are vital to the community's health. Through my conservative financial values and experience I can be an asset in guiding our city on the right path.

Why should voters choose you?

Fogley: Even though I am much younger than my opponents, I grew up in a culture of innovation and technology. Don't be fooled, I have a lot of life experience working in the public sector. Most of this time I was working under dangerous and stressful environments. I was an Army Officer managing $50 million worth of equipment and 150 soldiers at a time while serving overseas. I also have 10 years of experience as an EMS paramedic. I also hold a master's degree in public administration where my focus was always local government issues and nonprofit organizations.

Luttrell: I'm not a politician. I will work hard, and I will listen to people. I'm a former small business owner and have the experience and knowledge in making good sound decisions. We need a change in leadership at City Hall. We need someone who will ensure our infrastructure is not neglected, our downtown is revitalized, our small business owners are supported, public safety is improved and our taxes are kept as low as possible.

Sanchez: If you want someone who is passionate and committed to Kyle, you start with someone like me. I grew up in Kyle. I understand and love this community. Kyle is home, and I want nothing but the best for the city. I will represent the community and help it as it continues to grow. My desire to nurture the growth of Kyle and the community also comes with council member experience. I understand the inner workings of the city government, but I am an independent thinker. I don't vote to please politicians, I vote on behalf of our citizens.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the city, and what would you do to address it?

Fogley: Kyle needs to bolster and diversify its tax base. We are in direct competition with neighboring cities. Although the chamber is doing a great job to lure businesses into our city we need to aggressively attract large employers and businesses to settle here. Our residents are spending far too much time commuting to other cities to work. This causes lost productivity and less time at home with your family. Part of setting the foundation to attract these businesses and employers is having solid infrastructure. Therefore, I want to improve roads far beyond what our upcoming road bond projects will accomplish.

Luttrell: Roads and growth [are two of the city's biggest issues]. We must start construction on our roads as soon as possible. But our tax rate will be going up due to the road bond. It is very difficult to continue to grow our city and make certain we have adequate resources for future growth. We must be financially responsible with every penny in our budget and work diligently to attract the type of commercial growth that will bring in a strong tax base to the city.

Sanchez: Kyle's growth is inevitable. It has already seen tremendous change. The city's governing body's job is to manage the growth in intelligent ways with the kind of forethought that nurtures the community and sets it up for future success.

We have pressing issues such as inadequate infrastructure, an insufficient transportation system, high taxes and wasteful spending. In order to plan for Kyle's future, we must adhere to financially stable values to pay for the much-needed work.

If elected, what will you do to improve Kyle's quality of life?

Fogley: Our police and fire departments are underfunded. There are alternative means to funding these departments in addition to ad valorem and sales tax. Some police programs such as narcotics and canine pay for themselves through forfeitures. There are a myriad of grants available to public sector organizations. I want to hire an experienced and talented grant writer to find these grants to relieve that tax burden. I want to use cooperative purchasing for Emergency Services District No. 5 (Kyle Fire). I also want to work alongside Chief Taylor at the Texas Legislature to push for the creation of an emergency response district (House Bill 2249).

Luttrell: We have an excellent police force, but public safety throughout our neighborhoods needs improvement. I believe this can be achieved by reallocating some of our officers into our neighborhoods. Everyone would love to see a recreation center in Kyle, but we probably can't afford it at this time. We can improve the trails within our parks, and the road bond includes much-needed sidewalks. We also need to continue to revitalize our downtown and make it a great place for people to visit at all times of the day and night by encouraging retail and restaurants.

Sanchez: The quality of life in Kyle is dependent on many organizations and agencies. I will work steadfastly to give those groups all the support they need. That includes our police department, which does a great job keeping our city safe and orderly. It includes the parks department that nurtures the community space that our residents and visitors have come to love. It includes the fire department and many organizations that offer great public services and are the foundations of what makes Kyle the great community it is.

What industries should the city attract to round out its economy?

Fogley: Kyle should balance zoning areas into residential, commercial and industrial. Our proportion of residential zoning compared to commercial is part of the reason we have incurred so much debt. Residential areas use $1.16 worth of resources for every $1.00 they generate. We need to streamline our permit and rezoning processes so that it's easier for businesses to become established in our city. One of the main reasons these companies seek Kyle is due to the overly bureaucratic process that Austin has. Residents also need a local alternative to Austin's entertainment district to have a good time. Learn more by visiting www.votedamon.org.

Luttrell: We need to attract industries that pay well so that citizens can work and live in Kyle without commuting to Austin. Water, or the lack of it, is a big issue recently in the news in Hays County. So we should attract industries that do not use large amounts of water. In order to keep Kyle's quality of life, any industries we attract should not pollute our air. According to our economic strategic plan, we should be focusing on the health industry to support both Seton Medical Center Hays and the curriculum of the Austin Community College Hays campus.

Sanchez: Kyle already has a head start in the medical industry. It's an industry that I believe has and will continue to serve the community well. I would like to continue to work actively to attract more entities from the medical arena. The ultimate goal would be to make Kyle a recognized medical hub in Texas. Kyle is positioned very well as it sits on the fastest growing corridor. The industries will come, as they too want to profit from our growth. It is time for our current council to examine our incentive policies and stop putting the entire burden on taxpayers' backs.

Early voting is April 27-May 5 and will be held at Kyle City Hall, 100 W. Center St., Kyle. Election day polling will take place May 9 at Kyle City Hall as well as Chapa Middle School, 3311 Dacy Lane, Kyle, and Wallace Middle School, 1302 W. Center St., Kyle. The schedule is as follows:

Early voting:

April 27: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

April 28-30: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

May 1: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

May 2: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

May 4: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

May 5: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Election day voting:

May 9: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.