[caption id="attachment_96918" align="alignleft" width="220"] George Haehn[/caption] A retired U.S. Martines master sergeant, George Haehn has held the Place 4 seat on Buda City Council since 2012. His race is uncontested as no other candidate filed to be placed on the ballot. Haehn has lived in Buda for seven years. He answered the following questionnaire from Community Impact Newspaper:

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

I will continue to be the voice of the people by offering common-sense solutions to the challenges facing the city. I will push to keep taxes low, to improve all infrastructure and keep our citizens safe. I am not just a “yes” man and will continue to ask the tough questions and get answers. When I am elected I want people to see results, know where their money is going and how it will improve their quality of life.

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

Growth is the biggest challenge because it creates issues dealing with traffic, water supply, and wastewater treatment. I believe we should be proactive when it comes to facing these issues. To address these issues, as a member of council I will recommend that we complete the road construction and other projects funded through the 2014 bond election as quickly as possible. Although change is inevitable I hope to protect the small-town feel of Buda when presented with proposals for entertainment options and other economic development.

What is your stance on the hands-free ordinance Buda City Council passed this year?

I was the only candidate who did not support the hands-free ordinance. I believe it takes away from the police department’s availability to stop major criminal activity. There are already laws in place that can be enforced when it comes to reckless driving, child endangerment, negligent and vehicular manslaughter or homicide. The consequences that could be faced by a driver if these laws were enforced far outweigh the fine someone would receive for using a cell phone. I do not feel we should put another law in place when we could enforce the ones we already have.

How should the city move forward with its water supply options?

We should look at all sources of water and consider all options. The city currently has water agreements to address our needs. However, if the EP wells do not “prove up” per the original agreement, we should withdraw from that contract. Additionally, I want us to look at the viability and costs to develop a means of “storing” water in the Trinity Aquifer by purchasing water from a permitted local well near the city limits and injecting that water into the “storage” aquifer for use during times of drought. We should also continue to consider direct potable reuse and desalinization.

What if anything should be done to make Buda a more affordable place in which to live?

I do not believe the taxpayers of Buda should be asked to subsidize low-income housing because many of our citizens worked multiple jobs and saved their money in order to buy a home here. The current market demand should dictate what type of home is available in Buda and by keeping the property tax rate as low as possible we can continue to help make all housing more affordable. Additionally, I would support efforts to rezone areas of the city and possibly offer developers of smaller “affordable” homes or condominiums fee reductions to build here.