CANDIDATE Q&A
Get to know candidates running in November’s midterm elections
2022 VOTER GUIDE
COMPILED BY ERIC WEILBACHER
Incumbent Candidates were asked to keep responses under 75 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
San Marcos, mayor
San Marcos, City Council Place 1
Occupation: mayor, city of San Marcos Relevant experience: mayor; council mem- ber; Planning and Zon- ing, Charter Review and Ethics commissions; JANE HUGHSON
Occupation: business owner, Alpha Pure Water Relevant experience: Lonestar Rail board member, chair Austin-San Antonio JOHN THOMAIDES
Occupation: licensed massage therapist, City Council representative Relevant experience: SMTX resident since 2007, bachelor’s de- gree political science/ MAXFIELD BAKER
MATTHEW MENDOZA
Occupation: analyti- cal behavior support engineer
Relevant experience: I’m currently a Planning & Zoning commissioner, a homeowner and I graduated from San Marcos High School
Corridor Council, former City Council member, former mayor of San Marcos 512-757-4204 • www.votejohnt.com
anthropology, elected in 2019, fought for neighborhood and renters’ rights 512-393-4287 • www.bakerforsmtx.com
three comprehensive plan committees; past president of Leadership San Marcos 512-396-8107 • www.janehughson.org
(class of 1999). 737-264-4595
What will be your top three priorities if elected?
What will be your top three priorities if elected?
Workforce housing, economic development including workforce development and down- town vitality, community safety.
Transparency—to increase trust in govern- ment and encourage more participation by educating people about the process and giving them a seat at the table. Sustainability— to preserve important environmental features like our river and to ensure that we have clean air and water in perpetuity. Criminal justice reform—to push for more diversion methods and help reduce the number of incarcerated neighbors for nonviolent crimes.
Studies show our Austin-San Antonio region doubling in the next 20 years. There is no doubt that San Marcos will receive its share of these new residents and businesses, so we must begin to take on the challenges created as a result head on. Critical issues like water, transportation, public safety, our environment, property taxes, housing that’s a ordable and retaining our quality of life will be some of my top priorities.
Diverse jobs and economic development; Timely completion of infrastructure projects; Fiscal responsibility of taxpayer dollars
How would you improve transportation within San Marcos?
How would you improve transportation within San Marcos?
The city is working with the university to combine the bus systems, which will provide the ridership for more frequent routes, a way for students to get to work o -campus and for more routes for all. We also sponsor the bus that runs between San Marcos and Austin.
I currently serve as the chair of the Aus- tin-San Antonio Corridor Council, and as mayor I would continue to provide strong advocacy for inter-city passenger rail service [funded] at $66 billion in the 2021 Federal Infrastructure Bill. Our lack of housing that’s a ordable is a crisis. I would work with our council for in ll housing policies that reduce suburban sprawl, add housing choices and allow for non-automobile forms of transpor- tation that would bene t many citizens.
We need to nish combining the Texas State Bus System with our CARTS program and create a multimodal transit hub near down- town. Studies show that we cannot simply continue building more roads to address tra c. We need to continue to pursue a rail option for the region and work with our neighbors along the corridor to embrace more innovative and sustainable ideas.
We need a multimodal approach to regional transport in the corridor. To start, we should combine and expand our bus system with Texas State University and work with Kyle, Buda, New Braunfels and other cities in the region as part of a regional transportation plan.
San Marcos, City Council Place 2 Occupation: plant operational manager Relevant experience: Planning and Zoning Commission 7 years, Zoning Board of Ad- justments 4 years, city councilman Place 2, 2 terms 512-749-2252 SAUL GONZALES
What will be your top three priorities if elected?
How would you improve trans- portation within San Marcos?
Only candidates in contested
For more election coverage, go to communityimpact.com/ voter-guide. elections are included. Go to county election websites for information on uncontested races.
A ordable housing for all residents. Increase homestead property appraisal exemptions. Completion of street and maintenance proj- ects in a timely manner.
All three counties would have to work together to establish public transportation that would decrease tra c on I 35. It would also provide an a ordable way for people to get to and from work and shopping areas.
Occupation: salesman Relevant experience: 25 years of sales experience, 10 years of public speaking ATOM VON ARNDT
Putting more oversight on spending for public roads. Focus on guring out a way to help increase a ordable housing for all of San Marcos. Making sure that future land devel- opment plans do not endanger our aquifer recharge zone.
More focus on public transportation, try to reopen the conversation on a train system connecting San Antonio, Austin and the beautiful towns in between.
experience, analytical problem-solving mind Phone number, website not provided
23
SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
Powered by FlippingBook