CANDIDATE Q&A
Get to know candidates running in November’s midterm elections
2022 VOTER GUIDE
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.
Kyle City Council, Place 1
BEAR HEISER
Occupation: attorney Relevant experience: Army o cer in Iraq, attorney with knowl- edge of contracts and NICK MADSEN
Occupation: nance director Relevant experience: Business leader and resident in the area MARC MCKINNEY
Occupation: Hays CISD elementary science coordinator MARINA TUPIKOV
Occupation: sales consultant Relevant experience:
Relevant experience: community organiza- tions/government, data analysis and budget reports, clear and transparent commu- nication, trilingual Website, phone number not provided
owner of a consult- ing company in sales, marketing and crisis management business; Negley Elementary PTA 512-648-3625 • www.vote4bear.com
negotiations, board for Plum Creek HOA, small-business owner 512-358-1616 Facebook search: Nick for Kyle
for over a decade. My experience in nance gives me a di erent perspective from sitting members of the council. 254-230-2290
What will be your top three priorities if elected?
Work collaboratively with all stakeholders— Kyle residents and other agencies, and the development community—to ensure that as Kyle is growing, collectively we are being mindful of the enormous impact of forced change. Close the infrastructure gaps that exist between east and west Kyle—public transportation, roads, tra c, water quality. Grow our local economy by promoting small businesses while lowering the barrier to en- try for new small businesses to take shape.
First and foremost, I want to make sure that we have a good steward for our tax dollars. The city has seen more tax revenue than it has ever imagined, and the hard-work- ing citizens of Kyle who pay those taxes deserve to have them spent wisely. One of the primary functions of government is to maintain the safety of its citizens. I want to ensure that our rst responders are adequately sta ed.
Transportation infrastructure, focused growth in consumer goods and services, and safety. Kyle is going to continue to grow whether we want it to or not, so I will support growth that bene ts those that live and work here. We need more variety in the goods and services o ered. Finally, I think that we need to support our rst responders to make sure that both children and adults are able to prosper in a safe environment.
Provide our growing community with ameni- ties that are family-focused, including: parks, businesses, family dining establishments, etc. Our roads are currently not equipped to accommodate the population growth. We need to be speci c with infrastructure goals and focus on tra c ow. One of the tough goals that is easier said than done is to reduce the burden of property tax for residences. This goal includes collaboration of business- es, school district, developments, etc.
How would you improve transportation within Kyle as well as within the San Antonio-Austin corridor in general?
If elected, I will work with county, state and federal elected and appointed o cials to secure funds that address Kyle’s transporta- tion and tra c issues. It’s unacceptable that our residents and families spend several hours a day dropping o and picking up their kids from our local public schools. Our city must invest in vital infrastructure and multimodal transportation options.
I support the road bond but understand that oversight will be necessary to ensure that we are being good stewards of the taxpayers’ money. I also think that SH 45 has been of great bene t and that it eases some of the burden on I 35. I believe a proactive approach to road expansion is necessary so we don’t have to pay more later.
There is a road bond election coming up on the November ballot. In it includes some very necessary infrastructure projects that will help divert tra c from existing thor- oughfares. I’m incredibly concerned about the price tag associated with it, however. There are several other projects I would like to see improved to allow alternative routes going east-west across town. As for the San Antonio-Austin corridor, I 35 is becoming increasingly dreadful by the day.
With the population growing, the roads in Kyle are de nitely getting denser. We have seen huge improvements with the access road tra c by switching the on-o ramps. To continue to improve the tra c ow, adding a bypass loop around Kyle would really bene t the Kyle locals and spread out the tra c. In addition, Kyle can connect with the bus transportation in Texas State and University of Texas to provide additional routes to reduce carbon emission/tra c.
NEAL BREEN
AMANDA STARK
Occupation: Candidate did not provide Relevant experience: Candidate did not provide 512-920-2182 • Facebook search: Amanda for Kyle
Occupation: bar operator Relevant experience: I’ve been running restaurants and bars my whole life, accompanied with a lifelong study of economics. I lack political experience—and that’s the way I like my “politicians,” personally. www.breenforkyle.com
What will be your top three priorities if elected?
I intend to help manage migration, growth and taxation. I’ll do all I can to prevent Kyle from becoming “the next Austin.” I also intend to keep Kyle as livable and a ordable for its natives as possible.
Infrastructure—The roads we currently have are not su cient for the current or future tra c in Kyle. Not only do we need to repair/widen current roads, we need to provide more intermo- bility. Downtown revitalization—making Kyle a destination town—add more businesses that attract the people. With this, we need to provide walkability and accessibility. Much of the downtown area doesn’t have sidewalks. Continuing to provide quality housing.
How would you improve transportation within Kyle as well as within the San Antonio-Austin corridor in general?
Roads are necessary to growth, but I believe in keeping the money as well-managed as possi- ble. I’m open to entertaining any public transportation suggestions to improve transportation between San Antonio and Austin but don’t believe the people of Kyle should be nancially responsible for it.
I would support planning and ideas for more interconnecting roads. When tra c gets backed up along the San Antonio-Austin corridor, it is extremely di cult to navigate around and through Kyle.
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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
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