Election
Plano City Council, Place 2
Bob Kehr Occupation & experience: IT Managed Services Owner www.bob4plano.org
Carson Underwood Occupation & experience: real estate investor www.carsonunderwood.com
Douglas Reeves Occupation & experience: small business owner and operator 31 years offering job training www.saveplanonow.com
What are the biggest challenges Plano is facing?
Plano is a mature city. We must refresh retail and office spaces, and continue robust maintenance on infrastructure. Plano must also maintain our value to citizens, including great parks and recreation, libraries, and well equipped and responsive public safety services.
Aging infrastructure, rising costs, and ensuring responsible growth while preserving Plano’s unique character.
Aging infrastructure and lack of housing options. Seniors are being taxed out of their homes and taxed into staying in homes they have outgrown. The rent to homeownership ratio is unhealthily high, and there are too many high-density apartments.
How do you plan to address these issues?
I’ll fight to ensure that we continue investing in these important items. I will also fight to ensure that the city continues to provide the level of service that residents expect. We moved to Plano because of the quality services, and I’ll ensure that Plano remains a great value.
Prioritize infrastructure investment, smart budgeting and economic development that strengthens our community.
Promote single family home ownership over high density zoning. New developments need to be postponed until our infrastructure catches up. Allow the over-65 housing lower tax rate to follow seniors to their new abode to free up larger homes for young growing families.
Plano City Council, Place 4
What are the biggest challenges Plano is facing? Plano’s first responders are overburdened and strained. Prioritizing sustainable growth will allow adequate infrastructure and city services expansion to support and maintain the excellent quality of life we enjoy in Plano. We need to be mindful of our growth and the impact of future developments.
How do you plan to address these issues? While apartments play a role in our housing options, it’s crucial to manage their growth thoughtfully. To lessen future pressures on our infrastructure and city services, we need to prioritize the construction of high-rise condos, townhouses, senior living facilities, and smaller single-family homes. Plano voters will decide how some challenges are addressed with the public safety and infrastructure bond elections. I support continued upgrades to aging retail and the Texas Research Quarter are great opportunities to grow the commercial tax base. As the commercial tax base grows, homeowners’ share of burden declines.
Cody Weaver Occupation & experience: realtor http://codyweaver.org/
Plano faces challenges with traffic, roads, taxes and public safety. The city must support police and fire services, expand the commercial tax base, and prioritize spending to maintain excellent services without overburdening residents with taxes.
Christene “Chris” Krupa Downs Occupation & experience: respected estate attorney www.chris4plano.com
Plano City Council, Place 5
What are the biggest challenges Plano is facing? Completing road repair projects quickly. Addressing affordable housing issues effectively. Preserving our top rated Police and Fire Departments and Schools. Safe guarding our quality of life in the face of changing revenue streams with fiscally conservative budget management to keep property taxes as low as possible. Plano needs thoughtful renewal planning for its future. With an aging population and fewer school-age children, we must keep our city and schools vibrant and attractive. To keep our tax rates low, we’ll need to make strategic investments to maintain our roads, libraries, recreation centers and neighborhoods.
How do you plan to address these issues? Solid fiscal management will address many issues. We must implement technology where appropriate to become more efficient. I will work with city staff and have advantage as I have worked with them over the past four years. I will use our Comprehensive Plan to guide decisions, short and long term.
Gary Cary Occupation & experience:
Business Executive leading large organizations, Planning and Zoning 1st Vice Chair, 2025 Bond Committee www.garyforplano.com
We can embrace opportunities like multi-use redevelopments at Collin Creek and Willow Bend, creating community hubs with events, arts, and local businesses. Public-private partnerships will provide these amenities without overburdening taxpayers. Our growing senior population requires a West Plano Active Adult Center to relieve the Sam Johnson Center.
Steve Lavine Occupation & experience: Retired from marketing research; Plano Library Board, chair three years; Parks and Recreation Commission www.steve4plano.com
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