Election
BY GRANT CRAWFORD
City of Pflugerville mayor
Gregory L. Harrington Occupation: Entrepreneur Experience: 28 years as a community organizer
Andy Lindsey Occupation: Retired from IBM Experience: Over 40 years
Pat McCord Occupation: Semi-retired tech executive, owns and operates a photography business Experience: Served
Doug Weiss Occupation: Manager, software implementation and professional services Experience: Served nine years on City Council; over 15 years of dedicated service to the community www.dougweiss. com
of corporate management experience www. andylindseyusa. com
www.gregory- harrington.com
on City Council previously for 6 years www. patmccordformayor. com
If elected, what are your priorities for the city of Pflugerville?
1) Create affordable and effective public transportation for all Pflugerville residents, even in the ETJ. My proposal is 24/7 door-to-door service using shuttle vans for $2.50. 2) Help Pflugerville to join the Austin Community College District to stop our residents from overpaying by $201 per credit hour—3 credit-hour classes; $255 (in-district), $858 (Pflugerville residents).
Support our veterans with job opportunities, ensure our homeowners are not paying for all the growth and expansion of the city and reel in the spending with a common sense approach to government.
Top 3 priorities: Lower water rates, lower taxes, control spending. Work with developers to provide housing that attracts first time home buyers. Less apartments.
My top priority is public safety, beginning with hiring our next police chief. I created a community advisory team that will provide input to ensure leadership reflects our citizens’ values. Quality business growth to drive increased tax revenue and reduce residents’ property tax obligation. Infrastructure. Keeping pace with road and transportation needs as Pflugerville continues to welcome new neighbors.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for the city, and how will you work to address it?
Pflugerville has too many residents not to have public transportation. Public transportation is not a “nice to have.” It’s a “must have.” The current Pfetch A Ride program is neither affordable nor effective. It’s only 10 vouchers of $10 per month. Riders pay the first $4 and anything after $14. Great economies are built with great public transportation. Reform’s required.
The city’s growth is the greatest challenge. We need to ensure there are adequate resources to support all the new construction and multifamily dwellings.
The debt of the city if nearly $2 billion. Reduce debt to reduce taxes. Keeping everyone in Pflugerville, connected, informed and engaged. We didn’t get here by accident. Every resident should feel like they are appreciated and are part of the success of the city.
Our greatest challenge is recruiting the businesses and amenities our diverse community wants and deserves. I will continue working closely with the development community to recruit a targeted list of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues that add value, strengthen our economy, and improve the quality of life in Pflugerville.
What is something you want Pflugerville residents to know about you?
I’ve been a community organizer for all of my 28 years of being in the Austin area—27 of them as a citizen of Pflugerville. I’ve served local communities, state level and national level on a host of pressing issues. My mayoral opponents are simply out of touch and out of date. I’m “of the people, for the people!”
I am a mechanic on a top fuel nitro dragster, and race on weekends at IHRA tracks.
I am like them, not perfect, but focused on my community. I enjoy hard work. I love photography, most of what I do is free. I know my neighbors and a few thousand residents by name. We care about Pflugerville. I want Pflugerville to continue to be the gift that it is. Pflugerville should be a place to settle, raise a family and live a fulfilling life.
I want you to know I take great pride in being accessible, reasonable and dependable with the responsibilities you’ve entrusted to me as an elected leader. I will focus on solutions that strengthen our community today and lay the groundwork for tomorrow— delivering real benefits to Pflugerville while balancing the cost and impact on our city.
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 60 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. For more election coverage, go to www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.
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PFLUGERVILLE - HUTTO EDITION
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