Budget
What would be your budget priorities during your term? What specific actions would you take to address these priorities?
As Commissioner, my primary focus and priority would be to examine all expenditures and SPEND LESS to make sure the budget gets balanced and all services are properly funded. The residents of Harris County entrust the Commissioners to ensure that the money provided from property taxes and federal funds are distributed towards public health and safety, infrastructure, parks and libraries. Basically, I will meet the immediate needs of the community, by ensuring there is a commitment to long term revenue stability and finding revenue flow that is generated from various fees, and bonds that make Harris county a great place to live, work and play. I will protect the homeowners and renters from property tax hikes.
Inflation
The 2025 State of Housing report found cost-burdened households are increasing across Harris County. What actions would you take as Commissioner to address housing affordability and the cost of living for residents of your precinct?
Some cost burdened households are not on your typical low income list like Snap or Medicaid because they are working middle class folks who are being squeezed out of their current lifestyle because of all the rising costs. I will focus on creating abatement strategies that would offer non profits that rehab abandoned apartment buildings or houses tax credits or grants to assist with creating new housing inventory. The county is seeing an increase of evictions that need to be addressed. Giving tax credits to for-profit developers who promise to set aside a few units for low income families is part of the problem. I will work to give cost burdened families the stability of having a roof over their head and avoiding eviction.
Role
How would you balance your responsibility to your precinct’s specific needs with your role as a member of Commissioners Court overseeing the full county budget and services?
First I would show up to work and do the work. I would represent the constituents of Precinct 4 to the best of my ability and use my mediator skills to work with the other commissioners and find solutions to the many issues that face our county. Arguing and fighting with my fellow commissioners isn’t how I plan to handle the job that the voters have trusted me to do. I will focus on the needs of the community of PCT 4 and find ways to get things done for all of the residents of Harris County.
Disaster Preparedness
What is your assessment of Harris County’s current level of investment in disaster preparedness and flood risk reduction, and what changes, if any would you prioritize?
Due to the recent development involving Harris County Flood Control director Tina Petersen resigning in June and putting Harris county in the position of losing millions of federal funding leads me to assess the situation as critical and puts the residents of Harris County in a vulnerable position. The next disaster or flood event could occur and we are not prepared. The current commissioners did not take time to get assessments on the projects, and failed to question the Director or get updates. I find that very disturbing. I would prioritize meeting with project leaders and Flood director to get updates and I would keep the public informed by posting a map with the projects on Readyharris.org and the PCT 4 website
