This is a Republican primary race.  Do you promise, if elected, to abide by the RPT platform? And if not, please enumerate what problems you have.

I do.

What political party registrations have you held in the last 20 years?

I have only been registered to vote as a Republican.

What are the 3 largest challenges currently facing this position/office and your road map to address them?

Public Trust. Restoring public trust is something, which can only be accomplished over time.  In order to do so, strict effort must be paid to the standards of ethics and of right and wrong.  I am committed to raising the bar from legal/illegal to right/wrong.  What may be legal is not always right.  In order to restore the public’s trust, we must air on the side of right.

Mobility.  To address Precinct 2’s mounting mobility challenges, I will immediately work towards a Precinct 2 mobility plan.  Having a plan which lays out the priorities, finances, values, and a timeline of projects based on need.  This foresight allows for strategic planning while ensuring the public their interest is being served.

Property Taxes.  For too long Commissioners have hid behind the hidden tax increases accompanied by the stifling appraisal increases.  While appraisals sored through the roof, Commissioners Court hid behind a stagnant or superficially lowered tax rate, all while the tax payers pay more and more each year for their property.  This is a practice which must end.  While appraisals are out of control, it is within the purview of Commissioner Court to lower the tax rate to ensure tax payers are not saddled with tax increases year over year.  As Commissioner, I will work to make sure this become practice and the tax payers of Montgomery County realize meaningful relief.

Will you vote to limit budget increases to a factor based on population growth and inflation? Explain.

Yes.  The Montgomery County budget has grown at a pace far exceeding the aforementioned limitation.  During the 85th Legislative Session I went to Austin on multiple occasions advocating on behalf of appraisal reform and spending caps such as this. 

What are the top 3 areas where the budget for this office needs to be adjusted?

The budget of the Commissioners office needs to be prioritized based on need and role of the office in the county.  Specifically, the precinct road and bridge budget should not include items not relative to road and bridge.

Do you support using zero-based budget practices for every governmental entity, elected and appointed?

In 2012 I first sought office and as part of my platform I talked about the need for the move towards Zero Based Budgeting.  Until that time, no one other candidate had spoken or advocated for such a transition in budgeting practice.  I have continued to advocate for this move and will do everything in my power to move all of Montgomery County, not just Precinct 2, to a zero-based budget.

What are the balanced budget “rules” for Texas counties in general and for Montgomery County in particular & how/when would you balance the Montgomery County budget & pay off debt?

Financially a balanced budget is a budget whose revenue equals expenditures.  In general, all Texas counties are required to have a balanced budget.  If their expenditures are expected to exceed their revenues, by statute, they must either cut expenditures or raise the tax rate to generate sufficient revenue.  Debt should be retired as prudently as possible with continued efforts made at ways to save tax payers money.

Do you oppose the use of public funds, other than for needed infrastructure, to subsidize the cost of private facilities such as stadiums, arenas, hotels and other such entities?  

I do oppose the use of public funds for above stated projects.  I believe one of the reasons we have seen such a sharp increase in County spending is because county government has strayed from their Constitutionally defined role.  I believe it is crucial we prioritize the role of county government back to its core function.

Will you vote to award any contract with less than three qualified bidders?

I would not be inclined to support the awarding of a contract to a bidder in circumstances where more than one qualified bidder exists, but only one bids the project.

In circumstances where only one provider exists for certain contracts, it is the responsibility of Commissioners Court to be prudent in the vetting and awarding of the contract.  In many cases, comparisons with peer counties and their vendors will provide support information for making the best decision for the tax payers of Montgomery County.

What are your criteria for granting tax abatements and under what, if any, conditions should the county offer incentives for corporations? Why?

The granting of tax abatements must be a closely restricted practice.  It is imperative measures for accountability be in place to ensure companies receiving these abatements meet their guidelines. 

Montgomery County currently has a lengthy policy for the granting of abatements to companies.  One of the ways I believe it could be improved is the designation of full time employees added as well as recognizing the difference between companies hiring new employees and those who are simply going to move a current employee to the county.

Do you support the granting of public tax dollars for economic development in areas that are not economically disadvantaged? Why?

No, because I believe the most effective things county government can do to positively impact economic development is meet their obligations for infrastructure and law enforcement.  This will create an environment and community people and companies will want to live, work, and operate.

Will you vote for or against Certificate of Obligation Bonds?  When is a Cert. of Obligation warranted?  Though statutory(created by legislature), would you publicly condemn it's use for anything other than a true emergency for which it's intended?

I will vote against the use of Certificates of Obligation, except for an emergency where all other alternatives have been exhausted.  If debt is going to be levied against the tax payers, then they should have every opportunity for input at the ballot box.

Is there anything in your background of an embarrassing nature that should be explained before your election? Arrests/Convictions? Bankruptcys?

No.

Do you believe the private conduct of a public official is relevant to that official’s suitability for office?

Yes.

What special interest groups have you belonged to or attended meetings of? Include business, social, civic, educational, environmental or any other cause for which you have advocated or supported with time or money.

The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, Conroe/Lake Conroe Area Chamber of Commerce, Texas Patriots PAC, Montgomery County Tea Party PAC, TCTPC, Lake Conroe Area Republican Women, Montgomery County Republican Women, The Woodlands Republican Women, Northshore Republican Women, Montgomery County Young Republicans, Texas Young Republican Federation, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Conroe Woodlands Willis Metro Go Texan Committee, Montgomery County Fair and Rodeo Non-Livestock Auction Committee, The Woodlands Chapter of the SFA Alumni Association, SFA Alumni Association, SFA Alumni Foundation, Friends of Conroe, Crossroads Baptist Church, The Woodlands Art Council

How much of a problem is county hiring based on the "good old boy" / "loyalty to leadership" instead of one's ability to efficiently and ethically perform their tasks and functions? and what can realistically be done about it?

It is a significant problem.  One thing I believe can be done is more scrutiny given when someone is hired without the position being open, or when it is only opened to the public for a short period of time.

How will you improve the transparency and access to financial and other records for the public?

One of the issues I have witnessed is the time in which it takes each year for the proposed county budget to be posted online after the budget hearings.  This timeframe impedes the public’s ability to weigh in on the budget during the scheduled public hearings.  I believe Commissioners Court should set a hard deadline for the proposed budget to be published online prior to a public hearing being held on the budget.  It is imperative the public have the opportunity to review the proposed budget in enough time to offer public comment.  I also believe Montgomery County should take steps to publish the County’s check registry online.  Several counties and many school districts have taken this step in transparency and I believe Montgomery County should do the same.

What's your position on Toll Roads?

I am opposed to toll roads.

What amount of road bonds are needed for Montgomery county and why is that the appropriate amount?

To meet Montgomery County’s infrastructure needs additional bond money will be needed.  However, before such funding is pursued, it is necessary steps are taken to ensure the maintenance for existing roads is prioritized and funded through the annual budget and not through bond debt. 

Additionally, a comprehensive county-wide mobility plan should be conducted to prioritize projects, assign value, cost estimates, and impact based on growing needs of the county.  This prioritization will provide the most accurate and transparent action plan for the county’s needs. 

Will you vote for increasing the public debt of Montgomery County to fund road construction/maintenance?

I have spoken often of prioritizing county government to its core function.  A part of this is providing for the infrastructure needs of Montgomery County.  In order to do this, we must work to ensure our roads are on a maintenance schedule and the necessary resources are allocated for these annual needs.  Funding road maintenance through bond debt is a poor financial decision because in many cases the life span of the maintenance conducted is shorter than the timeframe of the debt.

Are you active with any Tea Party or conservative grassroots organization? If so, list which, how long and what capacity? If not, what's your opinion of Tea Party groups here as to their effectiveness?

No.

Do religious and moral views have any role in the county governance process? Why or why not?

Yes, because I believe these views set a higher standard for how our government should operate.