What makes you qualified for this office?  Name three main reasons you believe you’re the best candidate for this position?

I feel that I am qualified in regards to having experience working on a local board assisting with overseeing $20 million dollars of property and sales tax revenue, whereas this district's operating budget is only roughly $2.3 million of fees collected in water bills.

I have worked over the years in my career with both federal and the state of Texas purchasing requirements and regulations.  I believe in a zero-based budget from the get go of any taxing entity, along with reasonable and appropriate capital expense requests as needed and funded. Finally, I feel qualified as a candidate because I have the interests of the Average Citizen and not the interests of the water/sewer industries in the area.

In your opinion, does Does Montgomery County have a water resource or regulation problem?  Why?

I believe there is a Water regulation issue at hand with two warranties enacting fees on all water bills in Montgomery County.  This regulation issue is in part due to appointed officials years and years in the making, verses elected officials.

Is this position currently fulfilling its obligations?

I am not convinced that the current position has the best interests of the general public at hand.

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

1. Transparency upfront to gain confidence of the public tax payers.

2. External Audit from 2001-Present, so that elected board understands the past and can successfully plan the future.

3. Dealing with the appointed board of the SJRA.

Who has ownership of the land below and the air above and how far of each?  Is groundwater considered a person’s private property under the Texas Constitution?

The Private Real Property Rights Preservation Act in 2007 set up rights in regards to groundwater for property owners.  

Are you familiar with the enabling legislation and any subsequent legislation regarding the LSGCD creation, powers, authorities, duties, etc.?

Yes. Created in 2001 under state legislature. Duty is to preserve, conserve and protect local groundwater.

What aquifer or aquifers does LSGCD regulate?

The Gulf Coast Aquifer is the primary aquifer. Alternative water source is the Catahoula Aquifer.

How much subsurface water is contained under Montgomery County, as determined by Texas Development Water Board in their TERS(Total Estimated Recoverable Storage)  Report 2014?

I am unsure at this time.

What impact does the LSGCD have on our water bills?

Answered below, question on here twice.

Who is endorsing you and what is their relationship to you?

No one is endorsing me. I am running for the Average Citizen to have a Voice with this local water entity.

Should an aquifer be regulated based on its physical boundaries, or based on the boundaries of political subdivisions of the state?

Physical boundaries, not tied to any political subdivision.

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.

I have run for local office three times and was successfully elected twice. Elected to Harris County ESD7 2009-2012 and 2016-2017, left position due to moving out of the jurisdiction of the ESD in 2017. Ran for Harris County ESD11 in 2014, but was unsuccessful. 

What impact does the LSGCD have on our water bills?

This entity is collecting a "fee" towards conservation of water in the area. I believe it impacts all water bill users in regards to rising fees, with no oversight of reducing overall expenditures within the district to be able to reduce such a fee. 

List all individuals/groups you have represented or lobbied for before any governmental entity during the past five years.

None.

Do you support fair and equitable rules for all owners of the common reservoir?  Do you believe that a “common reservoir” is the same as an “aquifer” or “aquifer subdivision”?  Explain.

I believe that fair and equitable rules for all water usage/consumption should be applied and/or allowed for reservoirs and aquifers.

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

1. Reduction in litigation fees.

2. Review and salary caps on payroll expense for a minimum of 2-3 consecutive years.

3.Reduction in program expenses.

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

Yes, a zero-based budget should be utilized with governmental agencies.

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

Yes the budget should be evaluated in regards to any potential increases, due to the amount of revenue generated from the fees and due to the increased population growth in our area. 

If additional funding is being generated above and beyond the operating budget and reserve funds, than a fee reduction should be enacted by the board of commissioners.

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

No. It is important to have transparency from the beginning of the bid process through the end. Minimum of 3 required bids that provide equipment, training, services, etc. that are comparable.

Have you ever been convicted as result of arrest? Ever had any tax liens? If so, give start & resolution dates?

No, never convicted as a result of an arrest.  Never had any tax liens of any nature ever.

Should two local government entities force residents to pay billions of dollars for infrastructure development without a vote?

No. The voters should have the right to vote and set the rates that these two entities seem  to have 100% control of, as "fees", on every water bill in Montgomery County, Texas.

Do you support the new board engaging an independent third party to conduct an audit of LSGCD operations and make the findings public?

Yes. A full independent audit should be accomplished from 2001-present while the board was appointed.  It will be a building block of transparency with newly elected board.

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?

Yes. Tax dollars should not be utilized for private entities whatsoever.  

What political party have you affilated with over the last twenty years? Do you believe in that party platform(all of it or % part - if %, please describe what you disagree with?

I believe in voting for the best candidate that is fit for the position. I believe we should vote in individuals that are going to help reduce overall expenditures in office throughout the government.

What actions should the LSGCD take to implement change that would result in lower water rates for consumers?

They need to reduce their internal and external expenditures overall. There is potential unnecessary spending that should be reduced overall within the district.

In 2009, the LSGCD mandated a 30% reduction on water withdrawal from underground aquifers.  On what scientific data was that decision based on?

I'm not fully aware of the 30% reduction in water withdrawal from underground aquifers enacted by LSGCD.

When and how was the LSGD created?  What are the duties? Where is their authority derived?

It was created back in 2001 from the state legislative session. Their duties are to preserve, conserve and protect local ground water supplies. Their authority comes from the state statues that approved water conservation districts throughout the state of Texas. The duties come from Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code.