What are the three main reasons you are running for this office? Do you see any potential conflicts of interest?

1. I have been a practicing attorney for 36 years and am a former Presiding Judge for the City of Oak Ridge North. During my years of being a judge I handled thousands of cases ranging from administrative law cases to ruling on zoning violations.
2. My depth of experience as a litigator and Judge will provide a practical perspective on cases and issues that come under the County Attorney’s purview make me the most qualified candidate for the position. I am also admitted to practice before The United States Supreme Court, The Northern & Southern Federal District Courts of Texas and my opponent with his limited legal experience is not admitted to any of these.
3. I have three times the legal experience of my opponent and I am also the only candidate with a Bachelor of Business degree. I can efficiently manage and run the office of County Attorney.

What do you see as the 3 major challenges for your office over this next term?

1. Effectively managing caseloads by reviewing every issue brought before Commissioner’s Court that calls for the expenditure of funds and or acceptance or rejection of contract proposals. It is time to stop the “Going along to get along” attitude.
2. Also every lawsuit needs to be reviewed carefully before any decision is made to settle or take the matter to trial. We need to stop just writing a check and settling frivolous lawsuits without reviewing the matter carefully.

3. Having a County Attorney willing to take a stand against the back room deals and the off the books deals.

What goals do you have in mind, if you are elected, and to which you want to be measured against in the coming term?

1. Ensuring that each department’s staff is cross trained in other department’s procedures and practices so there will not be anymore shortages due to accidents or illnesses that stop business as usual.
2. I will also reduce the number of open record requests sent to the Attorney General for review the requested documents have been provided.
3. I can, and will, operate within the current budget and will not seek additional funds over the budget.

Do you favor term limits? Please explain why or why not.

Yes!! I believe public office should not be a job for life. Two terms should be the limit otherwise the longer public servants are in office typically their desire to serve the public turns into holding onto their job.

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 belong or have belonged to the following organizations: Tea party, Conroe Cruisers Car Club, Special Angels of the Woodlands, PADI, 33 years as a reserve Deputy with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department.

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

Republican

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

I have never lobbied for any person or organization but have represented numerous clients before different governmental entities such as The State of Texas, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH), State Comptroller, etc.

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

I believe every county department should operate within their given budget and not continually ask Commissioners’ Court for more and more money. It is time to stop the over spending and wastefulness and operate within the given 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?

What Montgomery County needs to understand is that you cannot borrow yourself out of debt! I wish the County Attorney’s Office dealt with this issue. My personal opinion has always been if you cannot afford it do not buy it.

When is a Certificate of Obligation warranted?  Though statutory (created by legislature), would you publicly condemn/prevent its use for anything other than a true emergency for which it's intended?

We have had far too many of these issued for pet projects or to repay a promise to someone. If it is a bona fide emergency and the county actually needs the item or project then I would support the issuance. Again, I believe the County Attorney has to stop going along to get along and stand up and question these and any other questionable items, payouts or contracts.

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

Yes, I believe every county department should operate within their budget and stop continually asking for more and more when it’s not a work based request but rather a needless and wasteful request. Having been self employed for the past 36 years I believe you need to earn the money you request and not expect to be bailed out every time you want something. I also believe you need to earn what you are given.

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, why should the tax payers be financially responsible to make a profit for a private owner

In light of census data showing average taxpayer salaries of $40K, what salary would be appropriate for the office you are seeking?

I believe the County Attorney salary should equal but not exceed that of a State District Court Judge.

What are the criteria for granting tax abatements?

Tax abatements should be based on what is not only the short term benefit to the county but long term as well. Historically, it appears on the surface that we get a great opportunity but two to five years into the abatement it has turned into a negative.

As property assessments increase, giving government a bigger piece of an ever-increasing pie, should tax rates decrease so that tax revenue remains constant or grows at a reasonable rate? What is a reasonable growth rate for tax revenue?

What is a reasonable growth rate for tax revenue? Taxes are never fair to someone. As long as we have property taxes no one will ever truly own their home. Given the current rate of over spending by the US government and state government, it is increasingly harder and harder to justify any tax raises.

This is not an issue the County Attorney’s Office would handle or even address in an opinion.

What's your opinion on Toll Roads, in general?  What's your position on county using taxpayer money to fund Tomball Toll Road, yet using toll fees for maintenance?

Toll roads have and always will be a failure. Too much money is spent on concerns not related to the toll road and far too many private companies profit rather than the county. The North Dallas Toll way was to be paid for in four years in 1966 – 1970 and we are still paying tolls to use it.

Do you think the county needs to zone areas to control population densities and development patterns?

Having heard zoning cases as a Judge I came to realize that as a whole, zoning can far too quickly become nothing but a revenue generator or a solution to drive through a special needs project. If we have zoning in Montgomery County, I as your County Attorney would want to be involved in every step of the process to insure it is fair and reasonable for everyone not just a select few.

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

Yes, if you do not have a sound moral base you cannot make good decisions. Too many officials feel that once they are elected that the rules no longer apply to them, and that selfish behavior has always ended up costing the tax payers.

Do you support awarding any contract with less than three qualified bidders and if so, when is it appropriate?

Yes, unless there is a justifiable reason to award a contract on a sole source basis.  However, far too often there is only one bidder and consequently Montgomery County does not receive the benefit of true competitive bidding. To preserve the integrity of the competitive bid system three or more bids should be required before making an award. And, before an award is made the selection committee has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that contractor/awardee meets certain general standards even if they are not incorporated in to the solicitation.

Contractors should be evaluated against the following criteria:

(1) adequate financial resources; (2) ability to comply with the delivery or performance schedule; (3) satisfactory performance record; (4) satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics; (5) necessary organization and experience; (6) necessary equipment and facilities; and (7) otherwise qualified and eligible. The seventh criterion—“otherwise qualified and eligible”—encompasses collateral requirements, or other provisions of law specifying when contractors are disqualified from or ineligible for awards.

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

Yes, if you do not have a sound moral base you cannot make good decisions in your own life or public matters.

What is your opinion of the Joe Corley Jail and Mo. County Mental Health debacles and what has been/can be done to prevent the reoccurrence of an event like that?  

I believe if the County Attorney had not been so concerned with keeping his budget/job and not gone along to get along but had questioned any part of both of these debacles we would not be faced with the quagmire we have now. As your County Attorney I will be sure any deals/negotiations can stand the light of day otherwise I will be the first to bring it to the public’s attention. Given my 36 years as a lawyer I have dealt with five and six figure cases and can bring that experience to the office so we do not get involved in anymore quicksand pits.

What position did you take on the May 9, 2009 road bond? Why? What amount of road bonds are needed for Montgomery county and why is that the appropriate amount?

Road bonds issue is not the roads but how much else is attached to it that is nothing but pork!! The last road bond was a prime example. Yes we need to improve our transportation routes but at what cost? I would be in favor of road bonds if we had a true road bond issue and not everything else.

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?

Member the last three years but sad to say not very active.

Rank these issues (individually or as groups) by their importance with "1" being most important to you: abortion, ALAC, balancing the budget, civil unions and homosexual marriage, diversion of dedicated funds, English only, immigration, obamacare, property tax, sanctuary cities, school budgeting, CScope, toll roads, transportation, voter ID & water.

1. Immigration 2. Water 3. Sanctuary Cities 4. Obama Care 5. English Only 6. Homosexual marriage 7. Property taxes 8. Voter ID 9. Balance Budget 10. Cscope 11. Transportation 12. Abortion 13. School Budgets 14. Toll Roads 15. Civil Unions 16. ALAC 17. Div. Ded. Funds