Voters Guide

May 10, 2008, Local Elections

McKinney City Council

Early voting – April 28 through May 6

Election day – Polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This Voters Guide is published by the League of Women Voters of Plano/Collin County to help citizens prepare to cast an informed vote. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that works to promote political responsibility through active, informed participation of all citizens in their government. The League does not support or oppose any political party or candidate.

All candidates for the respective offices were invited to participate. If a candidate did not respond by the deadline, “No Response Received” is printed. Responses were limited to 100 words and truncated with // after the 100^th word.

Candidates for McKinney City Council, At-Large

Sherry Tucker David

1. Please describe the training and experience that qualify you for this office.

I have been active in the community for several years on a cross section of boards and commissions; McKinney Chamber of Commerce, Art Commission, Tourism Board to name some. All these positions required planning, setting vision, teamwork and negotiating skills in order to succeed. I think these are the very skills that our city council needs around the table. We need to be open and communicative in how we run city hall.

2. What are the most important transportation problems in McKinney and how would you solve them?

McKinney has to continue to stay ahead of the game with the planning and building of roads because development follows roads and not the other way around. Quality development is what drives increasing the tax base, which in turn provides the funding to make our city work (without creating tax increase to homeowners). That said, just building more roads is not the complete answer. We must keep our minds open to rail and air service as well as other options in order to adequately address transportation in a regional manner.

3. What are the most important environmental issues in McKinney and how would you solve them?

Rapid growth has challenged us on all fronts, including on our environment. It’s increased a strain on our water resources, reduced the quality of our air, changed our topography and gobbled away at open space. If we value these natural resources then collectively we must make a shift in how we use them. One of the things that local government needs to do is to plan —look for ways to get ahead of the game and not just react. Make sustainable use of our natural environment a priority. Put policies in place…and enforce them…then it will get done.

4. How would you balance the needs of landowners and existing businesses with the interests in new development and expanding the tax base in areas such as downtown, technology districts, vacant strip malls?

It’s a fact that having a good mix of retail, manufacturing and residential development is key to keeping homeowner taxes lower. In addition, good zoning and quality development helps to create a sense of place and differentiates one city from another. Listening to what citizens want is best for the whole of the city and communicating clearly why decisions are made help to keep all concerned on the same page. Setting a vision for what McKinney wants to be and look like and then planning to make it happen on purpose is the answer.

5. How would you ensure an adequate water supply for the city at reasonable rates, even during droughts?

Isn’t that the million-dollar question? The key to providing adequate city services in a period of time of exponential growth is plan far enough out that we stay ahead. In addition to planning, we must reconsider and change how we use our resources. There are other areas of the country that have been dealing with water issues, so why not look around and see how they have dealt with this successfully? No need to reinvent the wheel.

6. What are the most important issues you think will come before the City Council in the next three years? What are your views on these issues?

Fast growth is behind every decision we will deal with. How do we maintain (and improve) the quality of life that is bringing people to the region? Quality of life is broad term that includes good fire and police protection, reasonable housing costs, low taxes, good government, excellent public schools, open spaces, access to parks, recreation and cultural activities.

What is the vision for McKinney 25,30…50 years out? Can we make the best decisions if we don’t have this goal in place? In order for McKinney to be a “Great City,” then we must plan now!

Marta Gore

1. Please describe the training and experience that qualify you for this office.

My experience on various board’s and committees qualify me. They include: former Chairperson of the McKinney Parks and Recreation Board; the citizens group that contributed to the city’s comprehensive plan and adopted in March 2004; McKinney ISD’s Redistribution of Student Population Committee in 2005; co-chair of the city’s Parks and Recreation 2006 bond committee; McKinney’s executive bond committee in 2006 which passed in the local election. Current Stonebridge Ranch Home Owners Association Board of Director; North Collin County Habitat for Humanity’s Board of Director; and Board of Governors for Imagine International Academy of North Texas.

2. What are the most important transportation problems in McKinney and how would you solve them?

Roads and infrastructure are the most important because we have very old roads on the east side and in the historic district and we have roads that need to be established in the newer areas and everything in between. This has affected traffic flow and safety as well as commerce. Solution, through the recent local, county and state road bond proposals that has been passed, let us be good stewards to our citizens and delivery a smoother traffic flow that is safe and efficient.

3. What are the most important environmental issues in McKinney and how would you solve them?

Our precious and limited resource, water, is an important environmental issue. The key is in the reward to conserve water for residence and commercial property. Landscaping is the largest cost of water. Commercially some suggestions may be installing drip irrigation and using recycled water. For residential conservation, install an approved ET controller. Also we should have a discussion with North Texas Municipal Water District to encourage them to develop a reward system for the cities that reduce water usage.

McKinney is unique in that it is over 150 years old with infrastructure that runs the gamete from extremely historic to brand new or not even developed. There is still open space for growth. Since McKinney is still growing it is important to bring in both new development and conduct retail revamp with major reconfiguration and new facades on existing development. This will show continuity throughout the city no matter where you live.

5. How would you ensure an adequate water supply for the city at reasonable rates, even during droughts?

We should practice conservation now so that we are not affected later. Develop policy that is equitable for residential and commercial by rewarding conservation.

6. What are the most important issues you think will come before the City Council in the next three years? What are your views on these issues?

Road improvements, public safety, integrating open spaces, and McKinney Economic Development Corporation’s future are coming before the council. Since we already have the funds for road improvements through past local, county, and state bond elections, fiscal responsibility ensures the projects are on time and within budget. Public safety through quick response time requires the necessary facilities, equipment, and personnel. McKinney’s natural beauty ensures we are unique by nature but requires a commitment to integrating our open spaces. Finally, having a strong economy is important to sustain McKinney’s growth. MEDC can help guarantee a strong economy by bringing diverse commercial business //

Pete Huff

1. Please describe the training and experience that qualify you for this office.

Served on McKinney city council for 6 years; served on or as liason to most of the city boards; serve on State of Texas Aviation Advisory Committee. Have worked with two different City Managers and multiple council members. Helped find, interview and recruit our new City Manager. Helped to develop new comprehensive plan for city. Built two major multi-million dollars international manufacturing companies and have the ability to impartially analyze costs and benefits of proposed projects. I have no conflicts of interest and have consistently weighed issues to the mutual good of the taxpayers and city.

2. What are the most important transportation problems in McKinney and how would you solve them?

Growth requires roads. McKinney has too many “log jam” intersections especially along US 75 and along Custer Road. We need to work better with the county, state and surrounding cities to try to get more funds for road construction. McKinney also needs to look at long-term mass transit which might connect us to DART. In the interim this might mean buses to the nearest DART station at strategic, commuting times. The Collin County Regional Airport at McKinney is destined to have commercial air service.

3. What are the most important environmental issues in McKinney and how would you solve them?

McKinney needs to go “green” when it is economically viable and encourage new companies to do the same. This will ultimately save on natural resources. We need to preserve as much natural area as possible and maintain our “Unique by Nature” goal. McKinney also needs to continue work on our lakes seeking as much federal and state funding as possible to preserve them. These lakes are jewels to our community.

First, a balance of new home development must be coupled with attracting new higher wage paying companies. McKinney should become a leader in attracting “green” industries. City Council must be careful not to give the city away with tax breaks that don’t have payoff potential in a reasonable period of time. We should not approve MUDS. Second, for downtown, we must continue to support unique events (Dickens on the Square, Oktober Fest (new this year), Red, White and Boom, Taste of Collin County, etc) which attract tourist dollars and/or help non-profits.

5. How would you ensure an adequate water supply for the city at reasonable rates, even during droughts?

The state has a lot of control over water allocation. McKinney must do all it can to conserve the use of water such as our current incentives for smart sprinkler controllers and watering restrictions. We should encourage new buildings to collect and reuse water . We need to work with the North Texas Municipal Water District and its members to provide enough water for our growth yet constantly reducing our usage per person

6. What are the most important issues you think will come before the City Council in the next three years? What are your views on these issues?

1. Transportation – We need to continue building roads by securing more funds from the state and federal governments. We must develop our airport and find a way to get DART or regional rail service.

2. Balance our finances by economic development to offset the cost of new residential units. We must prioritize our needs and balance that against our revenues while not increasing taxes.

3. Quality of Life. Including Police and Fire, keeping our small home town feel, building and maintaining parks, preserving and growing our Historic downtown, providing cultural choices like MPAC and downtown events.