Collin County Voter Guide 2013

Collin CountyMay 2013 Municipal Election

VOTER GUIDEVOTER GUIDE

A Star Local Media publication

Page 2 — Star Local News — April 1, 2013

Table of ContentsAllen ISD Board of Trustees, p3Celina City Council, p8Frisco City Council, p10Frisco ISD Board of Trustees, p12McKinney City Council, p13Plano City Council, p18Plano ISD Board of Trustees, p21

In order to better inform readers about the upcoming munici-pal elections, Star Local News sent questionnaires to all can-didates running for city council or school board in themarkets we cover. Each candidate was asked questions andgiven a word limit to use however they saw fit. Candidateswho wrote more than the word limit had their answers short-ened at our discretion. Candidates who are not included inthis guide did not return their questionnaires by the deadline.

The entire contents of this publication areCopyright 2013 by Star CommunityNewspapers. No portion may be repro-duced in whole or in part by any meanswithout the express written permission ofStar Community Newspapers. Opinionsexpressed by the candidates are those ofthe author.

April 1, 2013 — Star Local News — Page 3

Allen ISD Board of Trustees

AAggee:: 52

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: StrategicBusiness Unit Manager forFlexLink Systems, Inc. Imanage a business unit thatprovides conveyor and au-tomation solutions to compa-nies in the US and selectsolutions globally. I havebeen in the same industry for23 years and have been withmy current employer for 12years.

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: I have 30 plus years ofbusiness experience and have been involvedin all aspects of business operations, strategydevelopment and business development.Early in my career, I was involved in law en-forcement, corporate security, safety and en-vironmental management.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Bachelor of Science Degreein Business Service from the University ofToledo, Ohio, Major in Accounting; Associ-ates Degree in Law Enforcement from OwensTechnical College, Perrysburg, Ohio

FFaammiillyy:: Wife Debbie, 6 Children – 3 in el-ementary school in Allen

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorr tthhee sscchhoooollbbooaarrdd??

I am proud of Allen ISD schools and wouldlike to be part of developing strategies for thenext phase of Allen’s growth. I support pub-lic education and enjoy working on programsthat help children. I have three children at-tending elementary school in Allen. I haveprovided leadership to programs and organi-zations that benefit kids including coachingyouth sports, being the President of AllenGifted, Inc., being a leader for a large churchcarnival in Allen, and being a “watchdog” inAllen schools. I feel that I have somethinggood to offer with my diverse background insafety, security, law enforcement, environ-

mental, education, programleadership and businessmanagement.

WWhhaatt qquuaalliiffiieess yyoouu ffoorr aasscchhooooll bbooaarrdd sseeaatt??

I have been a provenleader in all aspects of mycareer, including businessand organizations. I have adiverse background in manyareas that impact school de-cisions like budgets and stu-dent security. I have workedclosely with Allen ISD as thePresident of Allen Gifted,Inc. and have knowledge of

the way Allen ISD works. I have been trainedprofessionally in leadership and know how toanalyze information to make sound deci-sions. I am honest, trustworthy and believethat you do what is right in every situation.In my many years of managing, working andleading organizations, I have developed thecommunications skills required for servingon the school board.

TThhee ssttaattee lleeggiissllaattuurree iiss ccoonnssiiddeerriinngg aabbiillll tthhaatt wwoouulldd aallllooww aa ttrraaiinneedd aaddmmiinniissttrraa--ttoorr oorr tteeaacchheerr ttoo sseerrvvee aass aa ““sscchhooooll mmaarr--sshhaall”” aanndd kkeeeepp aa gguunn uunnddeerr lloocckk--aanndd--kkeeyyffoorr uussee iinn tthhee ccaassee ooff aann aarrmmeedd aattttaacckkeerr..DDoo yyoouu tthhiinnkk hhaavviinngg gguunnss aatt sscchhoooollss iiss aannaapppprroopprriiaattee sseeccuurriittyy mmeeaassuurree??

When it comes to student security, I feelthat all options should be on the table forconsideration. Protection of our kids shouldbe a very high priority for the district. Stu-dent security decisions like school Marshall’sand guns are not something anyone can an-swer without considering all other aspects ofstudent security and safety. There are manysecurity measures that can be put in placefor Allen ISD schools before having to decideon adding armed guards or people. I won’tdiscuss security measures I recommend forthe sake of giving away the benefit of exam-ining changes that can be made in the future.Allen ISD will have to weigh many factors be-

fore determining that guns are a required el-ement of student security. About 1/3 of USschools have armed guards and some schools,like in Montpelier, Ohio, who are arming jan-itors will benchmark how effective the ideaof armed marshals is for schools? Allen canmonitor others for now while considering andimplementing several other security meas-ures in the meantime which could be as ef-fective as the proposed HB solution. OneAllen resident suggested to me that weshould employ armed forces veterans andthose being in the service laid off for securityin schools? This is an area that requirescareful planning and consideration of all therelevant factors and possibilities.

WWhhiillee tthhee ssttaattee lleeggiissllaattuurree iiss ccoonnssiiddeerr--iinngg rreessttoorriinngg aa ppoorrttiioonn ooff tthhee $$55..44 bbiilllliioonn iittccuutt ffrroomm sscchhooooll ffuunnddiinngg llaasstt sseessssiioonn,, iittiissnn’’tt lliikkeellyy ttoo ffuullllyy rreessttoorree tthhee ccuuttss.. WWiitthhtthhiiss iinn mmiinndd,, wwhhaatt aarree tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaannttaarreeaass iinn AAlllleenn IISSDD’’ss bbuuddggeett ttoo ssaaffeegguuaarrddffrroomm ccoonnttiinnuueedd ffuunnddiinngg rreedduuccttiioonnss oorr ttoo ddii--rreecctt mmoonneeyy ttoowwaarrdd sshhoouulldd ffuunnddiinngg bbee rree--ssttoorreedd??

In the Allen ISD annual budget of$141.5M, 68% is used for instruction (teach-ers), and this should be increased if addi-tional funding becomes available. Classroomsizes are being stretched, and in order tomaintain a high quality of education, weneed to keep classroom sizes manageable forteachers and insure students receive fairtime and attention. Allen is already lowerthan many districts in the dollars per studentspent at $7,071. So, let’s make sure that weget the best teachers and add where pro-grams have been cut or reduced because ofthe state budget cuts. Allen has a large por-tion of kids in AP and advanced placementprograms which could be expanded. Techni-cal trades training could be added. Improvedsecurity measures for schools would be goodfor consideration. There will also come a daywhen converting from text books to elec-tronic devices will be considered. One areaof interest for me in evaluating is the num-ber of staff and administration to the num-

ber of teachers allocated in the annualbudget.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaanntt aattttrriibbuuttee ffoorraa sscchhooooll bbooaarrdd mmeemmbbeerr ttoo hhaavvee??

Trust – people in the community electsomeone and want to have trust that deci-sions and actions that that person makes willbe in the best interest of the school district,students and community. School board mem-bers must have trust that the person servingon the school board will act according to theguidelines and professionally represent theirelected position. Allen needs consistencyand people who can maintain what is knownas the “Allen Way.”

WWhhaatt ootthheerr iimmppoorrttaanntt iissssuueess ddoo yyoouu ffeeeelltthhee sscchhooooll ddiissttrriicctt iiss ffaacciinngg??

As mentioned earlier, I believe there ismuch more to do with student security, re-ducing class sizes and adding programs thatfill the needs of a growing district. It is im-portant that Allen ISD maintain the highgraduation level (98%) but also insure thatthe needs of all students are being met in-cluding extracurricular programs, special ed-ucation and needs, state mandatedprograms, opportunities like technical tradestraining and maintaining the fiscal excel-lence we enjoy in Allen. We also need tomake sure that our teachers are learning andmaintaining the highest level of academic ca-pabilities. 43% of Allen teachers have 11+years of experience which is great, but weneed to make sure they continue to be thebest and stay in Allen teaching our kids.Technology should be a consideration sinceit is available and allows for students to havethe most up-to-date information and allowsfor skills development that will be part oftheir future in college and work life. We needto maintain sound American values and prin-ciples to insure today’s students maintain theimportance of the beliefs of our country.Bullying is something that is happening inAllen and needs to be stopped so programsand efforts in this area need to be imple-mented.

KKeenn LLeennttoo -- PPllaaccee 44

For voting locations, visit allenisd.org/Page/19043


AAggee:: 43

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Engineerand school management(owner of Rivercrest PrivateSchool in Allen)

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: 21 years of experiencein the field of informationtechnology. 18 years of expe-rience in school manage-ment (U.S. and abroad)

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Bachelor ofEngineering (Computer Sci-ence)

FFaammiillyy:: My wife Shubha Srivatsa, anddaughters Nandita Srivatsa and Namrata Sri-vatsa.

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorr sscchhooooll bbooaarrdd??I have been involved with Allen ISD and

its activities the past several years. I alsohave a daughter who went through elemen-tary, middle and is now in the high school. Ihave another daughter who is still in ele-mentary school.

I come from a family of educators andteachers. My grandfather was a headmasterof a high school working for British India;two of my uncles were teachers and head-masters and worked in various capacities inthe education department; my dad owns twoschools.

My experience, knowledge in school man-agement, involvement on the strategic plan-ning team, family of educators andunwavering passion to the serve the commu-nity in the field of education made me de-cide to run for this office.


I have studied the cur-rent challenges faced byAllen school district.

I have come up with a listof “Have you considered?”items which can be used forbrainstorming ideas thatcan help handle these chal-lenges.

I have shown leadershipskills and have been suc-cessful in running organiza-tions and school.

I have exhibited interper-sonal skills which prove that

I can work with people and get things done.I have been on the executive committees

of various nonprofit and charitable organiza-tions and helped in raising funds and help-ing the underprivileged.


I am not an anti-gun person at all; how-ever, the teachers or school staffs should notbe the people who carry guns with kidsaround them. A gun kept under lock-and-keywill be of very little help when “time” is theessence during an emergency situation.

A well-trained, uniformed and armed offi-cer outside the school building, keeping vigiland preventing any kind of weapons gettinginside the school building would be a bettersecurity measure.

In many of these unfortunate incidents,we have seen that as soon as the police are

on the scene, the miscreant either surren-ders or kills himself. So, in my opinion, thevery presence of a uniformed, armed officialupfront will help in intimidating the at-tacker and avoid the situation in most of thecases.

I have discussed the security concernswith many parents and teachers of Allenschools and they all bring good ideas on en-hancing the security in the school premises.I understand that Allen ISD has been plan-ning to put together a team of experts, in-cluding community members, to come upwith an effective plan to address the secu-rity issue. I am confident that the combina-tion of experts and the school board willcome up with an efficient and cost-effectivesecurity plan.

WWhhiillee tthhee ssttaattee lleeggiissllaattuurree iiss ccoonnssiiddeerr--iinngg rreessttoorriinngg aa ppoorrttiioonn ooff tthhee $$55..44 bbiilllliioonniitt ccuutt ffrroomm sscchhooooll ffuunnddiinngg llaasstt sseessssiioonn,, iittiissnn’’tt lliikkeellyy ttoo ffuullllyy rreessttoorree tthhee ccuuttss.. WWiitthhtthhiiss iinn mmiinndd,, wwhhaatt aarree tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaannttaarreeaass iinn AAlllleenn IISSDD’’ss bbuuddggeett ttoo ssaaffeegguuaarrddffrroomm ccoonnttiinnuueedd ffuunnddiinngg rreedduuccttiioonnss oorr ttooddiirreecctt mmoonneeyy ttoowwaarrdd sshhoouulldd ffuunnddiinngg bbee rree--ssttoorreedd??

I am not sure how much money will be re-stored and what funds will be allocated toAllen ISD. If we get funds from the statethese are the areas that can be consideredto apply those funds to:

Reduce teacher to student ratio and re-duce the classroom size by hiring moreteachers and aides.

Review and consider raises / benefits forteachers and staff

Allocate funds for implementing the dis-trict’s strategic plans

Implementing security and safety meas-ures in all the schools in Allen

When the funding was cut, the citizens

voted in a tax ratification election and sup-ported tax increase to help the school dis-trict. If we are getting funds back then Ithink dropping the taxes should be consid-ered. In my personal opinion, we should helpthe people who helped the district in diffi-cult times.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaanntt aattttrriibbuutteeffoorr aa sscchhooooll bbooaarrdd mmeemmbbeerr ttoo hhaavvee??

The school board is a group of sevenmembers working with the superintendentto make important decisions about the edu-cation system of the city.

Keeping this fact in mind, I think themost important attribute for a school boardmember is to be a “well informed teamplayer with forethought and leadershipskills.”


The important issues at present are:State Funding formula: Due to which

Allen ISD has been getting the lowest perstudent funding based on the target revenuesystem. This formula was implemented in2006 and has not been revised since.

Testing and accountability system: Theend of course exams need to be efficient andgeared towards the education path the stu-dents are opting to take. The students needto have some flexibility in choosing theirpath, yet rigor should be maintained in thetesting process.

Security and safety measures in allschools: Allen ISD has a buzzer system in allits schools to screen visitors before lettingthem inside the building. However, thereneeds to be increased security to ensure thesafety of children and staff. AISD has beenputting efforts to work on putting efficientsecurity measures in place.

Allen ISD Board of TrusteesVVaattssaa RRaammaannaatthhaann -- PPllaaccee 44



For voting locations, visit celina-tx.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=127&Itemid=284


AAggee:: 53

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: I am a riskengineering consultant whoprovides commercial prop-erty and casualty loss preven-tion, consulting andinspection services. I havebeen employed in this indus-try for over 20 years.

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: I am currently inmy second year as the PTAPresident for Evans Elemen-tary School in Allen. I havealso served as volunteer coor-dinator. I served on the Board of the JuniorLeague of Arlington and held various leader-ship positions. While living in the KansasCity area, I was the volunteer coordinator forthe Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead inOverland Park, Kansas.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: I graduated from the Univer-sity of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelors ofScience Degree in Civil Engineering. I am aCertified Safety Professional and CertifiedProfessional Environmental Auditor.

FFaammiillyy:: I have been married to my hus-band, Jay Gnadt, for 14 years and have twochildren, Tricia (13) and Emily (11).


I believe that Texas public schools are at acrossroads where the impact of current leg-islative issues and local strategic planningprocesses require fresh, bold approaches to

build and maintain learningenvironments in our schools.This environment will helpstudents succeed academi-cally, intellectually, sociallyand physically to become21st century leaders. I willbring her proven leadership,strategic planning, commu-nication and organizationalskills to serve the students,parents and faculty of theAllen ISD in strengtheningand sustaining the schooldistrict’s outstanding repu-tation.

WWhhaatt qquuaalliiffiieess yyoouu ffoorr aa sscchhooooll bbooaarrddsseeaatt??

Proven Leadership: As the current PTAPresident of Evans Elementary, I understandthe daily demands on students, parents, fac-ulty and staff to administer a successfullearning environment. I have worked withthe school volunteers to develop better PTAcommunication with their new website.Also, I have been instrumental in raisingfunds to purchase a classroom set of 30 iPadsto enhance the electronic learning of theirstudents.

Your Voice: I have demonstrated an abil-ity to listen to all sides of the issue and en-sures that decisions represent the majority ofconcerns. My skills include asking toughquestions and understanding the rationalebehind major decisions. I will have her earon all concerns with parents, students, fac-ulty and staff members.

Business Experience: With over 20 yearsof professional experience, I understand the

need to provide clear, consistent communica-tion regarding any potential changes to anorganization. This takes experience in themanagement of change and requires strate-gic and tactical communication skills.


The key is the definition of a “trained” ad-ministrator or teacher i.e. school marshal.Most responsible gun owners have partici-pated in a formal concealed handgun train-ing course. These courses are typically 1-2days in length and meet the needs to obtaina handgun permit. The school marshalswould have to be trained in active shooter re-sponse tactics which includes the mental,tactical and understanding the temperamentnecessary to meet these emergency situa-tions. For professionals this skill takes mul-tiple years of training and a full timecommitment to the job responsibility. Hence,a professional law enforcement officer wouldbe a better choice to serve as the school mar-shal.

WWhhiillee tthhee ssttaattee lleeggiissllaattuurree iiss ccoonnssiiddeerr--iinngg rreessttoorriinngg aa ppoorrttiioonn ooff tthhee $$55..44 bbiilllliioonniitt ccuutt ffrroomm sscchhooooll ffuunnddiinngg llaasstt sseessssiioonn,, iittiissnn’’tt lliikkeellyy ttoo ffuullllyy rreessttoorree tthhee ccuuttss.. WWiitthhtthhiiss iinn mmiinndd,, wwhhaatt aarree tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaannttaarreeaass iinn AAlllleenn IISSDD’’ss bbuuddggeett ttoo ssaaffeegguuaarrddffrroomm ccoonnttiinnuueedd ffuunnddiinngg rreedduuccttiioonnss oorr ttoo ddii--rreecctt mmoonneeyy ttoowwaarrdd sshhoouulldd ffuunnddiinngg bbee rree--ssttoorreedd??

The Allen ISD enrollment has grownsteadily since the early 1990s. The district iscurrently growing at a rate of about four per-cent. Regardless of enrollment increases,Allen ISD is committed to maintaining ac-ceptable student-to-staff ratios and classsizes through the hiring of additional staff.Extra state funds would allow for this growthwith minimal disruption to the individualcampuses.


The role of a school board member is tolisten to the needs of the students, parents,faculty and community and build and imple-ment a strategic plan that combines commonsense fiscal responsibility with measurableacademic outcomes.


One important issue is ensuring the effec-tiveness of the flipped classroom teachingmethod.

In flip teaching, the student first studiesthe topic by himself via on-line streamingvideo, etc. Then the student tries to applythe knowledge by solving problems and doingpractical work during class at the directionof the teacher.

The challenge is to ensure that the teach-ers are meeting the needs of all students,those that did not participate in the on-linelearning the night before, those that arestruggling with understanding the materialand those that completely understand andwant to move on to the next topic. This re-quires training for all stakeholders in theprocess, the teacher, student and parent.

AAmmyy GGnnaaddtt -- PPllaaccee 44




AAggee:: 49

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: TechnologyConsultant

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: Current Trustee on theAllen School Board, servingas Board President since2009

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: BS degree inMgmt. Science ComputerSystems from OklahomaState University

FFaammiillyy:: My wife Cheryl,daughter Heather and son Alex.


I am seeking re-election to the schoolboard so I can help ensure we continue tofocus on meeting the expectations our com-munity has for the district and our children.

The 2012 Strategic Plan, developed bycommunity leaders from across the district,has many objectives that have the backing ofthe community.

I want to make certain those goals are ourprimary focus these next three years.


I am the only candidatewith experience as Trustee.I have a proven history ofunderstanding the issuesand their immediate andlong-term impact. I havedemonstrated the ability tomake decisions based onwhat is best for the stu-dents, staff and residents ofthe entire school district. Ihave developed key relation-ships with leaders at thecity, county, and regionallevel as well as across the

state that help me be an advocate for the dis-trict and our students.

I do not have an agenda, other than toserve the educational needs of our studentsby making Allen ISD the best place to raiseand educate our families.


Given the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook, I

believe each school district should be evalu-ating their entire safety and security plan. Ihope the legislature does not require or re-strict school district to a specific set of op-tions. Each district should have theautonomy to determine what is appropriatefor their local district.

WWhhiillee tthhee ssttaattee lleeggiissllaattuurree iiss ccoonnssiiddeerr--iinngg rreessttoorriinngg aa ppoorrttiioonn ooff tthhee $$55..44 bbiilllliioonniitt ccuutt ffrroomm sscchhooooll ffuunnddiinngg llaasstt sseessssiioonn,, iittiissnn’’tt lliikkeellyy ttoo ffuullllyy rreessttoorree tthhee ccuuttss.. WWiitthhtthhiiss iinn mmiinndd,, wwhhaatt aarree tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaannttaarreeaass iinn AAlllleenn IISSDD’’ss bbuuddggeett ttoo ssaaffeegguuaarrddffrroomm ccoonnttiinnuueedd ffuunnddiinngg rreedduuccttiioonnss oorr ttoo ddii--rreecctt mmoonneeyy ttoowwaarrdd sshhoouulldd ffuunnddiinngg bbee rree--ssttoorreedd??

Restored funding from the legislaturemust be looked at with caution.

If the funds are truly restored funds and arestoration to prior funding levels, theyshould be applied towards district priorities.Reducing elementary class size, adding sec-tions to existing high school classes, newCTE classes, restoring full-time art at the el-ementary level, additional teacher aids, addi-tional capacity to behavior programs at theelementary level and reduction of the taxrate are areas to consider.


“A purity of motive or the ability to sepa-rate your own interest from the best inter-ests of the school and to focus on the bigpicture” is by far the most important attrib-ute for a school board member to have. Mosttrustees are parents when they run forschool board, having the ability to think andvote for what is in the best interest of all ofthe students within the school district overwhat is best for your family is the key tobeing a successful trustee.


The district has many important things toconsider in the coming years.

Allen ISD will likely continue to face fiscalchallenges as the legislature struggles withstate finances.

The need for expanding the focus on ca-reer and technology classes for post-highschool preparedness is becoming a growingconcern. Data from the National StudentClearinghouse indicates our students are notgraduating from college in six years. Stu-dents are turning to careers that do not re-quire four-year degrees. We must helpaddress those students’ needs as they pre-pare for success after high-school. Partner-ships with area industry leaders could be akey component to the success of these pro-grams.

GGaarryy SSttoocckkeerr -- PPllaaccee 55



AAggee:: 46

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Consultantand Engineer; helping to de-ploy the Nations Public SafetyBroadband Network in sup-port of our First Responders

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: 25 year industry vet-eran; 9 years acitve dutyservice to our Nation; 23 yearsof academics.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: 25 years; PhDin Business OrganziationalManagement, MS in Telecom-munications Management, Bachelors Degreein Computer Science and graduated high-school at the American International Schoolof Athens Greece (parents were with the StateDepartment)

FFaammiillyy:: Lovely wife, Tina, of 20 years; 5 kidsin the Allen ISD School footprint…Adrianna15, Phillip 10, Nathan 7, Emily 2 and HenryJames 5 months. Residents of Allen for 9years.


I believe the process of transparency isflawed and sways towards private consulta-tion. We need more open dialogue between theboard and the community and we should usetechnology that allows the residents andteachers equitable contributions so that theboard can make better decisions.

I believe the board needs to reprioritizeback towards the safety, education and devel-opment of our student body by putting ourchildren’s education as the most important as-

pect of their enrollment inthe Allen ISD school system.This needs to be a priorityover all other activities.

Although we have the bestteacher and administratorsin Texas I believe our highschool is overcrowded andadds to the issues of under-achievement in the malepopulation of our studentbody; inadequate safeguardsto bullying; overcrowding ofour classrooms and ulti-mately impacting our chil-dren’s ability to access fairopportunities for their fu-

ture.

WWhhaatt qquuaalliiffiieess yyoouu ffoorr aa sscchhooooll bbooaarrddsseeaatt??

Foremost I’m a concerned resident, taxpay-ing citizen and parent of 5 children in theAllen ISD School area. Professionally I’m a 25year industry veteran with 9 years of activeduty service to this nation. Academically Ihold a PhD in Business and OrganziationalManagement, a Master of Science Degree inTelecommunications Management and aBachelors Degree in Computer Science. I havethe responsibility to use my experience, edu-cation and knowledge to help those aroundme, thus my running for Position 5 on theschool board.

TThhee ssttaattee lleeggiissllaattuurree iiss ccoonnssiiddeerriinngg aa bbiilllltthhaatt wwoouulldd aallllooww aa ttrraaiinneedd aaddmmiinniissttrraattoorr oorrtteeaacchheerr ttoo sseerrvvee aass aa ““sscchhooooll mmaarrsshhaall”” aannddkkeeeepp aa gguunn uunnddeerr lloocckk--aanndd--kkeeyy ffoorr uussee iinn tthheeccaassee ooff aann aarrmmeedd aattttaacckkeerr.. DDoo yyoouu tthhiinnkk hhaavv--iinngg gguunnss aatt sscchhoooollss iiss aann aapppprroopprriiaattee sseeccuu--rriittyy mmeeaassuurree??

Texas supports a Conceleaded Gun Law andso do I. We have armed security guards presentin most of our schools anyway. Why wouldn’twe allow ourselves to benefit from the extrasecurity? Sandy Hook Elementary was a “gunfree” zone. Personally I believe that had theextra protection been adminstered to this el-ementary school, its devastating outcomewould have been different. As a parent whoenvisioned my own children as the kindergart-ners of Sandy Hook I would hope that ateacher or administrator would be able to de-fend my kids when I cannot.

WWhhiillee tthhee ssttaattee lleeggiissllaattuurree iiss ccoonnssiiddeerriinnggrreessttoorriinngg aa ppoorrttiioonn ooff tthhee $$55..44 bbiilllliioonn iitt ccuuttffrroomm sscchhooooll ffuunnddiinngg llaasstt sseessssiioonn,, iitt iissnn''ttlliikkeellyy ttoo ffuullllyy rreessttoorree tthhee ccuuttss.. WWiitthh tthhiiss iinnmmiinndd,, wwhhaatt aarree tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaanntt aarreeaass iinnAAlllleenn IISSDD''ss bbuuddggeett ttoo ssaaffeegguuaarrdd ffrroomm ccoonn--ttiinnuueedd ffuunnddiinngg rreedduuccttiioonnss oorr ttoo ddiirreeccttmmoonneeyy ttoowwaarrdd sshhoouulldd ffuunnddiinngg bbee rreessttoorreedd??

We need to refocus on the No. 1 Priority ofeducating our children. We need to curb anybond packages and spending measures that donot directly affect the safety, education anddevelopment of our children. All ancillaryservices need to be re-examined and curtailedaccordingly to make sure they meet these Pri-ority 1 standards. If they do not, then we needto be creative and responsible for finding al-ternative solutions for those facilities thatwere already bought, and are being main-tained. As an example; are they viable candi-dates for private commercial sponsorshipinstead of using school funding resources. Pos-sibly converting a debt to a source of revenue.

Given this new state of economic affairs wealso need to re-assess any future expendituresthat we’ve already committed to, or will, bypossibly reallocating those funds to expandingour school footrpint that directly impacts

classroom sizes. Such a move will ease thepain of over-crowding, student violence and ul-timately raising acadmeic standards, espe-cially for the male population of the studentbody. As an example: per a recent Allen ISDSchool survey our children are voting in the 60percentile on such issues of academic preper-ation, student support, parent involvement,safety and behavior. We need to address theseissues directly and I feel the best way to dothat is by expanding our school footrpint, re-ducing class sizes and opening up opportun-ties for our advanced upper-classmen toexperience virtual classroom settings for someselect classes -- just like they will be expectedto do when, and if, they go to college.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaanntt aattttrriibbuuttee ffoorraa sscchhooooll bbooaarrdd mmeemmbbeerr ttoo hhaavvee??

Honesty that secretes trustworthiness andtransparency.


I feel we have lost focus on our priorities bynot including the hands that feed us. We needto pull-in our resident taxpayers so they candirectly effect the outcome of board decisions.We have the technology and the tools todaythat will enable us to make this happen.Whether through social media, webcasting,webinars and web-based voting solutions, wehave the means to provide the board memberswith more information to make sound judg-ments when decisions must be made. We arenot fair to the board members and ourselveswhen they lack the tools to be involved and tosolicit support. We need to get with the timesand then move beyond them by illustratingtransparency and support for our educationalsystem by easing the incorporation of its tax-paying citizens and parents.

Allen ISD Board of TrusteesMMiicchhaaeell MMyyeerrss -- PPllaaccee 55



AAggee:: 50

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: District SalesManager

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: 2 years on Celina CityCouncil

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Bachelors ofBusiness University of Texas atArlington

FFaammiillyy:: Wife-Lynda,Daughter-Haley 14, Son-Cason8, Son Caden 7, DaughterRhyann 14 months, Mother-Sandra Lerma, Father-Carlos Lerma

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorr CCeelliinnaa CCiittyy CCoouunn--cciill??

A few years back I was fortunate to meetsome influential people in Celina that hadshaped and continue to shape the future of thisgreat city. It was their passion, drive and belieffor the city that prompted me to run. It is peo-ple like them and many more that we have beenfortunate to meet that made the decision to runan easy one. I also was fortunate to spend a fewdays in Austin with our State Senators and Rep-resentatives and was anxious to see our currentleaders in action. Witnessing the passion fromEDC Director Corbett Howard, the organizationand purpose of City Manager Mike Foremanand the drive from new Mayor Sean Terry wasinspiring. And as a citizen of Celina, I see howfortunate we are to have these people leadingour effort.

HHooww ddoo yyoouu ppllaann ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn CCeelliinnaa’’ss ffuu--ttuurree ggrroowwtthh wwiitthhoouutt rraaiissiinngg ttaaxxeess –– oorr iiss rraaiiss--iinngg ttaaxxeess aann ooppttiioonn ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn tthhaatt ggrroowwtthh??

We are fortunate to have stability in our fi-nances and continue to find ways to streamlineour budget, which was evident as we continuedto stay flat in terms of raising taxes. I also be-lieve that the City of Celina has done a good jobof not over-spending. Cities are no differentthan the citizens in tough economic times inthat citizens have to cut back or manage effec-tively, and that is no different than the City ofCelina.

HHiigghh wwaatteerr rraatteess hhaavvee bbeeeenn aann iissssuuee wwiitthhiinn

tthhee cciittyy.. WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu ppllaann ttooddoo aabboouutt iitt??

Since I have been on Coun-cil, the water rate issue hasbeen a topic that is widely dis-cussed. Our main problem isthat we as a city are paying forwater usage without havingthe homes or businesses tosupport the amount that wereceive from the Upper Trinity[Regional Water District]. Asthe city grows and as businessarrives, we will have waterusage to support what we re-ceive from the Upper Trinity.In this case of supply and de-

mand, we have enough supply but not enoughdemand.

CCeelliinnaa iiss aannttiicciippaatteedd ttoo ggrrooww eexxppoonneenn--ttiiaallllyy oovveerr tthhee nneexxtt 1100 yyeeaarrss.. IIff eelleecctteedd,, wwhhaattbbuussiinneesssseess wwoouulldd yyoouu lliikkee ttoo sseeee bbrroouugghhtt iinnttootthhee cciittyy?? HHooww wwoouulldd yyoouu hhaannddllee tthhaatt ggrroowwtthh??

The expectation of growth in the next 10years could be four to five times of what it istoday, so as citizen we need to be prepared forthis type of growth in terms of our population(both in households and business), our infra-structure, our roadways, our police, our fire andsafety and ultimately our school system. Thistype of growth will also bring households withfamilies and people working in the professionalsector that are looking for communities withgood facilities and a good school system. I wantbusiness to buy into Celina and want to be here,work here, play here and live here.

HHooww wwoouulldd yyoouu pprreesseerrvvee CCeelliinnaa’’ss hhiissttoorryyaanndd iittss ““ssmmaallll--ttoowwnn”” ffeeeell aass iitt ggrroowwss??

The main reason my family and I moved toCelina was the “small town” feel that the townoffered. At that time, our downtown Squarewasn’t what it is today. And what it is today is anattention-grabber that offers a meeting placefor anyone and everyone who comes to this city.The music playing, the children playing and theblossoming flowers and trees are what this cityshould be very proud of and use to its advan-tage. To me, that is what “small town’ is allabout. Lastly, I would like to encourage moreparticipation from our citizens who have livedin Celina their whole life and utilize theirknowledge from what Celina was to what they

envision Celina to become. These founding fa-thers are a part of what this city has becomeand are integral in our growth.

WWhhaatt ootthheerr iimmppoorrttaanntt iissssuueess ddoo yyoouu ffeeeelltthhee cciittyy iiss ffaacciinngg??

The City of Celina is no different than anyother growing city in that there are strugglesand issues that come up on a daily basis. But it

is how we address those issues now and beproactive toward the future that will hopefullyminimize those struggles and emphasize thepositive that Celina has to offer. This is a greatcity that is fortunate to have citizens who careabout the future and care about each other andwill work together to see that this place we callhome will be taken care of for our citizens nowand those to come.

Celina City CouncilLLaarrrryy BBeerrgg -- PPllaaccee 11

AAggee:: 38

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: PresidentKendrick Mechanical Inc.

Experience/Qualifications:Celina Building and Standardscommissioner 2.5 years, CelinaChamber of Commerce BoardMember, Celina Quarterbackclub officer, Preston trail Rotaryclub member, Church youthsponsor, Small business owner10 years, Operations managerfor York International 5 years.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Degree from Ok-lahoma State University

FFaammiillyy:: Wife Kristina, two sons Ethan-15,Jack-3

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorr CCeelliinnaa CCiittyy CCoouunn--cciill??

I have a passion for the City of Celina and itsprosperity. As an active member of the commu-nity, it would be an honor and a privilege to serveCelina.

HHooww ddoo yyoouu ppllaann ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn CCeelliinnaa’’ss ffuuttuurreeggrroowwtthh wwiitthhoouutt rraaiissiinngg ttaaxxeess –– oorr iiss rraaiissiinnggttaaxxeess aann ooppttiioonn ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn tthhaatt ggrroowwtthh??

As a resident, I would love for the tax rate tostay the same or even be reduced. Realistically,taxes are driven by the needs of the city and haveto be addressed on an individual basis.

HHiigghh wwaatteerr rraatteess hhaavvee bbeeeenn aann iissssuuee wwiitthhiinntthhee cciittyy.. WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu ppllaann ttoo ddoo aabboouutt iitt??

The current water rates were determinedusing growth projections several years ago. Usingthe best information, available water rates wereset accordingly. I would ask for a new waterusage projection study and determine ratesbased on current information. The information I

have now indicates water ratescan be lowered, but I wouldneed all the facts to determinewhat is best for all concerned.

CCeelliinnaa iiss aannttiicciippaatteedd ttooggrrooww eexxppoonneennttiiaallllyy oovveerr tthheenneexxtt 1100 yyeeaarrss.. IIff eelleecctteedd,, wwhhaattbbuussiinneesssseess wwoouulldd yyoouu lliikkee ttoosseeee bbrroouugghhtt iinnttoo tthhee cciittyy?? HHoowwwwoouulldd yyoouu hhaannddllee tthhaattggrroowwtthh??

I would like to see somesmall industry as well as retail.The EDC is doing a great jobreaching out to these busi-nesses. Commerce is great, but

small industry in our commercial zone wouldhelp ease the tax burden for the property own-ers.


I first moved to Celina in 1996 after meetingmy wife, who is a Celina graduate. After movingaway and returning, it is obvious what makesCelina an amazing. community. I don’t care if it’sa croquet tournament in Forney, our communityturns out to support our youth and each other.The city, schools Chamber of Commerce,churches, and other organizations must continueto work together.

WWhhaatt ootthheerr iimmppoorrttaanntt iissssuueess ddoo yyoouu ffeeeell tthheecciittyy iiss ffaacciinngg??

Maintenance and upgrades to older parts ofCelina’s streets, utilities, and others are some is-sues. I am sure there is an action plan in place. Iwould like to help speed up the process if possi-ble.

City ordinances and codes are necessary butneed to be more application specific. Some of thecodes need to be adjusted. We want guidelines.We just don’t want them to be unreasonable.

GGeeoorrggee KKeennddrriicckk -- PPllaaccee 11


Celina City Council

AAggee:: 41

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: InsuranceAgent

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: 13 years as a Commer-cial Lender/ 3 yearsInsurance Agent

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Tarleton StateUniversity, BBA Management

FFaammiillyy:: Wife – Michelle,Daughter Molly and son CJ

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorrCCeelliinnaa CCiittyy CCoouunncciill??

To make sure Celina is a city where you canraise a family, operate a business and a safe

community.

HHooww ddoo yyoouu ppllaann ttoo mmaaiinn--ttaaiinn CCeelliinnaa’’ss ffuuttuurree ggrroowwtthhwwiitthhoouutt rraaiissiinngg ttaaxxeess –– oorr iissrraaiissiinngg ttaaxxeess aann ooppttiioonn ttoommaaiinnttaaiinn tthhaatt ggrroowwtthh??

When cities grow you al-ways have to look at raisingtaxes to maintain the dailyfunctions, but I feel if we at-tract businesses to our com-munity it could help controlraising taxes in the future.

HHiigghh wwaatteerr rraatteess hhaavveebbeeeenn aann iissssuuee wwiitthhiinn tthhee

cciittyy.. WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu ppllaann ttoo ddoo aabboouutt iitt??The vision of our City Council and mayor

back in 2006 was being proactive about secur-

ing water for our future growth. With thedown turn in the economy growth was slowedbut, we still had the water prices. Now thatthe market has turned around and houses ourbeing built, our city will grow and we have thewater in place to support such growth. Myopinion is as households come into our com-munity, it will help level off the water rates oreven lower it.

CCeelliinnaa iiss aannttiicciippaatteedd ttoo ggrrooww eexxppoonneenn--ttiiaallllyy oovveerr tthhee nneexxtt 1100 yyeeaarrss.. IIff eelleecctteedd,,wwhhaatt bbuussiinneesssseess wwoouulldd yyoouu lliikkee ttoo sseeeebbrroouugghhtt iinnttoo tthhee cciittyy?? HHooww wwoouulldd yyoouu hhaann--ddllee tthhaatt ggrroowwtthh??

I would like to attract businesses thatallow our citizens the opportunity to work inthe city they live in. We need to make sure ourcity is diversified with all types of businesses.To handle the growth, the City Council and

city officials need to make sure our infrastruc-ture is in place for an easy transition into thefuture.


I grew up in a small town and understandthat feeling. As leaders of the community, weneed to have an open door policy. I like theconcept of the re doing the down town havingthe restaurants and other merchants on theSquare.

WWhhaatt ootthheerr iimmppoorrttaanntt iissssuueess ddoo yyoouu ffeeeelltthhee cciittyy iiss ffaacciinngg

One of the issues I think our city will befaced with as it grows is proper placement ofa sewer system. We need to work with localand state authorities to make sure we are pre-pared.

CChhaadd AAnnddeerrssoonn -- PPllaaccee 66

For voting locations, visit celina-tx.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=127&Itemid=284


AAggee:: 38

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Real Estate Broker

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaattiioonnss:: Mayor Pro TemElected in 2007, re-elected in 2010Certified Public AccountRegistered Investment AdviserReal Estate Broker finalist for Entrepreneur

of the Year from the Frisco Chamber of Com-merce selected as 21 Leaders for the 21st Cen-tury from the Collin County Business Pressrecognized by the Collin County Association ofRealtors Government Affairs Committee withtheir Award for Outstanding Contributions to thePromotion and Preservation of the Real EstateProfession

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Graduated with High Honors fromthe University of Texas at Austin with a Mastersin Professional Accounting and a Bachelor ofBusiness Administration

FFaammiillyy:: Dana (spouse), Zachary (10), Mason(8), Kaytlin (6)

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorr FFrriissccoo CCiittyy CCoouunn--cciill??

It is a privilege to serve and I take that respon-sibility very seriously through my dedication tothe position as well as assisting the Mayor as theMayor Pro Tem. I am seeking re-election to en-sure the vision and goals we have are met. Theseinclude ensuring Grand Park comes to fruition,building the next mall on 380, attracting desti-nation restaurants and retail, growing our parkand trail system, and recruiting corporate busi-ness relocation to Frisco.

HHooww ddoo yyoouu ppllaann ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn FFrriissccoo’’ss iimm--mmeennssee ggrroowwtthh wwiitthhoouutt rraaiissiinngg ttaaxxeess –– oorr iiss rraaiiss--iinngg ttaaxxeess aann ooppttiioonn ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn tthhaatt ggrroowwtthh??

Building permits are at their highest levels inyears and this growth will increase our tax base.In addition, we have been able to keep our taxrate low through our high sales tax collections.Our plan is to continue to drive this growththrough tourism from our sports facilities as wellas development of the next mall along 380. I feelour current available bonds can be sold at ourcurrent tax rate. However, we expect to have an-other bond election within the next two years

where the citizens will have an opportunity tovote on projects as well as the resulting esti-mated tax rate.

FFrriissccoo’’ss rraappiidd ggrroowwtthh aallssoo mmeeaannss aa rraappiiddllyyddeevveellooppiinngg rrooaaddwwaayy ssyysstteemm;; wwhhaatt sshhoouulldd tthheecciittyy ddoo ttoo eennssuurree rrooaaddss aarree pprrooppeerrllyy mmaaiinn--ttaaiinneedd,, ssiinnccee tthheeyy wwiillll ddeetteerriioorraattee aatt aabboouutt tthheessaammee ttiimmee??

As Chair of the Budget and Audit Committee,one of our priorities is to develop a capital re-serve fund so future Councils will not have to al-ways issue debt to replace infrastructure. Wehave begun funding of the capital reserve andcurrently working on a plan to grow it over thenext 10 years.

WWiitthh tthhee AArrttss CCeenntteerr ooff NNoorrtthh TTeexxaass nnoowwcclloossee ttoo bbeeiinngg ddiissssoollvveedd,, wwoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt aaffuuttuurree ppuubblliicc aarrttss cceenntteerr??

Frisco has become well known for the highstandard of living with our great schools, qualitydevelopments, and great amenities. I believeFrisco provides the residents the highest level ofservices in the area at one of the lowest tax rates.We have supported the arts in Frisco through thevisual arts program, funding of arts programs,and building the black box theater. In addition,the Dr Pepper center was expanded and addi-tional improvements made to be able to hostevents such as Cirque Du Soleil and other per-formances. I would love to see the ACNT be pri-vately built. Frisco will likely have another bondelection within two years, which may dictate thedesired path for arts in Frisco. This could be acommunity theater or possibly even an am-phitheater in Grand Park. Frisco has becomeknown for creative public-private partnershipsand I hope we can find s similar partnership toexpand the arts in Frisco.

MMaannyy rreessiiddeennttss hhaavvee ssaaiidd tthheeyy nnoott oonnllyy wwaanntttthhee EExxiiddee ppllaanntt ggoonnee,, bbuutt aallssoo tthhee llaannddffiillll..WWhhaatt iiss yyoouurr rreessppoonnssee ttoo tthheeiirr rreeqquueesstt??

Exide was one of the most challenging andmost important issues I have worked on over thelast six years. Our long-term vision for Frisco didnot include a lead smelter in the heart of theCity. I am proud Frisco was able to find a solu-tion that was a positive outcome for the city aswell as for a business that had been here 50years. Part of this agreement was Exide’s com-mitment to work with TCEQ to clean the prop-erty to above the required standards for

residential use. Throughout the process, we willcontinue to evaluate the requirements of the en-tire cleanup project, including the landfill. Friscois committed to protecting the health of our cit-izens above all else.

WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu ffeeeell aarree tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaanntt iiss--ssuueess ffaacciinngg tthhee cciittyy aanndd wwhhyy??

We have dealt with many complicated issuesand a difficult economy. Frisco’s balance sheethas been solidified and we are ready to grow.

With the boom coming again, managing a longlist of competing priorities will be our biggesttask. For instance, the senior center, the library,many of our parks, road systems and all of our fa-cilities are approaching capacity. In our lastboom our debt service portion of our tax rate ap-proached 50% of our total budget. Through thisboom our challenge will be keeping that figurecloser to 40% while keeping taxes low and choos-ing between our next set of projects for our citi-zens.

Frisco City CouncilJJeeffff CChheenneeyy -- PPllaaccee 22

AAggee:: 75

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Financial Adviser (Retired)

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaattiioonnss::

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: M.S. West Virginia University/B.A.West Virginia Wesleyan

FFaammiillyy:: Married 48 years; Wife: Carol, Daugh-ter: Lisa

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorr FFrriissccoo CCiittyy CCoouunn--cciill??

I am running for City council in Frisco becauseof my leadership skill in business as well as civicinvolvement over the past several years makes mean ideal candidate for the office of councilman,Place 4 in Frisco. For the past four years I haveserved actively on the Housing Trust Fund Boardof Directors.

HHooww ddoo ppllaann ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn FFrriissccoo’’ss iimmmmeennsseeggrroowwtthh wwiitthhoouutt rraaiissiinngg ttaaxxeess——oorr iiss rraaiissiinnggttaaxxeess aann ooppttiioonn ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn ggrroowwtthh??

The City of Frisco is very fortunate to have aforward thinking, as well acting administration,which has allowed the city to lower the tax ratefor its citizens in the past. Frisco has a very com-petitive tax rate of .461 which includes $.198 allo-cated to approved debt and $.263 for maintenanceand operations, this is well below our neighboringcities while providing the necessary services forour citizens.

FFrriissccoo’’ss rraappiidd ggrroowwtthh aallssoo mmeeaannss aa rraappiiddllyyddeevveellooppiinngg rrooaaddwwaayy ssyysstteemm;; wwhhaatt sshhoouulldd tthhee cciittyyddoo ttoo eennssuurree rrooaaddss aarree pprrooppeerrllyy mmaaiinnttaaiinneedd,,ssiinnccee tthheeyy ddeetteerriioorraattee aatt aabboouutt tthhee ssaammee ttiimmee??

Frisco is approximately 50 percent built outand Frisco will continue to keep on building newroads as we continue to grow. A strong mainte-

nance plan will continue to provide the mainte-nance of the streets and roads built over the last20 years.

WWiitthh tthhee AArrttss CCeenntteerr ooff NNoorrtthh TTeexxaass nnoowwcclloossee ttoo bbeeiinngg ddiissssoollvveedd,, wwoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt aa ffuu--ttuurree ppuubblliicc aarrttss cceenntteerr??

Having been a supporter of the Arts Center ofNorth Texas, it is my hope that we in Frisco canhave our own, possibly on a smaller scale, arts cen-ter seeing the same amount of student involve-ment and be successful in our community.

MMaannyy rreessiiddeennttss hhaavvee ssaaiidd tthheeyy nnoott oonnllyy wwaanntttthhee EExxiiddee ppllaanntt ggoonnee,, bbuutt aallssoo tthhee llaannddffiillll.. WWhhaattiiss yyoouurr rreessppoonnssee ttoo tthhiiss rreeqquueesstt??

Closing the Exide plant is only the first step ofmany that are necessary to clean up the pollutionwhich the plant has caused the city. This is not aquick fix and may take several years to finish.Frisco is concerned with the health and environ-ment for its citizens and is currently working dili-gently on the problem. When elected, this will bea strong priority for me.

WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu ffeeeell aarree tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaanntt iiss--ssuueess ffaacciinngg tthhee cciittyy aanndd wwhhyy??

Public health and safety are the number on pri-orities for our citizens. One must feel safe in theireveryday environment. Currently our police andfire departments are doing an exemplary job inprotecting our citizens. The pollution caused byExide must be solved and taken care of in the in-terest of the long-term health of our citizens. Wealso, most focus on our continuing needs for waterand work with our neighboring communities on asolution. We must also continue to work on theemployment of our citizens as we cannot sustainourselves without jobs and must continue to lurecorporations to our area by working in conjunc-tion with the Economic Development Corporationand our own Chamber of Commerce.

HHaarroolldd ““HHaall”” CCoollvviinn -- PPllaaccee 44

For voting locations, visit ci.frisco.tx.us/government/citySecretary/Pages/Elections.aspx


Frisco City Council

NNaammee:: John Keating

AAggee:: 49

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: City Coun-cil, Place 4 / CommunityLeader

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss::

California native whoserved the United StatesArmy for 13 years as a sen-ior counterintelligenceagent including serving inOperations DesertShield/Storm. Elected toFrisco City Council in 2010, and serves onthe Budget and Audit Committee. Servedthe community as a four-year member of theStarwood Homeowners Association Board,including a term as president. Was the Vice-President of Fundraising on the Spears Ele-mentary PTA Board for four years, andchaired the Spears Silent Auction Commit-tee for six years, raising over $150,000 forpublic school programs. John was awardedthe “Texas PTA Lifetime Member” by theSpears PTA. Graduate of Leadership FriscoClass XIII, member of the VFW Post 8273,American Legion, Frisco Chamber of Com-merce, Frisco Area Republicans, Frisco Her-itage Association, Association of the US Army(AUSA) and Preston Trail CommunityChurch.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Bachelor’s Degree from Tow-son University in Maryland

FFaammiillyy:: John has lived in Frisco since

1999 with his wife, LeslieStarr Keating, and theirsons Zach (15) and Ryan(13).

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinnggffoorr FFrriissccoo CCiittyy CCoouunncciill??

I hope to make Frisco aleading model for cities allover the country. I want tokeep taxes low and ourneighborhoods safe. Iwant every citizen ofFrisco to have the meansto live the AmericanDream. I want residents tobe proud to live here and I

want employees to be proud to work here.Community involvement is the foundation inevery great community and I have embracedmy personal obligation to give back throughservice.

HHooww ddoo yyoouu ppllaann ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn FFrriissccoo’’ssiimmmmeennssee ggrroowwtthh wwiitthhoouutt rraaiissiinngg ttaaxxeess –– oorriiss rraaiissiinngg ttaaxxeess aann ooppttiioonn ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn tthhaattggrroowwtthh??

The top three priorities should be to keeptaxes low, keep the community safe and de-velop the infrastructure for our rapidly-grow-ing community. Frisco has quadrupled insize over the last ten years and it is safe toassume the next ten years will bring anotherpopulation growth spurt. The city leadershipshould be focused on putting the City ofFrisco in the best position possible to attractmore homebuyers. Tax revenue generatedfrom future homebuyers will help to ease fu-ture tax burdens on every resident. We

should be focused on maintaining 45% of ourbudget for public safety; a safe communitywith lower homeowner’s insurance costs is asure way to attract new residents. We needto continue to fund and encourage our EDCto attract more Fortune 500 companies toFrisco, and seek out international companiesready to expand their borders and clientbase in the US.

FFrriissccoo’’ss rraappiidd ggrroowwtthh aallssoo mmeeaannss aa rraapp--iiddllyy ddeevveellooppiinngg rrooaaddwwaayy ssyysstteemm;; wwhhaattsshhoouulldd tthhee cciittyy ddoo ttoo eennssuurree rrooaaddss aarreepprrooppeerrllyy mmaaiinnttaaiinneedd,, ssiinnccee tthheeyy wwiillll ddeettee--rriioorraattee aatt aabboouutt tthhee ssaammee ttiimmee??

The City of Frisco has done a fine job ofdeveloping a quality road system. We mustlook 3-5 years “down the road” as more de-velopment takes place along our northerncorridor and how it impacts our existing re-sources. We have $24 million in unsold voter-approved bonds for roads. The cost ofconstruction labor and materials hasdropped, so I would look to sell those bondsbefore I would sell others for lower priorityprojects.

WWiitthh tthhee AArrttss CCeenntteerr ooff NNoorrtthh TTeexxaassnnooww cclloossee ttoo bbeeiinngg ddiissssoollvveedd,, wwoouulldd yyoouussuuppppoorrtt aa ffuuttuurree ppuubblliicc aarrttss cceenntteerr??

It is imperative we do not give in to spe-cial interest groups and support frivolous taxdollar ventures. I don’t agree with the ideaof a public arts center. It is simply not pru-dent for the City of Frisco to take on the bur-den of additional debt at this time.

Protecting Frisco taxpayers from unnec-essary tax rate increases is paramount. Wemust not model Washington DC!

MMaannyy rreessiiddeennttss hhaavvee ssaaiidd tthheeyy nnoott oonnllyywwaanntt tthhee EExxiiddee ppllaanntt ggoonnee,, bbuutt aallssoo tthheellaannddffiillll.. WWhhaatt iiss yyoouurr rreessppoonnssee ttoo tthheeiirr rree--qquueesstt??

We are all focused on a good outcome andI, along with the Council and staff, are com-mitted to protecting or residents not onlyfrom the residual effects of closing of Exide,but from any and all other environmental is-sues impacting our community. We will con-tinue to work closely with state and federalregulatory agencies to make sure the processworks for the benefit of Frisco.

WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu ffeeeell aarree tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorr--ttaanntt iissssuueess ffaacciinngg tthhee cciittyy aanndd wwhhyy??

What brings people to Frisco? Safe neigh-borhoods, great schools, a thriving businesscommunity, quality city services and lowtaxes. In the very near future, the federalgovernment will be raising taxes again. I’mcampaigning on fiscal responsibility and pri-orities. Attracting more executive-levelhomebuyers helps sustain the city’s growthand grows our tax base. People want to livewhere they work and work where they live,and it’s imperative we continue building acommunity to do exactly that – attract moreexecutive-level homebuyers and the busi-nesses they bring with them. Houses valuedat $350,000 and up generate a net plus of cityrevenue, generating more income for the citythan the cost of city services they consume.Residents with homes valued at or belowthat amount pay less in taxes but enjoy thesame benefits. It’s a win/win situation andit sets Frisco apart from our neighboringcommunities.

JJoohhnn KKeeaattiinngg -- PPllaaccee 44

For voting locations, visit ci.frisco.tx.us/government/citySecretary/Pages/Elections.aspx


Frisco ISD Board of Trustees

AAggee:: 35

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Vice Presi-dent of Sales, JP MorganChase


Current – Planning andZoning Commission, City ofFrisco

Current – Member ofPink Elementary PTA

Vice President – Shad-dock Creek Homeowners As-sociation

Volunteered as ChurchYouth Group Leader

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: University of Texas at Austin,Bachelor of Journalism

FFaammiillyy:: Shaye, wife of 9 years, and Sadie,15 months

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorr tthhee FFrriissccoo IISSDDbbooaarrdd ooff ttrruusstteeeess??

My wife and I like many others moved toFrisco for the schools. Past school boards andadministrations have laid an amazing founda-tion, and my hope is to keep that upward mo-mentum we have as a district and continue tomake Frisco ISD a destination district that al-ways puts our students and their educationand safety first.

IInn lliigghhtt ooff rreecceenntt nnaa--ttiioonnaall eevveennttss,, wwhhaatt ddoo yyoouuffeeeell tthhee sscchhooooll ddiissttrriiccttnneeeeddss ttoo ddoo ttoo kkeeeepp cchhiill--ddrreenn ssaaffee??

Student safety and secu-rity is my number one prior-ity. Luckily, Frisco ISD withit’s partnership with thecity of Frisco has remainedat the forefront on thisissue with the implementa-tion of the S.A.F.E.R. pro-gram. Should anemergency occur all first re-sponders and emergencypersonnel have access to

cameras inside schools and maps to navigatetheir way once on campuses. In addition toS.A.F.E.R., we must continue to have regularreviews and meet with school safety experts onhow to maintain the safest and most securelearning environment for our students.

FFrriissccoo IISSDD ssttuuddeennttss aanndd ppaarreennttss oofftteennhhaavvee ccoonncceerrnnss aabboouutt rreezzoonniinngg wwhheenn nneewwsscchhoooollss aarree bbuuiilltt.. WWhhaatt,, iiff aannyytthhiinngg,, ccaann bbeeddoonnee ttoo mmaakkee rreezzoonniinngg aa lleessss ttrroouubblliinngg iissssuueeffoorr ssttuuddeennttss aanndd ppaarreennttss??

Rezoning can be a very emotional and sen-sitive subject. It can break bonds and friend-ships built up over the years between students,parents and teachers. Many parents under-stand that Frisco ISD has been the fastest

growing school district in the country over thelast 10 years, and building new schools and re-zoning is a reality we live within the district.When making decisions about rezoning, youhave to make the best decision for the districtand students as a whole to ensure the quality ofthe educational experience continues to re-main high.

LLaasstt ssuummmmeerr,, tthhee sscchhooooll bbooaarrdd ppaasssseedd aa44--cceenntt ttaaxx rraattee iinnccrreeaassee.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrttffuuttuurree ttaaxx rraattee iinnccrreeaasseess iiff ddiissttrriicctt ooffffiicciiaallssrreeqquueesstt iitt??

Tax increases is generally something Iwould not support. Much of the district’s fund-ing is dependent on the state. Over the yearslegislators have cut school funding significantlyand as a result Frisco ISD has had to maketough decisions on cuts across the district. Be-fore agreeing to any tax increase, I would firstwant to make sure we go line by line over thebudget to ensure there is no excess. Second, Iwould want community and parent input.Third, my preference would be to take any taxincrease to the voters and let them decide ifthey support investing more in our schools.

FFrriissccoo IISSDD iiss ccoonnssttaannttllyy bbuuiillddiinngg nneewwsscchhoooollss ttoo kkeeeepp ppaaccee wwiitthh aann iinnccrreeaassiinngg ssttuu--ddeenntt ppooppuullaattiioonn,, yyeett iitt aallssoo mmaaiinnttaaiinnss aassmmaallll--sscchhooooll pphhiilloossoopphhyy.. WWoouulldd yyoouu eevveerr ccoonn--ssiiddeerr wwaavveerriinngg ffrroomm tthhaatt pphhiilloossoopphhyy iiff aasscchhooooll nneeeeddeedd iimmmmeeddiiaattee rreelliieeff aanndd nnoo nneewwsscchhooooll wwaass bbeeiinngg bbuuiilltt??

The community school concept is a mainreason my family and many others moved toFrisco ISD. Not only does it maintain a desir-able education experience, it gives studentsmore opportunities. When you look at otherdistricts that have larger schools many stu-dents are left out of extracurricular activities.Those activities like athletics, band, theaterand other clubs give our students a sense ofcommunity at school. Being involved in theseactivities creates skill sets that can be trans-ferrable in the real world – discipline, team-work and leadership. With our small schoolphilosophy in Frisco ISD we are able to maxi-mize these opportunities for our students.

WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu ffeeeell aarree tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaannttiissssuueess ffaacciinngg tthhee sscchhooooll ddiissttrriicctt aanndd wwhhyy??

We have to find more creative ways to pro-vide funding for our schools. We cannot con-tinue to count on the state for adequatefunding or to burden our community with taxincreases. We need to get more aggressive inbringing corporate sponsorships and privatedonations to the district to help fund innova-tive educational programs and infrastructureprojects. Our friends in Plano have partneredwith Texas Instruments to help fund PlanoAcademy High School, and there is no reasonwe cannot do something like that here inFrisco. Frisco ISD is in a unique position as adestination district to leverage our success andI hope over the next few years we can establishsome of these unique partnerships.

BBrryyaann DDooddssoonn -- PPllaaccee 11

The Frisco Independent School District board of trustees election is scheduled to be canceled as all three candidates are running unopposed. Bryan Dodson, the Place 1candidate, chose to complete The Frisco Enterprise’s candidate questionnaire so Frisco residents would know more about him as he is the lone newcomer to the board.


McKinney City Council

WWhhaatt sshhoouulldd bbee tthheeMMccKKiinnnneeyy CCiittyy CCoouunncciill’’ssmmoosstt iimmppoorrttaanntt ffooccuuss iinn22001133??

The primary focus for2013 should be to move be-yond the planning processfor various projects andmove to construction andimplementation of thoseplans. Included in this isthe beginning of construc-tion of the Gateway Hoteland Conference Center, con-struction of infrastructureimprovements at the CraigRanch Corporate Center,decisions on development opportunities indowntown McKinney, review of proposals from[McKinney Community Development Corpora-tion] for the future aquatic center and recre-ation center and solidifying planning forairport development.

AA CCeenntteerr ffoorr PPuubblliicc IInntteeggrriittyy rreeppoorrtt ppuubb--lliisshheedd iinn llaattee 22001122 sshhoowweedd tthhaatt MMccKKiinnnneeyyhhaadd tthhee hhiigghheesstt nnuummbbeerr ooff rreeqquueessttss ttoo tthheeTTeexxaass AAttttoorrnneeyy GGeenneerraall ttoo wwiitthhhhoolldd iinnffoorr--mmaattiioonn.. WWhhaatt iiss tthhee mmeerriitt ooff ggoovveerrnnmmeennttttrraannssppaarreennccyy,, aanndd iinn wwhhaatt wwaayyss ((iiff aannyy))ccoouulldd tthhee cciittyy bbee mmoorree eeffffiicciieenntt iinn tthhiiss rree--ssppeecctt??

Many of the requests were related to inves-tigations regarding criminal activity being in-vestigated by [McKinney PD] and others werealso departmental related. These types of re-

quests do not come to theCity Council for review orcomment. In regard to waysto improve or be more effi-cient regarding this issue,we should take a common-sense approach and realizethat many requests are sim-ilar in nature, and if histor-ically they have been thetype that are not protectedfor legal purposes under thegovernment code, weshould go ahead and re-lease the informationrather than routinely seek-ing the attorney general’s

opinion on the issue. [Such] opinions shouldbe sought when there is a genuine issue of con-fidentiality due to either legal issues that re-quire confidentiality, or matters protectedunder the government code that are clearlyprotected.

HHooww sshhoouulldd tthhee CCiittyy CCoouunncciill hhaannddllee tthheeGGaatteewwaayy hhootteell--eevveenntt cceenntteerr pprroojjeecctt aanndd ccoorr--rreessppoonnddiinngg ssiittee mmoovviinngg ffoorrwwaarrdd?? WWhhaattpprreecceeddeennccee sshhoouulldd tthhiiss aanndd ootthheerr eeccoonnoommiiccddeevveellooppmmeennttss hhaavvee iinn cciittyy bbuussiinneessss??

I believe the plan moving forward with scal-ing back the size of the hotel to meet marketdemands and focusing on the conference cen-ter is a good plan. The bankruptcy of the priordeveloper has been dealt with and was an un-fortunate turn of events, to say the least; how-ever, we need to continue to focus on the plan

moving forward. We are currently scheduled tobegin construction in June or July. With regardto the rest of the property, we are excited withthe progress of the Emerson project…and wewill have about 60 acres in the middle sectionthat is still undeveloped. I believe we shouldformulate a general development plan for theremaining acreage, continue to talk to CollinCollege about opportunities to partner withthe college on some development, set the zon-ing in place for future development that willencourage good commercial development andthen evaluate our opportunities including thepossibility that [McKinney Economic Develop-ment Corporation] could sell parcels for pri-vate development consistent with the generaldevelopment plan, thereby creating additionalcapital for other economic development proj-ects.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee CCiittyy CCoouunncciill’’ss rroollee iinn eennssuurr--iinngg bbootthh MMccKKiinnnneeyy’’ss eeaasstt ssiiddee aanndd wweesstt ssiiddeeggrrooww//ddeevveelloopp??

As Mayor, my focus is on McKinney as awhole. We are one community and should viewourselves as one community whether you livenorth, south, east or west. Development is gen-erally driven by economics and private-sectorinterests and based on infrastructure that isavailable to provide easy access.

In the past 10 years, the city has devoted re-sources in excess of $40 million to new streetsin east McKinney. We are investing in the air-port to create economic opportunitiesthroughout McKinney. The TIRZ zone createdalong Highway 5 and the airport require that

any increase in ad valorem tax value created inthose zones must be reinvested within thatpart of the city.

Creation of those investment districtsspeaks to our commitment to bring develop-ment to east McKinney. We also have to recog-nize that we have an obligation to developareas north of U.S. 380 and that from a loca-tion standpoint relative to the Sam RayburnTollway, the most logical place for corporatedevelopment will be along the State Highway121 corridor.

All of these development opportunities ben-efit the entire community.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee cciittyy’’ss bbiiggggeesstt cchhaalllleennggee iinn rree--ggaarrddss ttoo tthhee ccoonnttiinnuueedd ppooppuullaattiioonn ggrroowwtthh iinntthhee cciittyy?? WWhhaatt’’ss tthhee mmoosstt aapppprroopprriiaattee ssttrraatt--eeggyy ffoorr aaddddrreessssiinngg tthhaatt cchhaalllleennggee??

The biggest challenge to continued popula-tion growth is the management of resourcesand investment in necessary services thatgrowth requires. …We are going to continueto grow either because of us or in spite of us,and the only difference in the two statementsis what we do proactively to make sure thegrowth is managed correctly from the stand-point of how we design roads, water infrastruc-ture, transition from residential to commercialand in a way that is consistent with commu-nity values that we continue to support. Wehave to look at this as an investment opportu-nity and evaluate projects based on the returnon investment. I like to think that challengescreate opportunities and McKinney, and NorthTexas are full of opportunities for success.

BBrriiaann LLoouugghhmmiilllleerr -- MMaayyoorr

For voting locations, visit mckinneytexas.org/Index.aspx?NID=139



The city of McKinney hasbeen one of the fastestgrowing cities in the nationfor over a decade. Duringthis time, home buildinghas far outstripped com-mercial development. Thiscreates a number of prob-lems. Two significant onesare as follows:

It takes a $370,000 hometo pay enough propertytaxes to educate the aver-age number of children in the home and topay for city services such as fire and police. InMcKinney the average taxable home value isjust over $200,000, therefore homes do notgenerate sufficient taxes to pay for schoolsand basic services, and businesses mustmake the difference. When I ran for Councilin 2009, business tax base was approximately20 percent of the total taxes paid in McKin-ney. This is an insufficient number of busi-nesses to maintain the quality of our schoolsand our city services.

Today, with Council’s focus on economicdevelopment, this percentage has risen to 34percent. This is a significant increase but stillbelow the ideal 50/50 ratio of commercial taxbase to residential tax base. Also, too few businesses create a shortage ofjobs. McKinney has a work force of approxi-mately 50,000 workers [and] 10,000 of thoseworkers live and work in McKinney. Approxi-mately 40,000 workers commute outside ofMcKinney to find employment, and approxi-mately 25,000 workers commute into McKin-ney each day to work. Therefore, McKinneyhas a shortage of approximately 15,000 jobs.This shortage reduces the quality of life formany of our citizens.

This issue of tax base imbalance and qual-ity of life issues should be the Council’s focusin 2013.

AA CCeenntteerr ffoorr PPuubblliicc IInn--tteeggrriittyy rreeppoorrtt ppuubblliisshheeddiinn llaattee 22001122 sshhoowweedd tthhaattMMccKKiinnnneeyy hhaadd tthhee hhiigghheessttnnuummbbeerr ooff rreeqquueessttss ttoo tthheeTTeexxaass AAttttoorrnneeyy GGeenneerraallttoo wwiitthhhhoolldd iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn..WWhhaatt iiss tthhee mmeerriitt ooff ggoovv--eerrnnmmeenntt ttrraannssppaarreennccyy,,aanndd iinn wwhhaatt wwaayyss ((iiff aannyy))ccoouulldd tthhee cciittyy bbee mmoorree eeff--ffiicciieenntt iinn tthhiiss rreessppeecctt??

Government should betransparent. Council mustwork to improve this situa-tion.


Gateway is the entrance to our city and theapproximate 90 acres owned by city entitieson the northeast corner of Highways 75 and121 can add significantly to needed commer-cial tax base to this community. An aban-doned hotel structure setting derelict foryears damages the value of this city ownedasset. It also damages the value of the[Collin College Higher Education Center]nearby. In order to rectify this situation,Council has recently contracted with a hoteldeveloper to commence construction, in thenear future, on a 184-room, full-service hoteland a 20,000-square-foot convention centeron this site.

In addition, a large commercial office andlab building is nearing completion on thenorth end of the 90-acre site. With comple-tion of this building, the completion of thehotel building and the existing [Collin Col-lege] building, the remaining approximate 50acres on this prime commercial corner willbe poised for future development to enhanceour city.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee CCiittyy CCoouunncciill’’ss rroollee iinn eennssuurr--

iinngg bbootthh MMccKKiinnnneeyy’’ss eeaasstt ssiiddee aanndd wweessttssiiddee ggrrooww//ddeevveelloopp??

Fortunately, this is happening now. On theeast side, both the historic Flour Mill andCotton Mill are under redevelopment. Ourdowntown is flourishing. A new grocery storeis under development on Highway 380, eastof Highway 75, and six major corporations areexpanding and building large commercialbuildings all east of Highway 75.

West of highway 75, Craig Ranch continuesto grow with a new Corporate Center under

development, and the area around the newBaylor hospital is booming. McKinney isgrowing on all sides.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee cciittyy’’ss bbiiggggeesstt cchhaalllleennggee iinn rree--ggaarrddss ttoo tthhee ccoonnttiinnuueedd ppooppuullaattiioonn ggrroowwtthhiinn tthhee cciittyy?? WWhhaatt’’ss tthhee mmoosstt aapppprroopprriiaatteessttrraatteeggyy ffoorr aaddddrreessssiinngg tthhaatt cchhaalllleennggee??

Growth of commercial tax base, growth ofjobs, and expanding roadways to handle thegrowing traffic that is expected to continuefor at least a decade.”

McKinney City CouncilDDoonn DDaayy -- DDiissttrriicctt 11



The council has identi-fied the priorities for the re-mainder of this fiscal yearand into the next. Providingcitizens/taxpayers the bestvalue possible for the dollarsthey pay should always be agoal.

AA CCeenntteerr ffoorr PPuubblliicc IInn--tteeggrriittyy rreeppoorrtt ppuubblliisshheedd iinnllaattee 22001122 sshhoowweedd tthhaattMMccKKiinnnneeyy hhaadd tthhee hhiigghheessttnnuummbbeerr ooff rreeqquueessttss ttoo tthhee TTeexxaass AAttttoorrnneeyyGGeenneerraall ttoo wwiitthhhhoolldd iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn.. WWhhaatt iiss tthheemmeerriitt ooff ggoovveerrnnmmeenntt ttrraannssppaarreennccyy,, aanndd iinnwwhhaatt wwaayyss ((iiff aannyy)) ccoouulldd tthhee cciittyy bbee mmoorree eeff--ffiicciieenntt iinn tthhiiss rreessppeecctt??

I have not read the requests and cannotcomment on the reasons for withheld informa-tion. I do know this Council has worked dili-gently to being as open and transparent aspossible in making decisions.

HHooww sshhoouulldd tthhee CCiittyy CCoouunncciill hhaannddllee tthheeGGaatteewwaayy hhootteell--eevveenntt cceenntteerr pprroojjeecctt aanndd ccoorr--rreessppoonnddiinngg ssiittee mmoovviinngg ffoorrwwaarrdd?? WWhhaatt pprreeccee--ddeennccee sshhoouulldd tthhiiss aanndd ootthheerr eeccoonnoommiiccddeevveellooppmmeennttss hhaavvee iinn cciittyy bbuussiinneessss??

The Council has reached consensus on thevision for the hotel/event center project. Ac-

tions have been approvedconsistent with the consen-sus to move the project for-ward. City staff and councilare working on planning theremaining acreage consis-tent with the uses alreadypresent. The private sectorshould drive the build outconsistent with the vision ofthe city.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee CCiittyy CCoouunn--cciill’’ss rroollee iinn eennssuurriinngg bbootthhMMccKKiinnnneeyy’’ss eeaasstt ssiiddee aannddwweesstt ssiiddee ggrrooww//ddeevveelloopp??

I will need a definition ofwhere one chooses to divide the city betweeneast and west. It has been my goal to work forthe betterment of the city as a whole with aneye to addressing fundamental needs of all cit-izens regardless of location.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee cciittyy’’ss bbiiggggeesstt cchhaalllleennggee iinn rree--ggaarrddss ttoo tthhee ccoonnttiinnuueedd ppooppuullaattiioonn ggrroowwtthh iinntthhee cciittyy?? WWhhaatt’’ss tthhee mmoosstt aapppprroopprriiaattee ssttrraatt--eeggyy ffoorr aaddddrreessssiinngg tthhaatt cchhaalllleennggee??

One of the largest challenges for McKinneyas it grows is addressing the access and mobil-ity needs of the new areas while maintainingand upgrading the infrastructure in establishedareas. The best strategy, I believe, is remainingopen to listening to the needs of the citizenscognizant of the areas under discussion withinthe framework of fiscal responsibility.

TTrraavviiss UUsssseerryy -- DDiissttrriicctt 33





Fostering business devel-opment for both large andsmall business on both sidesof Central Expressway;guiding the Gateway proj-ect; guiding residential de-velopment so that we have arange of affordable housingoptions for residents. This iscritical so that we have thetalent and labor necessaryto support business devel-opment – which in turn sup-ports our residents and quality of life.

Also, begin study of a citywide transporta-tion plan; developing programs for residentsunder 18 which represent one-third of thecity’s population; developing no-cost or low-cost programs to help people lift themselvesout of poverty.


On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the most

transparent), the city ofMcKinney gets a 2. But thisis not news. …While thecity has said this is typi-cally related to criminal in-vestigations, I know ofmany cases of the citymaking it difficult to re-ceive information relatedto routine city business.For example, one lady Iknow submitted an openrecords request and wastold it would cost $20,000to get the information.Much of that informationwas related to routine city

council decisions and should be readily avail-able on the web.

I will definitely champion more trans-parency within the city government andlaunch an initiative to make more public doc-uments available on the web.


There are still a lot of questions surround-ing Gateway. We either need to stop and re-think how that site can best serve the city orwe need to bring together the best andbrightest minds to figure out how to market

it. And that needs to happen now. In thatsame vein, we also need to look at how we canleverage the Gateway site and the neighbor-ing Collin College campus to develop smallbusiness. I’ve mentioned many times that weneed to foster small business development,and this is an asset we can certainly leveragefor that purpose.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee CCiittyy CCoouunncciill’’ss rroollee iinn eennssuurr--iinngg bbootthh MMccKKiinnnneeyy’’ss eeaasstt ssiiddee aanndd wweesstt ssiiddeeggrrooww//ddeevveelloopp??

The west side and east side are unique incharm and lifestyle, but the principles re-main the same. From a commercial aspect,we need a mix of major corporations andsmall businesses. We are making headwaywith major employment centers on both sidesof Central Expressway – Wistron and Gatewayon the east side and Baylor Hospital and sur-rounding support development on the westside, for example.

But we also need to support and promotesmall businesses that can grow into largebusinesses. As a small business owner inMcKinney, I believe we can do better on bothcounts. … Last year, Denton announced aninitiative to foster the development andgrowth of the advertising industry there,keeping University of North Texas graduatesin the community to live there and build jobsthere. With our vibrant downtown, that kindof industry would fit perfectly. On the westside, we could look at establishing a businessincubator, something similar to Startech

Early Ventures in Richardson.And like Denton, we need to take a look at

the skills Collin College is developing, and en-courage small development around those skillsets. We also need to take a look at the sup-port services our existing businesses needand encourage development in those areas –exactly what those services are will emergefrom a conversation within the business com-munity on both sides of U.S. 75.

Turning to residential, McKinney alreadyhas a national reputation for quality of life.But as the city grows, we need to maintainthat excellence. One way we can do that is bypromoting residential development that hasan affordability range for everyone who workshere. We don’t want to be a city where peoplecome to work and then leave at 5 p.m. Wewant people to work here, live here and playhere. When that happens, everyone on bothsides benefits.

It is imperative our Council has a varietyof perspectives on how we accommodate andadapt to the growth to ensure that we posi-tion the city for long-term sustainable devel-opment and avoid short-sighted decisions.


Affordable housing; transportation; busi-ness development; and developing programsfor the youth population.

JJeerreemmiiaahh HHaammmmeerr -- AAtt--llaarrggee





The most importantfocus for the City Councilshould be for a strong andbalanced economy thatwould promote more com-mercial tax base. This ini-tiative would include manyaspects. This would reducethe homeowner’s propertytax burden, as well as pro-duce job growth opportuni-ties. One goal would be tobuy local – McKinney first.In order to achieve this we must have the re-sources here to partake. To augment this ef-fort, another element would be to strengthenthe city’s partnerships with McKinney Eco-nomic Development Corporation, CommunityDevelopment Corporation, Chamber of Com-merce, Collin County Regional Airport andMain Street (the downtown historic district).I would also propose that we need to strategi-cally plan for the future growth of McKinney.This would be through evaluation of the Fu-ture Land Use Plan with the short- and long-term goals and effects of planning activitiesfor the city as a whole. Additionally, thepreservation of, and proper planning for, the

remaining commercialcorridors will aid in a bet-ter economic forecast.This will lead to infrastruc-ture improvements (road-ways, water and sanitarysewer) in a strategic man-ner. Finally, I will work toenhance the city of McKin-ney’s reputation in thebusiness community in aneffort to attract the high-est and best use for theparcels of land.

AA CCeenntteerr ffoorr PPuubblliicc IInn--tteeggrriittyy rreeppoorrtt ppuubblliisshheedd

iinn llaattee 22001122 sshhoowweedd tthhaatt MMccKKiinnnneeyy hhaadd tthheehhiigghheesstt nnuummbbeerr ooff rreeqquueessttss ttoo tthhee TTeexxaass AAtt--ttoorrnneeyy GGeenneerraall ttoo wwiitthhhhoolldd iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn..WWhhaatt iiss tthhee mmeerriitt ooff ggoovveerrnnmmeenntt ttrraannss--ppaarreennccyy,, aanndd iinn wwhhaatt wwaayyss ((iiff aannyy)) ccoouullddtthhee cciittyy bbee mmoorree eeffffiicciieenntt iinn tthhiiss rreessppeecctt??

This is an insightful topic due to the atten-tion and discussion given it on the nationalstage as well as here locally. There will alwaysbe argument for more openness and trans-parency. However, due to sensitive legal is-sues, pending litigation and employmentdiscussions, not all of the actions can be astransparent as some may desire. In general,the closed sessions should be held to a mini-

mum, save and except the sensitive legal is-sues and employee matters.


The Council has already acted on thisissue and reached a consensus for the visionfor the hotel and event center to move theproject forward. The remaining actions byCouncil will from this point forward be mostlyadministrative in the sense of site plan ap-provals and the like. The remaining landmass to be developed around the project areashould be driven by the private sector in amanner that relates and interacts with the vi-sion for the area. Economic developmentprojects are an essential part of the ongoingcompetition between cities in the NorthTexas area, but in general, should at mostonly be incentivized by the city while the pri-vate sector takes lead.”

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee CCiittyy CCoouunncciill’’ss rroollee iinn eennssuurr--iinngg bbootthh MMccKKiinnnneeyy’’ss eeaasstt ssiiddee aanndd wweessttssiiddee ggrrooww//ddeevveelloopp??

One of the great attributes of our city isthat our quality of life has been nationallyrecognized. To protect and strengthen that, Iwill advocate proceeding in a proper manner,

with projects that have been included in pastbond elections, such as therecreation/aquatic center facility. Further,the balance of the uniqueness that is McKin-ney along with the increased focus on theproper development moving forward will bea priority. Additionally, with both the east-and west-side areas of the city, infrastructure(roadways, water, sanitary sewer, and ameni-ties) are much needed. These areas of focuswill all play a role in the overall bettermentfor the community. Finally, maintaining a vi-brant downtown area will aid in the overalldevelopment of our city while enhancing ourquality of life.


Due to the continuing development thatour city is experiencing, there will be a needfor patience and wisdom to achieve the de-sired goal for a more balanced tax base. Dueto the cyclical nature of development, alongwith the supply and demand elements, theresidential demand will continue. We needto offset this demand by preserving theproper areas to facilitate the commercial de-velopment as the demand arises, as well asproperly position ourselves to capture the op-portunities as they arise.

RRaannddyy PPoogguuee -- AAtt--llaarrggee




McKinney City Councilshould work towards estab-lishing a framework for fu-ture economicdevelopment. This meansto create and adopt a bold,but yet achievable visionand to adopt processchanges that make us morecompetitive in the marketplace. McKinney has a rep-utation of being difficult towork with and we need tochange that culture to one that is creative,flexible but not at the cost of quality.


I have published numerous articles on thisvery issue. We, in a leadership position, haveone opportunity to protect the public inter-

est. That opportunity is on-going and ever changing,constantly being rede-fined. However, if we everviolate the public interest,either per se or the per-ception of impropriety, theharm that this will do topublic trust will be long-lasting. I believe in trans-parency at all levels. Ibelieve that when councilmembers have a conflict ofinterest, they should gobeyond the legal minimal-istic rules and publishspecifically what those

conflicts are. A part of “transparency,” weshould strive to involve more of the commu-nity. I would propose that the Council con-sider directing the city manager to have astronger communication process with the cit-izens through the use of HOA’s, communitymeetings on a regular basis and informationmailers. Currently, the city of McKinney doesnot actively track the HOA governing bodiesso there is a vacuum of conduits for commu-nications.

HHooww sshhoouulldd tthhee CCiittyy CCoouunncciill hhaannddllee tthheeGGaatteewwaayy hhootteell--eevveenntt cceenntteerr pprroojjeecctt aanndd

ccoorrrreessppoonnddiinngg ssiittee mmoovviinngg ffoorrwwaarrdd?? WWhhaattpprreecceeddeennccee sshhoouulldd tthhiiss aanndd ootthheerr eeccoonnoommiiccddeevveellooppmmeennttss hhaavvee iinn cciittyy bbuussiinneessss??

This is a difficult question. When the Gate-way project was a Weston Hotel with a con-vention center and associated retail, it waseasy to justify the city’s rather steep finan-cial commitment. With the project beingscaled down, I would rethink the city’s in-volvement. However, not being privy to thefull bank of information that the City Councilhas on this project, it seems easy for an out-sider to “take a side,” and I would be doingthe current City Council a disservice by notknowing all the details before making a fulldecision.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee CCiittyy CCoouunncciill’’ss rroollee iinn eennssuurr--iinngg bbootthh MMccKKiinnnneeyy’’ss eeaasstt ssiiddee aanndd wweessttssiiddee ggrrooww//ddeevveelloopp??

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the cityof McKinney invested a significant amount ofmoney on the east side through its “East SideInitiative” to address roads, water, stormwa-ter and sewer needs. Although those effortswere extraordinarily successful, we now havethe massive task of redevelopment withoutdisplacement. Some of the city resources(professional planners, engineers, etc.) couldbe redeployed as neighborhood redevelop-ment specialists to “jump start” that process.

Relative to the west side, McKinney needsto continue to focus on infrastructure both tokeep up with current demand, but more im-portantly, to guide positive economic devel-opment. I would hope that Council wouldconsider more commercial overlay districtsto guide development types along all of thehighway corridors.

Lastly, given the development pressure,the city should look more vigorously at theAnnexation Plan to start to manage the in-evitable growth corridors.


At full build-out, McKinney’s populationcould reach 450,000 people. Without the so-cial infrastructure and economic develop-ment foundation to support this number ofpeople, McKinney is looking at an abyss.Long-term strategies would need to focus onidentification and proper framework to guideand incentivize comprehensive economic de-velopment. Additionally, however, a more ag-gressive approach to parks and recreationand open space is appropriate. McKinney isrich in natural resources. A creative public-private approach to utilize these lands couldexpand the city’s impact exponentially.

MMaarrttiinn SSaanncchheezz -- AAtt--llaarrggee



AAggee:: 63

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Business Owner


Founded and continue tomaintain small business inPlano for past 28 years;

Plano Chamber of Com-merce Executive Board forseven years and Chairman ofthe Board in 1994; the year wewere nationally recognized asan All-American City;

Member and Past Presidentof the Plano Economic Devel-opment Board;

Appointed by Governor Bush to the GeneralService Commission of Texas and currentlyserving as Commissioner of the Texas Depart-ment of Licensing and Regulations Commis-sion.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Received degree from the Uni-versity of Bridgeport in Connecticut and at-tended the Kellogg School of Management’sAdvanced Management Education Program

FFaammiillyy:: Married to the former MazzieBurgess. We have two children, Michelle D.Moses-Meeks and Frederic B. Moses.

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorr PPllaannoo CCiittyy CCoouunn--cciill??

I am running for Mayor of the City of Planobecause Plano needs a Mayor with proven ac-complishments through leadership, one whocan develop and sustain relationships acrossmany diverse groups, and who has a reputationbuilt on hard work and integrity. With my back-ground of success in business and leadershippositions in various Plano civic organizations, Iwill lead our City to a future of continuedgrowth and opportunity.

IIff yyoouu hhaadd ttoo pprriioorriittiizzee tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaannttcciittyy sseerrvviicceess,, wwhhaatt tthhrreeee wwoouulldd yyoouu ppiicckk aannddhhooww wwoouulldd tthheeyy rraannkk??

Economic Development; a vibrant localeconomy ensures a solid tax based that allowsus to keep our taxes low;

Public Works, focusing on maintaining thequality of our community infrastructure;

Safety and security, such asour Police and Fire depart-ments

They are all important.

DDuurriinngg aa ttiimmee wwhheerree tthheerraattee ooff DDAARRTT LLiigghhtt RRaaiill rriidd--eerrsshhiipp hhaass bbeeeenn ssttaaggnnaanntt oorrddeecclliinniinngg,, tthheerree hhaass bbeeeenn rree--nneewweedd ddeebbaattee oovveerr tthhee ccoonn--ssttrruuccttiioonn ooff tthhee CCoottttoonn BBeellttRRaaiill LLiinnee.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuupp--ppoorrtt uussiinngg ttaaxxppaayyeerr ffuunnddss oorrccrreeaattiinngg aa ssppeecciiaall ttaaxxiinngg ddiiss--ttrriicctt ttoo hheellpp ffuunndd ccoonnssttrruucc--ttiioonn ooff tthhee rraaiillwwaayy??

I think there should besome kind of public-private development thatwould minimize the need for a special tax dis-trict. The other option could be to allocate rev-enue from other tax areas and apply them tothis project, if it makes economic sense for ourcommunity.

IIff tthhee AArrttss CCeenntteerr ooff NNoorrtthh TTeexxaass iiss ddiiss--ssoollvveedd,, wwoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt ffuurrtthheerr mmuunniicciippaalliinnvvoollvveemmeenntt iinn bbrriinnggiinngg aa rreeggiioonnaall aarrttss cceenn--tteerr ttoo CCoolllliinn CCoouunnttyy??

My answer is no. I think we should pursueaddressing this need from a local level.

AAss tthhee aammoouunntt ooff uunnddeevveellooppeedd llaanndd iinnPPllaannoo ccoonnttiinnuueess ttoo ddeeccrreeaassee,, wwhhaatt kkiinndd ooffllaanndd uussee sshhoouulldd tthhee cciittyy ttaarrggeett ffoorr tthhee rreemmaaiinn--iinngg ppiieecceess ooff pprrooppeerrttyy??

We should inventory vacant available land todetermine its best use. We should coordinatenew developments with those in surroundingneighborhoods and business areas. We alsohave many areas that we should investigateways to repurpose to revitalize neighborhoodsand provide opportunities for businesses to re-locate and develop here.


The city must address its aging areas and in-frastructure and develop a long-term solutionto manage them. This is a process that is con-tinuous and will be ongoing. To fund that, wemust ensure that we expand our business baseto keep pace with retail tax pressure from ourneighboring cities.

A growing segment of the Plano population

is aging and we must address how best to meettheir needs. This may mean getting creative inaddressing living, recreation, and medicalneeds. As our citizens age, many downsize asthey look to lessen the burden of traditionalhome ownership. We must be creative to ad-dress that shift and maintain the quality of ourexisting neighborhoods.

There are areas that could be repurposedto provide incentives for businesses to expandwithin Plano or move to Plano. Economic de-velopment is the engine that provides jobs, astandard of living to raise families, low prop-erty taxes, and provide the needed revenue tothe City for many of the challenges we will befacing.

Plano City CouncilHHaarrrryy LLaaRRoossiilliieerree -- MMaayyoorrAAggee:: 50

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Financial ad-visor

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: Two-term city councilmember; Mayor Pro Tem

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: B.S. Geology,City College of New York

FFaammiillyy:: Tracy, wife of 18yrs; daughters Brianna (15)and Maya (13 years old)

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorrPPllaannoo CCiittyy CCoouunncciill??

In my late 20’s I discovered that helpingpeople was my calling. I have since devoted myprofessional life as a financial advisor and mypersonal life of service to achieve that goal. In1994 I arrived in Plano and I have been ac-tively involved in community service eversince. Serving as the Mayor of Plano is a privi-lege and represents the highest level of com-munity service I can offer.

IIff yyoouu hhaadd ttoo pprriioorriittiizzee tthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorr--ttaanntt cciittyy sseerrvviicceess,, wwhhaatt tthhrreeee wwoouulldd yyoouu ppiicckkaanndd hhooww wwoouulldd tthheeyy rraannkk??

That is difficult question. Plano is an excep-tional city because of the coordination amongthe many great departments. If I have to listthree, they are:

Public SafetyEconomic DevelopmentPlanning & Zoning

DDuurriinngg aa ttiimmee wwhheerree tthhee rraattee ooff DDAARRTTLLiigghhtt RRaaiill rriiddeerrsshhiipp hhaass bbeeeenn ssttaaggnnaanntt oorr ddee--cclliinniinngg,, tthheerree hhaass bbeeeenn rreenneewweedd ddeebbaattee oovveerrtthhee ccoonnssttrruuccttiioonn ooff tthhee CCoottttoonn BBeelltt RRaaiillLLiinnee.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt uussiinngg ttaaxxppaayyeerrffuunnddss oorr ccrreeaattiinngg aa ssppeecciiaall ttaaxxiinngg ddiissttrriicctt ttoo

hheellpp ffuunndd ccoonnssttrruuccttiioonn oofftthhee rraaiillwwaayy??

At this time, I am not insupport of using additionaltaxpayer funds for the CottonBelt Rail

IIff tthhee AArrttss CCeenntteerr ooffNNoorrtthh TTeexxaass iiss ddiissssoollvveedd,,wwoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt ffuurrtthheerrmmuunniicciippaall iinnvvoollvveemmeenntt iinnbbrriinnggiinngg aa rreeggiioonnaall aarrttss cceenn--tteerr ttoo CCoolllliinn CCoouunnttyy??

I am open to looking at anyopportunity that will enrichthe cultural experience forour citizens. It would have to

demonstrate a clear benefit to our citizens andmake economic sense.

AAss tthhee aammoouunntt ooff uunnddeevveellooppeedd llaanndd iinnPPllaannoo ccoonnttiinnuueess ttoo ddeeccrreeaassee,, wwhhaatt kkiinndd ooffllaanndd uussee sshhoouulldd tthhee cciittyy ttaarrggeett ffoorr tthhee rree--mmaaiinniinngg ppiieecceess ooff pprrooppeerrttyy??

Plano should continue the strategy of tar-geting corporate and regional headquarters forthe remaining undeveloped land. Further-more, as mayor, I will look to attract smallercompanies to help foster homegrown successstories.


An important issue Plano is facing is theaging of the city. Plano is aging in two ways.Demographically, the number of senior citi-zens in Plano has doubled from 2000-2010 andwill double again by 2020. Physically, the city’sinfrastructure is aging. This will place pres-sure on Plano to deliver additional services toan aging population while maintaining an at-tractive city. The solution to this issue is to pro-mote economic growth, neighborhoodrenovation and continued high quality of serv-ice.

FFrreedd NN.. MMoosseess -- MMaayyoorr

For voting locations, visit plano.gov/index.aspx?NID=312


Plano City Council

AAggee:: 51

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Financialplanner

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: Years of service withinthe community in many lead-ership and service roles. Per-sonal experience withconstruction, small business,and strategic and financialPlanning. Service on theparks and recreation Boardfor one year, and three yearson the planning and zoningcommission, including thevice chair position.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Bachelor of Science in Finance

FFaammiillyy:: Chris (wife) and two sons, Davidand Christopher

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorr PPllaannoo CCiittyyCCoouunncciill??

I am called to service in my life. I’ve ap-proached any opportunity to serve with thequestion, can I add value. After encourage-ment to run several years ago I searched myheart for the answer to the question SHOULDI run for office and the answer was YES, butonly after preparing for the role. So I’ve spentthe last 5 years preparing by attending coun-

cil meetings, helping onother campaigns, serving onthe Parks & RecreationBoard (1 year) and the Plan-ning & Zoning Commission(3 years). What this meansis that when elected, thecouncil will have a newmember who doesn’t have tobe brought up to speed butwill hit the ground running.

IIff yyoouu hhaadd ttoo pprriioorriittiizzeetthhee mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaanntt cciittyysseerrvviicceess,, wwhhaatt tthhrreeee wwoouullddyyoouu ppiicckk aanndd hhooww wwoouullddtthheeyy rraannkk??

Difficult question since there are so manyimportant tasks the city manages for us as acommunity. I would suggest Public Safety(Fire & Police) is perhaps most important.Following closely is the management of ourpublic properties such as the roads, utilities,etc. And last but far from least is the day today management of the City operations suchthat business can open their doors and keepthem open, residents can get their trash col-lected and when necessary the city can bor-row funds to improve our infrastructure.

DDuurriinngg aa ttiimmee wwhheerree tthhee rraattee ooff DDAARRTTLLiigghhtt RRaaiill rriiddeerrsshhiipp hhaass bbeeeenn ssttaaggnnaanntt oorrddeecclliinniinngg,, tthheerree hhaass bbeeeenn rreenneewweedd ddeebbaatteeoovveerr tthhee ccoonnssttrruuccttiioonn ooff tthhee CCoottttoonn BBeelltt

RRaaiill LLiinnee.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt uussiinngg ttaaxx--ppaayyeerr ffuunnddss oorr ccrreeaattiinngg aa ssppeecciiaall ttaaxxiinngg ddiiss--ttrriicctt ttoo hheellpp ffuunndd ccoonnssttrruuccttiioonn ooff tthheerraaiillwwaayy??

The construction of an east/west masstransit line is important to future develop-ments. I am concerned that Ft. Worth has de-cided to forego participation at this time.However, with the population in North Texasexpected to double in the next 50 years wesimply cannot expect all of those people to fiton our existing roadways. The opportunity forbusiness development along mass transitlines is also a plus and is recognized in the re-vitalization of the Down Town Plano area. Be-fore gathering new taxes for this I’d wantmore information concerning the value wehave recognized and are expected to recog-nize from DART’s presence in Plano.

IIff tthhee AArrttss CCeenntteerr ooff NNoorrtthh TTeexxaass iiss ddiiss--ssoollvveedd,, wwoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt ffuurrtthheerr mmuunniiccii--ppaall iinnvvoollvveemmeenntt iinn bbrriinnggiinngg aa rreeggiioonnaall aarrttsscceenntteerr ttoo CCoolllliinn CCoouunnttyy??

I think having a regional Arts Center inNorth Texas would be a valuable asset. At thistime I believe that the successful path to thatwill be through a municipal/private partner-ship with the private partners taking the lead.

AAss tthhee aammoouunntt ooff uunnddeevveellooppeedd llaanndd iinnPPllaannoo ccoonnttiinnuueess ttoo ddeeccrreeaassee,, wwhhaatt kkiinndd ooffllaanndd uussee sshhoouulldd tthhee cciittyy ttaarrggeett ffoorr tthhee rree--mmaaiinniinngg ppiieecceess ooff pprrooppeerrttyy??

The land remaining in Plano should bededicated primarily to business developmentand mixed use projects. We have a very rea-sonable tax rate as residents of this great cityand it will only remain that way if we can re-cruit businesses to locate here and help carrythe tax burden.


We have to address our aging infrastruc-ture and our aging housing stock. Thoughtshould be given to how we not just retain ourproperty values but increase them. Howshould our ordinances be written in order toencourage redevelopment and revitalizationof neighborhoods and “dead” corners? Howwill we deal with replacing/updating waterand utility systems over 50 years old? Anotherconcern is addressing our demographic andcultural changes taking place within our City.Census data clearly shows an aging popula-tion and once becoming far more diverse cul-turally than we are used to. We should lookfor ways to embrace that change and use it todesign our systems, communications, etc tofurther strengthen our community. We mustwork more closely than ever with our SchoolDistrict, our Public Safety Departments, ourCity Neighbors and County. As the regiongrows, the voice of our community will con-tinue to be further diluted within largergroups so we must maintain our standing asthe premiere place to live in North Texas.

DDaavviidd LL.. DDoowwnnss -- PPllaaccee 88



AAggee:: 66

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: CPA (CertifiedPublic Accountant)

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaattiioonnss::Have lived in Plano since

1983. Received CPA license in May

1982. Worked as tax accountantfor corporate America.

Sole owner of CPA firm since1988.

Relocated practice to Planoin 2005.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: MBA in Accounting from North Texas State

University (graduated in August 1980).BBA in Economics from Soochow University

in Taipei, Taiwan (graduated in 1970).

FFaammiillyy::From a family of five daughters and two sons.

Single. Parents, two brothers and two sisters alsolive in Plano.


I have been involved in the Chinese commu-nity for the last 30 years and currently hold anhonorable position – as Senior Advisor appointedby Overseas Affairs by Taiwan government.

I believe it is time for me to reach out and getinvolved in a larger, broader aspect. I alwaysenjoy help and serve people around me.

Earlier years I have to put all my efforts tomake a living and settle down. After all theseyears, I have my business established; I want todo something meaningful to me. I have the time,desire, and ability to give back, serve the com-munity.


Police Fire Department Economic Development

DDuurriinngg aa ttiimmee wwhheerree tthhee rraattee ooff DDAARRTT lliigghhttrraaiill rriiddeerrsshhiipp hhaass bbeeeenn ssttaaggnnaanntt oorr ddeecclliinniinngg,,tthheerree hhaass bbeeeenn rreenneewweedd ddeebbaattee oovveerr tthhee ccoonn--ssttrruuccttiioonn ooff tthhee CCoottttoonn BBeelltt RRaaiill LLiinnee.. WWoouulldd

yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt uussiinngg ttaaxxppaayyeerrffuunnddss oorr ccrreeaattiinngg aa ssppeecciiaallttaaxxiinngg ddiissttrriicctt ttoo hheellpp ffuunnddccoonnssttrruuccttiioonn ooff tthhee rraaiillwwaayy??

Yes. Public transportationsystems is very important tothe inner city population, re-duce the air pollution, fuel con-sumption, need of driving andparking spaces.

IIff tthhee AArrttss CCeenntteerr ooff NNoorrtthhTTeexxaass iiss ddiissssoollvveedd,, wwoouulldd yyoouussuuppppoorrtt ffuurrtthheerr mmuunniicciippaall iinn--vvoollvveemmeenntt iinn bbrriinnggiinngg aa rree--ggiioonnaall aarrttss cceenntteerr ttoo CCoolllliinnCCoouunnttyy??

Yes. Arts are one of the important factors ofculture. The impact/value of an Arts Center can-not be measure by money.

AAss tthhee aammoouunntt ooff uunnddeevveellooppeedd llaanndd iinnPPllaannoo ccoonnttiinnuueess ttoo ddeeccrreeaassee,, wwhhaatt kkiinndd ooff llaanndduussee sshhoouulldd tthhee cciittyy ttaarrggeett ffoorr tthhee rreemmaaiinniinnggppiieecceess ooff pprrooppeerrttyy??

This will require housing outside of tradi-tional neighborhood areas, redevelopment,urban centers and new and likely denser housingtypes. It is essential to accommodate this growthwhile retaining Plano’s basic development pat-tern and character.

Preserving suitable, well located land for eco-nomic development is important to Plano’s longterm viability. Properties in major corridors andemployment centers should generally be re-served for employment generating uses. The lim-ited availability of undeveloped land will requirethat its future development is carefully alignedwith the City’s economic development objec-tives.

The city will maintain its livability by effec-tively integrating daily activities – residence,work, education, culture and leisure – into a di-verse environment.

Ongoing process of assessing needs, settingobjectives, implementing programs and monitor-ing progress has resulted in an organized landuse pattern.

The majority of the City’s development and in-frastructure is in place, infill development, andredevelopment and revitalization area becomingthe City’s primary opportunities for new devel-opment. The city is seeing new types of develop-ment, including mixed use and higher density

projects such as Legacy Town Center. This ex-amines factors contributing to and resultingfrom the transition to a maturing city.

WWhhaatt ootthheerr iimmppoorrttaanntt iissssuueess ddoo yyoouu ffeeeell tthhee

cciittyy iiss ffaacciinngg??Balance budget. Park and Recreation for cit-

izens benefit. Road congestion and air/water pol-lution, as well as to improve the quality of life forPlano citizens.

Plano City CouncilCCaatthhyy FFaanngg -- PPllaaccee 88

AAggee:: 71

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Retired from aposition as municipal market-ing manager for Allied Waste

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: Prior service as a citycouncil member for sevenyears. Many years of service oncity boards and commissions,county bond committees, andon the boards of nonprofitagencies in Plano and CollinCounty. Served on a nationalsteering committee for the Na-tional League of Cities and oncommittees for the North Texas Council of Gov-ernments.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Business school

FFaammiillyy:: Married, two children and threegrandchildren


To continue my commitment of service tothe Plano community.


Police, Fire, Infrastructure (street, sanita-tion, water)

DDuurriinngg aa ttiimmee wwhheerree tthhee rraattee ooff DDAARRTTLLiigghhtt RRaaiill rriiddeerrsshhiipp hhaass bbeeeenn ssttaaggnnaanntt oorr ddee--cclliinniinngg,, tthheerree hhaass bbeeeenn rreenneewweedd ddeebbaattee oovveerrtthhee ccoonnssttrruuccttiioonn ooff tthhee CCoottttoonn BBeelltt RRaaiill LLiinnee..WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt uussiinngg ttaaxxppaayyeerr ffuunnddss oorrccrreeaattiinngg aa ssppeecciiaall ttaaxxiinngg ddiissttrriicctt ttoo hheellpp ffuunnddccoonnssttrruuccttiioonn ooff tthhee rraaiillwwaayy??

Possibly. I would need more specific infor-mation in order to make an informed decision.

IIff tthhee AArrttss CCeenntteerr ooff NNoorrtthh TTeexxaass iiss ddiiss--ssoollvveedd,, wwoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt ffuurrtthheerr mmuunniicciippaall

iinnvvoollvveemmeenntt iinn bbrriinnggiinngg aa rree--ggiioonnaall aarrttss cceenntteerr ttoo CCoolllliinnCCoouunnttyy??

If a private entity re-quested assistance from thecity, it would be appropriate toconsider contributing to infra-structure needs in order to fa-cilitate such a facility.

AAss tthhee aammoouunntt ooff uunnddeevveell--ooppeedd llaanndd iinn PPllaannoo ccoonnttiinnuueessttoo ddeeccrreeaassee,, wwhhaatt kkiinndd ooffllaanndd uussee sshhoouulldd tthhee cciittyy ttaarr--ggeett ffoorr tthhee rreemmaaiinniinngg ppiieecceessooff pprrooppeerrttyy??

We should target a combi-nation of commercial and residential uses, de-pending on the location of the available land.At the same time, we should consider the rede-velopment potential of existing, underutilizedproperties.


Dealing with ageing infrastructure will be apriority for several years. Prior rapid growthdid not allow upgrades to water mains and sew-ers in a timely fashion. Some of these are nowfailing. It’s much more cost effective to replaceand upgrade systems on a proactive basisrather than deal with emergencies. Recently,several water mains broke at approximately thesame time, drastically affecting water pressurein some areas. This could have caused a signif-icant problem if we had been faced with amajor fire.

Deferred maintenance is costly in the long-term. By putting an effective plan in place,Plano will be able to maintain the level of serv-ice our citizens expect.

We are fortunate to have a large commercialtax base here. We must continue to maintainstandards in order to attract new business de-velopment and to retain those companies thatare already here. Public safety and infrastruc-ture are critical components of our continuedsuccess as a city of which we can all be proud.

SSaallllyy MMaaggnnuussoonn -- PPllaaccee 88



Plano ISD Board of Trustees

AAggee:: 47

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Human Re-sources Professional, Mom

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: My career hasspanned 26 years in HumanResources in a wide range ofindustries. My core experi-ence is that of enabling thevery best of human perform-ance in an organization. Ihave an acute understandinghow to remove roadblocksand clutter and align an or-ganization. I have a balancedperspective, being an agent of change forthe leadership as well as an advocate for em-ployees. I have learned to be a whole-organi-zational thinker, who can collaborate tocreate a vision then execute tactics for suc-cess. Human capital, human potential I be-lieve is the limitless asset of anyorganization, and in a broader context ourentire society.

I have a history of school involvementdating back to 2005 while in Dallas. Sincemoving to Plano in 2007, I have been a Ju-nior Achievement Volunteer, and classroomvolunteer at Mathews Elementary. As headof HR at Imaginuity, I led our company inbeautifying the Cadiz Viaduct Bridge- a com-pletely volunteer effort to clean up a historicneighborhood bridge that spanned a 2-yearperiod. Additionally, I led the team in donat-ing to the Prom Shop Project and spear-headed our Breast Cancer Awarenesscampaign.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: BSBA, University ofArkansas, Human Resources 1987

FFaammiillyy:: Husband, daugh-ter in second grade and sonin ninth grade

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorrtthhee PPllaannoo IISSDD BBooaarrdd ooffTTrruusstteeeess??

The catalyst for me wasin 2008.

I realized at my sons Ele-mentary school graduation,that we are all connected inthe moment when our chil-dren succeed. Executivesrarely cry when they meetthe quarterly targets. Butright there, in that audito-

rium, those professionals were parents first,wiping away tears. In another setting theywould have been categorized as businessleaders, and employees. This was a water-shed moment in their lives, their children’sfuture wide open before them.

I experienced first hand that a SchoolBoard and Administration must have a visionthat is carried all the way to Principal andteacher, aligned to the future and with thefreedom to enact change when a communitywants to improve. I learned the power of acommunity that cared. And the heartbreakof an administration too distracted to be re-sponsive.

DDoo yyoouu bbeelliieevvee PPllaannoo IISSDD sshhoouulldd hhaavveeaarrmmeedd,, pprriivvaattee sseeccuurriittyy gguuaarrddss aatt iittss ccaamm--ppuusseess?? WWhhyy oorr wwhhyy nnoott??

A basic responsibility of all school dis-tricts is to provide a safe learning environ-ment, balanced with a welcomingatmosphere for parents. What happened atSandy Hook shook us all to the core.

Long-term I am a supporter of armed offi-

cers at every campus. However, since nohuman is omni-present, even an officer, theshort-term and practical course of protectionis to buy time for police response in theevent of a security emergency. Regulated,monitored, controlled entry at our campuses,lockdown and lockout procedures are part ofour holistic security protocol. In our alertsystem to the Police Department, secondscount.

AAfftteerr tthhee aarrrreesstt ooff aa tteeaacchheerr aatt HHuunntt EEll--eemmeennttaarryy aanndd tthhee rreessiiggnnaattiioonn ooff tthhrreeeeccoouunnsseelloorrss aatt HHaaggggaarrdd MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll,, aannuummbbeerr ooff ppaarreennttss ccoommppllaaiinneedd tthhaatt tthheeyywweerree nnoott aabbllee ttoo ggeett iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ffrroomm tthheeddiissttrriicctt.. DDoo yyoouu bbeelliieevvee tthheerree iiss llaacckk ooffccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn bbeettwweeeenn aaddmmiinniissttrraattoorrssaanndd ppaarreennttss tthhaatt nneeeeddss ttoo bbee aaddddrreesssseedd??

My experience with employee investiga-tions, has taught me that more often thatnot, a lack of detail in communication is themark of restraint, respect for those involvedand the judicial process. In November 2012,an audit of our district Human Resource andSecurity practices was conducted. Based onthe result of that audit, I am certain whatcan be shared by the administrators aboutthese circumstances has been shared.

AArreeaa sscchhooooll ddiissttrriiccttss ssuucchh aass AAlllleenn aannddLLeewwiissvviillllee hhaavvee pprrooppoosseedd ttaaxx rraattiiffiiccaattiioonneelleeccttiioonnss ttoo aaddddrreessss sshhoorrttffaallllss iinn ssttaatteeffuunnddiinngg.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt PPllaannoo IISSDD aasskk--iinngg vvootteerrss ttoo iinnccrreeaassee ttaaxxeess aabboovvee tthheeiirrccuurrrreenntt lleevveell ooff $$11..0044??

I am not inclined to raise taxes, but I aminterested in investing in a vision for our stu-dents’ education. I would support a clearPlano ISD vision first, with identifiable pro-grams that aligned for clarity in what needsprotection in light of a shortfall in state fund-

ing, utilizing a zero-based approach. Afterthat, if necessary, taking it to the communityfor a vote to save key programs would be areasonable activity, and a measure of localcontrol. My initial opinion is to keep it lim-ited to an increase amount that stays withinour District, in anticipation of the schoolfunding final decision being rendered by theTexas Supreme Court.

WWhhaatt ootthheerr iimmppoorrttaanntt iissssuueess ddoo yyoouu ffeeeelltthhee ddiissttrriicctt iiss ffaacciinngg??

Issues eminent for our district include A)school funding- the latest ruling and the fateof the budget, B) the STAAR EOC, C) pathsto graduation, and 4) vouchers. From our dis-trict’s point of view, I am an advocate forlocal control in these areas. I am experi-enced enough to know that local control alsomeans local involvement.

AA ccoommmmuunniittyy ssuurrvveeyy ccoonndduucctteedd llaattee llaassttyyeeaarr bbyy RRiiccee UUnniivveerrssiittyy sshhoowweedd 2222 ppeerrcceennttooff PPllaannoo IISSDD rreessiiddeennttss tthhoouugghhtt ccllaassssrroooommoovveerrccrroowwddiinngg wwaass tthhee bbiiggggeesstt iissssuuee ffaacciinnggtthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu tthhiinnkk ccaann bbeeddoonnee ttoo aalllleevviiaattee tthhiiss ccoonncceerrnn??

Class size is a symptom of our financialsituation. There are over 7,000 classrooms in257 Texas school districts that have receivedwaivers to increase the 22:1 K-4 ratio inTexas. I agree it’s not the best long-termcourse. But I also agree it was the best solu-tion on the table. That’s part of having thedubious distinction in Texas of being 49th interms of student education funding.

I believe project-based learning offersflexibility, and the opportunity leverage tech-nology, while limiting barriers to entry. Ad-ditionally, the flipped classroom concept isone I find intriguing and can work withlarger class sizes.

TTaammmmyy HHooookkeerr -- PPllaaccee 11

For voting locations, visit pisd.edu/about.us/board.of.trustees/board.election.shtml



AAggee:: 52

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: CEO, BigBrothers Big Sisters LoneStar.

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: 30 years of business,education, and volunteer ex-perience in support of chil-dren. Currently serving in myfirst term on the Plano ISDBoard of Trustees; board pres-ident the last two years.Plano resident for 25 yearsand Plano ISD mom for 14years. Served on the PISDGraduation Advisory Committee, the Huffman ElementarySchool-Based Improvement Committee, PlanoWest Royale Booster Club, Shepton BandBooster Club, and First Baptist Plano EarlyChildhood School Committee. Served as pres-ident of the board of Head Start of Greater Dal-las. Selected for Leadership Plano, Dallas, andTexas. Professional experience with the TexasEducation Agency, the Texas State Board ofEducation, the Texas High School Project, andothers.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Harvard University, MBA; TexasA&M University, BS in Industrial Engineering

FFaammiillyy:: Husband, Mike; daughter, Julia;son, Mark

WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorr tthhee PPllaannoo IISSDDBBooaarrdd ooff TTrruusstteeeess??

Throughout my business career and my vol-

unteer service, I have workedin support of education andchildren. I have worked withschool districts across the na-tion and educators across theglobe. I am excited to con-tinue to use my business expe-rience and educationknowledge as a partner withour school district leaders andas an advocate for the chil-dren and parents of PlanoISD. I have a vision of how wecan continue to make ourschool district a model forother communities. I under-stand what our students must

do to be competitive, both as they graduatefrom Plano ISD schools and apply to collegesand as they enter the global workforce andcompete with students from other nations. Asa resident of Plano for 25 years and as a 14 yearPlano ISD mom, I am deeply rooted and com-mitted to our district.


Plano ISD reviewed a number of securityenhancements over the last few months. Manyof the security updates considered by otherdistricts were already in place in Plano ISD,such as buzz-in doors and background checksfor all volunteers. In looking to take our secu-rity measures to the next level, armed securitywas explored. The reaction from our commu-nity was very mixed. We are now working withour local law enforcements agencies to in-crease the number of campuses with police re-

source officers and provide increased patrolsfor all schools. I support this current plan ofaction.

AAfftteerr tthhee aarrrreesstt ooff aa tteeaacchheerr aatt HHuunntt EEllee--mmeennttaarryy aanndd tthhee rreessiiggnnaattiioonn ooff tthhrreeee ccoouunn--sseelloorrss aatt HHaaggggaarrdd MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll,, aa nnuummbbeerrooff ppaarreennttss ccoommppllaaiinneedd tthhaatt tthheeyy wweerree nnoottaabbllee ttoo ggeett iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ffrroomm tthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. DDooyyoouu bbeelliieevvee tthheerree iiss llaacckk ooff ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonnbbeettwweeeenn aaddmmiinniissttrraattoorrss aanndd ppaarreennttss tthhaattnneeeeddss ttoo bbee aaddddrreesssseedd??

I think the communication between admin-istrators, board, and parents has never beenbetter. Our wonderful new superintendent, Mr.Richard Matkin, is very accessible to parents.Our board now allows public comment on non-agenda items, which was forbidden by previ-ous board policy. Often community requestsfor information center on personnel informa-tion that we do not have the legal right toshare. It can be frustrating for everyone.Within these legal restrictions, the districtmakes every attempt to meet with parents,PTA leaders, and community leaders to haveopen dialog about issues of concern in ourschools.

AArreeaa sscchhooooll ddiissttrriiccttss ssuucchh aass AAlllleenn aannddLLeewwiissvviillllee hhaavvee pprrooppoosseedd ttaaxx rraattiiffiiccaattiioonneelleeccttiioonnss ttoo aaddddrreessss sshhoorrttffaallllss iinn ssttaattee ffuunndd--iinngg.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt PPllaannoo IISSDD aasskkiinngg vvoott--eerrss ttoo iinnccrreeaassee ttaaxxeess aabboovvee tthheeiirr ccuurrrreennttlleevveell ooff $$11..0044??

Due to the “Robin Hood” state funding law,Plano ISD is in a difficult position: above a$1.06 tax rate, half of all money raised goes tothe state for redistribution to other districts.With voter approval, we could raise our tax rate

by 2 cents and keep all the proceeds in PlanoISD, about $6 million dollars. As a comparison,each 1% pay raise we offer our teachers costsabout $3 million. This year, with virtually nonew money from the state, we will be hardpressed to offer our teachers any increase inpay to offset increases in their health insur-ance. I would be open to consider a 2 cent in-crease to fund pay raises for our teachers.


Surviving a $59 million state funding reduc-tion over the last two years with as little im-pact as possible on the classroom and theeducational experience of our children was amajor effort. We cannot continue to sustaincuts of that magnitude while still offering thehigh quality of education for which Plano ISDis known. Over the last 10 years on an infla-tion-adjusted basis, average Texas public edu-cation spending per student has dropped from$7,222 to $5,998.

AA ccoommmmuunniittyy ssuurrvveeyy ccoonndduucctteedd llaattee llaassttyyeeaarr bbyy RRiiccee UUnniivveerrssiittyy sshhoowweedd 2222 ppeerrcceennttooff PPllaannoo IISSDD rreessiiddeennttss tthhoouugghhtt ccllaassssrroooommoovveerrccrroowwddiinngg wwaass tthhee bbiiggggeesstt iissssuuee ffaacciinnggtthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu tthhiinnkk ccaann bbee ddoonneettoo aalllleevviiaattee tthhiiss ccoonncceerrnn??

Having higher student to teacher ratios inour classrooms was the result of the $59 mil-lion budget cut. Plano ISD is a very efficientdistrict. We spend about 75% of our dollars di-rectly on the classroom, significantly morethan other districts. And the out of the class-room spending is on such essential services asnurses, bus drivers, and food service workers.Adequate state funding is the answer.

TTaammmmyy RRiicchhaarrddss -- PPllaaccee 11





AAggee:: 57

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: BusinessOwner/PISD SubstituteTeacher

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: Retired US Army War-rant Officer with over 13 yearsas a parent school volunteerand substitute teacher

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: MBA, BSLaw Enforcement Adminis-tration, AAS Criminal Jus-tice, and numerous US Armyleadership courses

FFaammiillyy:: Wife; Donna and two daughters;Alex and Katie.


The main reason I am running for trusteeis my disappointment of the current trusteeCarrolyn Moebius. Moebius was the onlytrustee to vote against allowing taxpayers toapproach and speak to the school board in aregular school board meeting. Her singlevote against our basic freedom of speech, asAmericans and taxpayers, is unconscionable.

Also, for the past several years I havebeen in the “trenches” with our teachers. Ifirmly believe a trustee must have teachingexperience within our public school systemfor making informed decisions at the school

board level.

DDoo yyoouu bbeelliieevvee PPllaannooIISSDD sshhoouulldd hhaavvee aarrmmeedd,,pprriivvaattee sseeccuurriittyy gguuaarrddss aattiittss ccaammppuusseess?? WWhhyy oorr wwhhyynnoott??

I believe there should bean armed presence at all ofour schools preferably withuniformed Plano Police offi-cers not private securityguards. Peace officers havesuperior training and thepower to arrest enablingthem to handle any situationwhich may arise during the

school day (fights, unruly students, etc.).Private security guards have a very limitedauthority. Also, I believe school administra-tors should be trained and armed with non-lethal devices. The bottom line being wecannot leave our school defenseless or evenallow the slightest perception of a schoolbeing an easy target for any criminal.


There is a lack of communication be-tween parents and the district which should

be addressed at the school board level. Thearrest of a teacher at Hunt ElementarySchool and the districts’ response is not ac-ceptable to me as a parent. When parentsask for information regarding a situation,the district has an obligation to truthfully re-spond with any and all information notlegally restricted by law. Any PISD employeewho knowingly withholds district informa-tion the public is entitled to, should be fired.As for the situation at Haggard MiddleSchool where three counselors resigned, thedistrict has an obligation to respond to theseparents with all the information they canlegally release. As it stands now, little isknown about the three resignations. Was acrime committed? Is misconduct involved?Should parents be worried? This is not howa school district should communicate withparents.

AArreeaa sscchhooooll ddiissttrriiccttss ssuucchh aass AAlllleenn aannddLLeewwiissvviillllee hhaavvee pprrooppoosseedd ttaaxx rraattiiffiiccaattiioonneelleeccttiioonnss ttoo aaddddrreessss sshhoorrttffaallllss iinn ssttaatteeffuunnddiinngg.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt PPllaannoo IISSDDaasskkiinngg vvootteerrss ttoo iinnccrreeaassee ttaaxxeess aabboovvee tthheeiirrccuurrrreenntt lleevveell ooff $$11..0044??

I would find it very, very difficult to askthe residents of Plano to pay higher taxes es-pecially since “Robin Hood” is alive and well.Any monies generated from a tax increaseflow to Austin for redistribution. I am tiredof Austin taking our money and then not giv-ing us enough back to fund our educationalneeds. I am also very aware of the numer-ous federal taxes taking more and more

money out of our pockets making everythingmore expensive. There are many in Planowho simply cannot afford any tax increase.


Plano ISD is doing a very good job inpreparing our students for college and con-tinually seeks ways to better prepare our stu-dents for college. Both of my daughters areproof of this success, however today’s realityis many of our students simply cannot affordto go to college and need to graduate with askill or trade. Some will tell you preparingstudents for a vocation is not the role of apublic school system, I disagree. Vocationalprogram(s) need to be developed and imple-mented for serving the needs of students andthe community as a whole.

AA ccoommmmuunniittyy ssuurrvveeyy ccoonndduucctteedd llaattee llaassttyyeeaarr bbyy RRiiccee UUnniivveerrssiittyy sshhoowweedd 2222 ppeerrcceennttooff PPllaannoo IISSDD rreessiiddeennttss tthhoouugghhtt ccllaassssrroooommoovveerrccrroowwddiinngg wwaass tthhee bbiiggggeesstt iissssuuee ffaacciinnggtthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu tthhiinnkk ccaann bbeeddoonnee ttoo aalllleevviiaattee tthhiiss ccoonncceerrnn??

Overcrowding is a very serious issue atmost schools. If all the students are on thesame academic level and behave well, largeclasses are manageable. This is not thenorm and large class sizes usually createmore problems than they solve. We can mit-igate the effect of overcrowding by develop-ing a proactive process to recognize whichclasses and schools are being “overcrowded’and adjust resources accordingly.

PPaauull PP.. KKaammiinnsskkyy -- PPllaaccee 22




AAggee:: 50

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Small Busi-ness Owner/Practice admin-istrator of VeterinaryHospital


Plano ISD Trustee, Place2, 2010 to present

PISD Board LiaisonCity of Murphy 2010 to

present, Plano Chamber of Com-

merce 2012-2013, Plano Council of PTA

2010-2011, Audit committee 2010.Leadership TASB (Texas Association of

School Boards) class of 2013. Leadership Plano Class 28. PTA member 2000 to present; Hunt Elementary PTA Treasurer, 2005-

2007. 2010Hunt Elementary PTA President, 2007-

2009Murphy Middle School VP of Volunteers,

2010-2011 EastSide Cares 2010, 2011Auditor For Ernst & Young & Doll, Karahal

& Company, PCFinancial InstitutionsSchool DistrictsCity governments

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: BA from Trinity University; Ac-counting hours from University of St Thomas

FFaammiillyy:: Husband, Jim; son, Robby; daugh-ters Sarah and Kelsey


I believe that public edu-cation is the foundation ofour country and its success iscritical to our community’sand nation’s future. What iseven more crucial than everis to fight for our kids to en-sure we are adequatelyfunded, are allowed to de-liver educational choices toall and can continue to makewise fiscal decisions. Weneed to keep our educationalsystem strong to remain a

top destination for businesses that are drawnto North Texas and to PISD schools.


PISD recently had a security study per-formed by an outside group receiving veryhigh marks with no noted weaknesses. Super-intendent Richard Matkin, Director of PISDSecurity Joe Parks and key employees havebeen meeting with Plano’s City ManagerBruce Glasscock and Chief of Police GregRushin. With the City of Plano being rated byForbes the #1 safest city in the US and work-ing together with the cities of Richardson andMurphy, I have confidence in the recommen-dations these leaders will bring forward. I donot have a problem with police officers at ourcampuses. Students as well as adults knowthat police protect us and have our safety astheir number one concern.

AAfftteerr tthhee aarrrreesstt ooff aa tteeaacchheerr aatt HHuunntt EEll--

eemmeennttaarryy aanndd tthhee rreessiiggnnaattiioonn ooff tthhrreeeeccoouunnsseelloorrss aatt HHaaggggaarrdd MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll,, aannuummbbeerr ooff ppaarreennttss ccoommppllaaiinneedd tthhaatt tthheeyywweerree nnoott aabbllee ttoo ggeett iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ffrroomm tthheeddiissttrriicctt.. DDoo yyoouu bbeelliieevvee tthheerree iiss llaacckk ooffccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn bbeettwweeeenn aaddmmiinniissttrraattoorrssaanndd ppaarreennttss tthhaatt nneeeeddss ttoo bbee aaddddrreesssseedd??

I know that the district moved very quicklyin bringing forth opportunities for discussionin an open meeting. The arrest was madeTuesday, October 16th. The parent meetingwas Tuesday, October 23rd, followed by theSuperintendent letter to the Hunt Commu-nity detailing additional answers on October26th. Q&A was posted to the Hunt website.In early November, there was another meet-ing with concerned parents, counselors, andthe Superintendent, that helped address fur-ther questions.

Everyone must remember that the Districtand School Board must abide by the law.When it comes to employees, an employer isoften very limited regarding what can be dis-cussed.


Yes. After the $1.06, the state would retaina portion of the funds. We are relying on leg-islators that seem to view all transactions asexpenses and none as investments. To keep abusiness viable you must invest in its future!The legislators state that the overall Educa-tion funds have increased over 70%. Well,overall they have, but based upon the Legisla-tive Budget Board’s “fiscal size up report”,funds per student (adjusted for inflation)

have decreased from $7,222/students in 2002to 2012 projected amount of $6,657. What thelegislators should do is grant additionalgolden pennies beyond the $1.06 and let thelocal communities decide if they want to in-vest more in their local ISDs.


Our state is in trouble if the legislators donot find additional revenue streams to coverthe increase in Medicaid costs as well as pub-lic education. If they do not invest properlyand our ISDs are not able to deliver theirproduct efficiently and effectively, we will allhave to reduce choices and staffing, increaseclass size and reduce enrichment activitieswhich may effectively reduce our ability toprepare our kids for the future. This is notjust a local, state or national concern. It’s notjust an immediate concern. It’s a concern forour future success.


To alleviate this concern, I would ask ourcommunity including students (it’s aboutthem), teachers, parents, PTAs, chambers,and businesses to make all of the Texas legis-lators hear your voice! As long as the amountper student from the state continues to de-crease, we will have to make the tough localdecisions of increasing class sizes, laying offvaluable PISD team staff, and reducingchoices for all of our students. They say theyare not hearing anything from our community… Don’t wait. Let them hear your voice.

CCaarrrroollyynn JJ MMooeebbiiuuss -- PPllaaccee 22




AAggee:: 61

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Retired fromJCPenney Corporate after 34years in financial manage-ment

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: My career and volun-teer activities taught me thevalue of teamwork, listening,problem solving, and gettingresults. Involvement withPISD has given me a broadunderstanding of its opera-tions and challenges.

My career gave me expe-rience with large organizations as they gothrough good times and challenging times.PISD is challenged by reduced funding andby changing demographics.

I met with the PISD Leadership Team,former Board members, and all currentmembers. I gained insight that I’ll need tobe a productive Board member.

Current:PISD - Career and Technical Education

Committee Speaker on Creative Design to PISD engi-

neering studentsRover Dramawerks Theater - TreasurerAssistance Center of Collin County – Vol-

unteer Coordinator for major eventsEpiscopal Church of the Transfiguration -

Member of Finance Committee and Conser-vation Team

Past:Leadership Plano Class

#29 2011 - 2012 PISD STEAM Academy -

Advisory Committee(STEAM = Science, Tech-nology, digital Arts, Engi-neering, and Math)

PISD Key Communicator,Mathews Elementary andPlano East Senior High

Plano East Senior HighPTSA - Membership Chair

Keep Plano BeautifulCommission - Chair

Plano Citizen’s Acade-mies: Government, Fire

and Police

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Certified Public Accountant (1984),New

York University, Advanced Professional Cer-tificate in Accounting(1983), Georgia StateUniversity, MBA in Finance (1978), DukeUniversity, BA in Economics (1973)

FFaammiillyy:: Wife, Robin, son, Robert.


You can do three things in life: 1) watch2) do 3) create or teach. If you’re reallygood at creating or teaching, you can in-spire; you can share your passion. I have apassion for education and want all PISD em-ployees and students to be inspired.


I believe each school should have trained,armed security, either Police or private. Wemust both educate and protect our children.

AAfftteerr tthhee aarrrreesstt ooff aa tteeaacchheerr aatt HHuunntt EEllee--mmeennttaarryy aanndd tthhee rreessiiggnnaattiioonn ooff tthhrreeee ccoouunn--sseelloorrss aatt HHaaggggaarrdd MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll,, aa nnuummbbeerrooff ppaarreennttss ccoommppllaaiinneedd tthhaatt tthheeyy wweerree nnoott aabblleettoo ggeett iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ffrroomm tthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. DDoo yyoouubbeelliieevvee tthheerree iiss llaacckk ooff ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn bbee--ttwweeeenn aaddmmiinniissttrraattoorrss aanndd ppaarreennttss tthhaatt nneeeeddssttoo bbee aaddddrreesssseedd??

Parents want to know what happened, andwhy. Administrators must comply with law en-forcement requests so that current and futureinvestigations are not compromised. PISD mustalso protect the rights of victims, witnesses, andthe accused … all part of the U.S. legal system.The meetings at Hunt with administrators andparents were designed to inform each party.

AArreeaa sscchhooooll ddiissttrriiccttss ssuucchh aass AAlllleenn aannddLLeewwiissvviillllee hhaavvee pprrooppoosseedd ttaaxx rraattiiffiiccaattiioonn eelleecc--ttiioonnss ttoo aaddddrreessss sshhoorrttffaallllss iinn ssttaattee ffuunnddiinngg..WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt PPllaannoo IISSDD aasskkiinngg vvootteerrss ttooiinnccrreeaassee ttaaxxeess aabboovvee tthheeiirr ccuurrrreenntt lleevveell ooff$$11..0044??

The Board and Administrators should reviewthe options and give their opinion to the voters.If there is a vote, we need to hold public meet-ings like Plano’s April 18th bond discussion.The 2012 PISD Annual Report shows thatPlano’s tax rate is relatively low.

WWhhaatt ootthheerr iimmppoorrttaanntt iissssuueess ddoo yyoouuffeeeell tthhee ddiissttrriicctt iiss ffaacciinngg??

#1 Austin has greatly reduced PISD’sfunding. The 2010-2011 PISD ProposedGeneral Fund Budget had State Sources of$101M. The 2012-2013 Budget has only $58million. The funding lawsuit will probablynot be resolved until 2014.

#2 The number of low income families isincreasing. 12% of students received subsi-dized lunches in 2002, compared with 28%in 2012. We must continue to include thesestudents by expanding existing programsand leveraging community resources, suchas:

AVID (Advancement via Individual Deter-mination) teaches study skills and leader-ship. (Supported by United Way)

The Mobile Learning Lab travels to lowerincome schools and their neighborhoods. Abilingual instructor shows the parents howto use such PISD programs as Parent Portal,ESL, and budgeting. (Supported by Federalfunds and Ericsson)

AA ccoommmmuunniittyy ssuurrvveeyy ccoonndduucctteedd llaattee llaassttyyeeaarr bbyy RRiiccee UUnniivveerrssiittyy sshhoowweedd 2222%% ooffPPllaannoo IISSDD rreessiiddeennttss tthhoouugghhtt ccllaassssrroooommoovveerrccrroowwddiinngg wwaass tthhee bbiiggggeesstt iissssuuee ffaacciinnggtthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu tthhiinnkk ccaann bbeeddoonnee ttoo aalllleevviiaattee tthhiiss ccoonncceerrnn??

The consultant also said that the overallsatisfaction of PISD residents was one of thehighest he had ever seen. Overcrowdingcan be addressed by more teachers, whichrequire more revenue.

JJoohhnn CCaallddwweellll -- PPllaaccee 33




AAggee:: 52

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Accountant(former), Mom

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Masters ofScience, Accounting fromUniversity of North Texas

FFaammiillyy:: Husband, Jim,married 21 years; daughter,age 17; son, age 15


I’m committed to servingour community and have shown leadershipin my first term. I’m called to serve the fam-ilies and stakeholders in our community. Inmy second term, I’ll continue to serve PlanoISD with the same level of enthusiasm as myfirst term by:

Staying informed about education issues Contributing financial expertise to the

boardMaintaining and building relationships

inside and outside of the communityAdvocating for education at the state

level Promoting communication and trans-

parency between the district and our com-munity

Providing leadership, independentthought, and open deliberations

Devoting significant time to the work of atrustee

DDoo yyoouu bbeelliieevvee PPllaannooIISSDD sshhoouulldd hhaavvee aarrmmeedd,,pprriivvaattee sseeccuurriittyy gguuaarrddss aattiittss ccaammppuusseess?? WWhhyy oorr wwhhyynnoott??

The safety of our studentsand staff is the most impor-tant priority. We havearmed Plano Police Officersat all campuses in grades 9through 12. Until budgetcuts several years ago, theywere also present at all mid-dle school campuses. Thedistrict is currently review-ing all options regardingsafety and security at all

campuses. I support having law enforce-ment—not private security guards—at ourcampuses. I will listen to our community todetermine prevailing opinions and discussthe administration’s proposal at an openmeeting to determine the best solution. Thedecision will be given careful study to bal-ance resources.


No. Immediately after these issues oc-curred, letters were sent to all families in theattendance zones of the respective schools.

Regarding Hunt, that matter is a police inves-tigation and the district provided all informa-tion available in accordance with law. TheHunt community was invited to a publicmeeting where district leaders were avail-able to discuss solutions. Unfortunately, afew disruptive individuals stole the commu-nity’s opportunity to share in this presenta-tion. With regard to Haggard, Informationregarding personnel issues must comply withprivacy laws. The parents were assured thatthe resignations had nothing to do with inap-propriate behavior or irregularities in test-ing.


Funding should be restored to PISD in themanner in which it was removed and I sup-port the House bill (Rep. Branch) to increasethe golden pennies. In an effort to have suf-ficient funding to operate, if the state doesnot restore funding, I advocate utilizing re-serves in our fund balance. If funding werenot restored after the appeal of the lawsuit, Iwould consider utilizing additional goldenpennies if they are made available; however,I would hesitate to increase taxes. The stateneeds to revise the funding structure so thatlocally raised taxes stay local.


Several important education issues beingdiscussed in current legislative session:School Finance: Restore funding to schoolsin the manner in which it was reduced; re-store ASATR. End of Course Exams: Elimi-nate EOC grade as 15% of the final grade;dual credit, A/P & I/B should be exempt.Paths to Graduation: The state should rede-fine the default Recommended GraduationPlan and permit more course choices. Vouch-ers: oppose any legislation that removesfunding from public education School StartDate: restore local control to districts.

Economically disadvantaged students rep-resent approximately 28% of total enroll-ment. The district provides additionalservices to meet the needs of this population.


Reduced funding is the reason the districthas had to seek waivers in class size. Thewaivers are not sought in kindergartenthrough 2nd grade. The waivers are not im-plemented in Title I campuses. There are noclassroom caps on grades 6 through 12. It’ssimple: restore funding. Our cost structure is85% salaries. Two suggestions: consolidatecertain programs at the elementary level foreconomies of scale and reduce programs. Ourmission is to provide an excellent educationfor every student and to do this, we must ed-ucate the whole child.

NNaannccyy HHuummpphhrreeyy -- PPllaaccee 33


AAggee:: 56

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: High SchoolMath, Special Education, andDriver’s Ed Teacher

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: 26 years - CertifiedTexas Teacher

Secondary Mathematics (6-12)

Secondary Business (6-12)25 years - Certified Mid-

Management Administrator(PK-12)

11 years - Certified GenericSpecial Education Teacher(PK-12)

11 years - Certified Severely/ProfoundlyHandicapped (PK-12)

10 years - Certified Superintendent (EC-12)7 years - Self-Employment in Human Re-

sources Industry6 years - Transportation Industry (local,

intra-state, inter-state)3 years - TEA Certified Drivers Education

Teacher

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: 2008 - Master of Science - Edu-cational Technology - Texas A&M University-CC

1986 - Master of Science - EducationalLeadership - Texas A&M University-CC

1978 - Bachelor of Busi-ness Administration HumanResource ManagementTAMU-CC

1976 - Associate of Sci-ence - Liberal Arts - KilgoreCollege Rangerette

FFaammiillyy:: Four childrenand two grandchildren


I got excited about thePlano ISD Trustee race whenI saw Carrolyn’s trustee cam-

paign signs, with the apple and the worm,going up in East Plano. As a Plano ISD parentand stakeholder, I have been impressed withthe rigor, college-prep, and challenge that mydaughter, Elizabeth, has received this year, atPlano Senior High School. As a graduate ofLeadership Corpus Christi, in my last schoolboard race, I received almost 10,000 (9960)votes in the 2012 election. From the 2008 and2010 races, I was 1st Runner Up to 4 sittingCorpus Christi ISD Trustees.

DDoo yyoouu bbeelliieevvee PPllaannoo IISSDD sshhoouulldd hhaavveeaarrmmeedd,, pprriivvaattee sseeccuurriittyy gguuaarrddss aatt iittss ccaamm--ppuusseess??

I would like to see rotated, off-duty, Plano

Police Officers on middle school, high school,and senior high school campuses. Dependingon the location, some elementary campusesmight need rotating officers assigned, unlessthey are in the immediate vicinity of anotherPISD campus with security.

AAfftteerr tthhee aarrrreesstt ooff aa tteeaacchheerr aatt HHuunntt EEll--eemmeennttaarryy aanndd tthhee rreessiiggnnaattiioonn ooff tthhrreeee ccoouunn--sseelloorrss aatt HHaaggggaarrdd MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll,, aa nnuummbbeerrooff ppaarreennttss ccoommppllaaiinneedd tthhaatt tthheeyy nnoott aabbllee ttooggeett iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ffrroomm tthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. DDoo yyoouu bbee--lliieevvee tthheerree iiss llaacckk ooff ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn bbee--ttwweeeenn aaddmmiinniissttrraattoorrss aanndd ppaarreennttss tthhaattnneeeeddss ttoo bbee aaddddrreesssseedd??

From my experience as a Plano ISD parent,I received e-mail and voice mail correspon-dence from PSHS. In addition to having thecampus website to answer questions, I have al-ways received answers to any other questionswith a phone call. It appears that the HaggardMS counselors had more integrity to quit thango along with some decision, which was notthe ‘best thing’ for students and they did notagree with, from administration. With theHunt Elementary teachers, even the accusa-tion ends careers in education. With 72 cam-puses, there will always be some issue wherethe public wants to know more. The truth al-ways comes out in time.

AArreeaa sscchhooooll ddiissttrriiccttss ssuucchh aass AAlllleenn aannddLLeewwiissvviillllee hhaavvee pprrooppoosseedd ttaaxx rraattiiffiiccaattiioonn

eelleeccttiioonnss ttoo aaddddrreessss sshhoorrttffaallllss iinn ssttaattee ffuunndd--iinngg.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt PPllaannoo IISSDD aasskkiinnggvvootteerrss ttoo iinnccrreeaassee ttaaxxeess aabboovvee tthheeiirr ccuurrrreennttlleevveell ooff $$11..0044??

Yes, a 2 cent tax increase to $1.06 will onlypartially make up the shortfall in state fund-ing. Any more of a tax increase only returnsmore of our tax dollars to the state.


Requiring more teachers to have ESL (Eng-lish Second Language) certification to helpmeet the needs of all student populations, es-pecially ELLs (English Language Learners).Over Spring Break, I am testing for ESL certi-fication because I work directly with refugeeand urban youth.


We call overcrowding “Growth” which is aBlessing for the Plano learning community.More families, with young elementary-agedchildren, are relocating and calling Plano“Home.” Changing the school boundaries mayhelp, but some homeowners buy in a certainlocation for their children to attend specificcampuses. Another case -by-case issue.

PPaattrriicciiaa ‘‘PPaattttyy’’ HHaarrrriiss -- PPllaaccee 66




AAggee:: 63

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: Four years on Planoschool board

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Masters De-gree in education

FFaammiillyy:: Married for over30 years to James Hinton IIIMD and two daughters whoare Plano West graduates


I am running for re-election because areprograms that I started that I would like tosee expanded – like the voluntary police-stu-dent character education mentoring program.This program involves police volunteering tocome into the elementary schools and mentor-ing a child in order to develop character traitssuch as taking responsibility, integrity and car-

ing for others. Currently, thisprogram is only in one school.A similar program mentorsstudents at the Special Pro-grams Center. Some otherprojects involved fundraisingpilot programs in the district.

DDoo yyoouu bbeelliieevvee PPllaannoo IISSDDsshhoouulldd hhaavvee aarrmmeedd,, pprriivvaatteesseeccuurriittyy gguuaarrddss aatt iittss ccaamm--ppuusseess?? WWhhyy oorr wwhhyy nnoott??

I believe what is impor-tant is the data and the re-search. Based on some of thedata shared with us, hiringsecurity guards for each

school may not be the best fit for our district.We are exploring other possibilities.

AAfftteerr tthhee aarrrreesstt ooff aa tteeaacchheerr aatt HHuunntt EEll--eemmeennttaarryy aanndd tthhee rreessiiggnnaattiioonn ooff tthhrreeee ccoouunn--sseelloorrss aatt HHaaggggaarrdd MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll,, aa nnuummbbeerrooff ppaarreennttss ccoommppllaaiinneedd tthhaatt tthheeyy wweerree nnoottaabbllee ttoo ggeett iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ffrroomm tthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. DDoo

yyoouu bbeelliieevvee tthheerree iiss llaacckk ooff ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonnbbeettwweeeenn aaddmmiinniissttrraattoorrss aanndd ppaarreennttss tthhaattnneeeeddss ttoo bbee aaddddrreesssseedd??

We held meetings with the parents in theschool cafeteria and in small groups in the su-perintendent’s office. We wrote articles for thelocal newspapers and for the Internet. We arestill trying to find ways to communicate betterwith our major PISD stakeholders. I do think itis better than it used to be. Board membersare reaching our more to the public, too.

AArreeaa sscchhooooll ddiissttrriiccttss ssuucchh aass AAlllleenn aannddLLeewwiissvviillllee hhaavvee pprrooppoosseedd ttaaxx rraattiiffiiccaattiioonneelleeccttiioonnss ttoo aaddddrreessss sshhoorrttffaallllss iinn ssttaattee ffuunndd--iinngg.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt PPllaannoo IISSDD aasskkiinnggvvootteerrss ttoo iinnccrreeaassee ttaaxxeess aabboovvee tthheeiirr ccuurrrreennttlleevveell ooff $$11..0044??

Compared to school districts such as Allen,I can support a small increase in taxes for thepurpose of increasing teacher pay and forbuilding renovation.


The other important issues the district isfacing are:

A changing and diverse student body andthe challenge of keeping our high standards ofacademic excellence.

Our determination to get back all moneyowed to us by the state.

To give out children more choices in cur-riculum

Teacher stress caused by ineffective testingBetter assessment and accountability mod-

els to measure the progress of the districtTo honor and support teacher creativity


We need to have board members attendPTA meetings and tell them we are expectinga decrease in student growth. Some schoolsmay see a temporary rise for a year or two, butthis is not the case for the whole district.

MMaarriillyynn HHiinnttoonn -- PPllaaccee 66




AAggee:: 48

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: ExecutiveVice President of CorporateStrategy, Interphase Corpo-ration


Board Member, the Al-liance for Higher Education.

Board Member, Texas-Is-rael Chamber of Commerce.

Adjunct Professor, Tech-nology Forecasting, UT Dal-las.

President, Wentworth VHomeowner Association.

Coach: Destination Imagination program(2 years).

Advisory Board Member, InternationalCenter for Decision and Risk Analysis at UTDallas.

Founding member, the North Texas AngelNetwork.

CEO, Solram Electronics, Lts. General Manager, Consumer Electronics

Connectivity Business Unit at Texas Instru-ments (89 people, $97m).

Director of Strategy for multiple businessunits at Texas Instruments.

Developer and Instructor, “The Competi-tive Toolkit” marketing and strategy trainingprogram, Texas Instruments.

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: Ph.D. in Organization andManagement (research in Creativity). MBA.Law Degree (LLB). ETECH (Electronics andComputer Science).

FFaammiillyy:: Married. Two daughters at Robin-

son Middle School

‘‘WWhhyy aarree yyoouu rruunnnniinngg ffoorrtthhee PPllaannoo IISSDD BBooaarrdd ooffTTrruusstteeeess??

My experience as an ad-junct professor at UTD taughtme that students feel “enti-tled” to get a job once theygraduate from college. When57 percent of Americans age25+ have some kind of a col-lege degree or certificate, itis no longer a differentiator,and no job is waiting for grad-uates. I want PISD to instillin students “ownership” of

their education and focus on differentiationbased on their strengths and passions. Imoved to Plano 10 years ago because of theschools, and believe that a strong school dis-trict translates into local economic growth.


The real question is: “how do we protectour children at school from incidents likeNewtown and others (e.g., school violence)?”We need to consult with school safety expertsfor alternatives, weigh them, and choose thebest tradeoff. The answer could be differentthan having security guards (private or oth-erwise). It might be the use of technology,cameras, or more secured access. It could bearmed guards, but we should conduct real re-search and consult with unbiased expertsfirst.

AAfftteerr tthhee aarrrreesstt ooff aa tteeaacchheerr aatt HHuunntt EEll--eemmeennttaarryy aanndd tthhee rreessiiggnnaattiioonn ooff tthhrreeee

ccoouunnsseelloorrss aatt HHaaggggaarrdd MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll,, aannuummbbeerr ooff ppaarreennttss ccoommppllaaiinneedd tthhaatt tthheeyywweerree nnoott aabbllee ttoo ggeett iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ffrroomm tthheeddiissttrriicctt.. DDoo yyoouu bbeelliieevvee tthheerree iiss llaacckk ooffccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn bbeettwweeeenn aaddmmiinniissttrraattoorrssaanndd ppaarreennttss tthhaatt nneeeeddss ttoo bbee aaddddrreesssseedd??

There is definitely lack of communication.I attend board meetings, but there are nomore than 10 parents in the audience. Thosemeetings are “for the public, but not of thepublic”. There is no forum for interaction. Weneed to involve parents in the planningprocess, and share with them what the ad-ministration is thinking. There is definitely alack of involvement, as a result, that can beseen as the very low participation in schoolboard elections. Modern communicationmedia can be used (e.g., social media) as wellas open, interactive forums. Even short videoclips explaining topics, giving opportunitiesfor feedback. I think that when three coun-selors at school resign, the parents shouldknow what happened, or irrational (albeitnatural) concerns arise.


First of all, we need to remember thatthere are limits for tax increases. We cannotincrease beyond $1.17, and at that point, ofthe ~$45m that will be raised, the districtcan only keep ~$30m (State gets the rest),where we have a ~$58m education shortfall.Having said that—we need to revisit how andwhere we spend our money. We need to usetechnology available to us in the 21st centuryfor education, and not continue to use meth-

ods used in the 1930s. Funding should followa strategy. I don’t believe in “throwingmoney” at the problem.


We have an increasing health problem,which we need to address through better nu-trition and physical education. We also needto help the influx of ESL students by helpingthem master the English language early,when they can, rather than “accommodate”and teach all subjects in another language,creating a hurdle for them later in life.


The problem is not simply overcrowding,but really the wide range of proficiency lev-els by a large number of students in the sameclassroom. I would propose to change the sys-tem towards moving children betweenclasses at a higher rate (than the current an-nual basis) based on individual progress. Thiswill allow holding classes for all children at acertain level and a different class for all chil-dren in a different level, rather than try andbring the weaker students to the middle,while holding the stronger students back atthe same level. Doing that will allow studentsto move at their own pace. Meanwhile, if allstudents are at the same level at class—theteacher can teach a larger number of stu-dents without the concern of overcrowding.Some classes in universities are attended by200 students or more, with not as many con-cerns.

YYoorraamm SSoolloommoonn -- PPllaaccee 66





AAggee:: 47

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Vice Presi-dent of Governance Solutions,Center for Reform of SchoolSystems


7 years as Trustee for PlanoISD Board of Trustees,

Earned Master Trustee des-ignation from TASB (TexasAssn of School Boards)

Graduate of LeadershipTexas, Leadership Plano, andLeadership TASB,

Fellow, Center for Reform of School Sys-tems,

Co-founder of Trustees for Texas,Only Trustee appointee to TEA’s Account-

ability Policy Advisory Committee,Member, NSBA’s Federal Relations Net-

work,Member of North Texas Regional Consor-

tium’s Trustee subcommittee,Frequent invited presenter at local, re-

gional, state, and national education confer-ences,

Member, TASB Legislative Advocacy Com-mittee that developed TASB’s advocacy posi-tions,

Developed regional legislative platform foruse by North Texas Regional Consortium mem-bers,

Member of regional, state, and nationalschool board associations

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: BBA in Marketing from South-ern Methodist University (’87),

Plano East Senior High Grad-uate (’83)

FFaammiillyy:: Husband, Doug,and daughter, Maddie, is astudent at Robinson MS.


My education in PlanoISD changed my life, and Iwant to do the same for everychild that we educate. In ad-dition, as the currently mostexperienced Trustee I con-tributed to our success to-

date, and I am uniquely positioned to help usdesign its future.


Schools should be a safe environment forour students and staff where we take all rea-sonable precautions possible. The Districtneeds to continue to consult with its securityprofessionals, the City’s police department,and the community to determine whether theDistrict needs to add more safety personnel.If the District believes that we should returnthe student resource officers to the middleschool campuses and add them to our elemen-tary campuses, I am only comfortable having atrained, commissioned peace officer serve inthis role.

AAfftteerr tthhee aarrrreesstt ooff aa tteeaacchheerr aatt HHuunntt EEll--eemmeennttaarryy aanndd tthhee rreessiiggnnaattiioonn ooff tthhrreeee ccoouunn--sseelloorrss aatt HHaaggggaarrdd MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll,, aa nnuummbbeerr

ooff ppaarreennttss ccoommppllaaiinneedd tthhaatt tthheeyy wweerree nnoottaabbllee ttoo ggeett iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ffrroomm tthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. DDooyyoouu bbeelliieevvee tthheerree iiss llaacckk ooff ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonnbbeettwweeeenn aaddmmiinniissttrraattoorrss aanndd ppaarreennttss tthhaattnneeeeddss ttoo bbee aaddddrreesssseedd??

Yes. I recognize that these examples arechallenging situations that public employersface when working to remain transparent tothe public and address parental concernsabout the safety and well-being of their chil-dren while protecting personnel informationall at the same time. I am committed to bet-ter community engagement on all issues.

AArreeaa sscchhooooll ddiissttrriiccttss ssuucchh aass AAlllleenn aannddLLeewwiissvviillllee hhaavvee pprrooppoosseedd ttaaxx rraattiiffiiccaattiioonneelleeccttiioonnss ttoo aaddddrreessss sshhoorrttffaallllss iinn ssttaattee ffuunndd--iinngg.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt PPllaannoo IISSDD aasskkiinnggvvootteerrss ttoo iinnccrreeaassee ttaaxxeess aabboovvee tthheeiirr ccuurrrreennttlleevveell ooff $$11..0044??

People are drawn to Plano because they ex-pect an excellent education. If a communitywants more than the “average” education thatthe State funds, and the District has ex-hausted all cost saving and revenue generat-ing methods, and the only method left is a taxrate election (TRE), then it would seem to bethe public’s right to have the opportunity toexpress its values through an election. BeforeI could support allowing the voters to decide ifthey want to pay more to have more, twothings must happen:

Implement my cost reduction strategy toevaluate each existing and proposed districtprogram and service to measure its fit with thedistrict’s strategic plan AND measure effec-tiveness.

Robin Hood districts like Plano need to re-ceive legislative support this session that per-mits local funds raised to remain local.

WWhhaatt ootthheerr iimmppoorrttaanntt iissssuueess ddoo yyoouuffeeeell tthhee ddiissttrriicctt iiss ffaacciinngg??

escalating the transformation of the dis-trict into a 21st century learning district,

advocating for adequate funding, rele-vant graduation plans, and reduced stan-dardized testing,

meeting the learning needs of studentsfrom varied economic circumstances, and

creating a balanced budget without usingour savings.

AA ccoommmmuunniittyy ssuurrvveeyy ccoonndduucctteedd llaatteellaasstt yyeeaarr bbyy RRiiccee UUnniivveerrssiittyy sshhoowweedd 2222ppeerrcceenntt ooff PPllaannoo IISSDD rreessiiddeennttss tthhoouugghhttccllaassssrroooomm oovveerrccrroowwddiinngg wwaass tthhee bbiiggggeessttiissssuuee ffaacciinngg tthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouutthhiinnkk ccaann bbee ddoonnee ttoo aalllleevviiaattee tthhiiss ccoonn--cceerrnn??

The increased student/teacher classroomratio is the most tangible example of a cut-back that parents have noticed since thestate reduced our funding by $59 millionover the last 2 years. There are 6 optionsthat may be exercised together or sepa-rately to reduce these ratios.

1. Strategically evaluate current pro-grams and services and redeploy support.

2. Allow out-of-district students to trans-fer into Plano ISD to generate new revenue.

3. Advocate broad legislative support topermit any additional local revenue to re-main local.

4. Recruit private partners willing toadopt and fund specific programs.

5. Advocate that the Legislature hold aspecial session to increase funding to publiceducation by the 2014-15 school year.

6. Allow voters to decide whether theywant to increase the tax rate beyond $1.04.

MMiissssyy BBeennddeerr -- PPllaaccee 77



AAggee:: 53

OOccccuuppaattiioonn:: Chief Oper-ating Officer – iDonate LLC

EExxppeerriieennccee//QQuuaalliiffiiccaa--ttiioonnss:: Leadership of StrengthenPISD–Community Based ad-vocates for PISD

1. Kids and EducationFirst

2. Equitable Educationwith Choices

3. Reasonably BalancedEnrollments

4. Fiscally ResponsibleDecisions

5. Prudent Utilization of District AssetsPresident Windhaven Farms HOA

Board Member Plano West Lacrosse ClubDirector PSA LacrosseLeadership of Pan Mass Challenge – ThePan-Mass Challenge raises money for life-saving cancer research and treatment atDana-Farber Cancer Institute through an an-nual bike-a-thon that crosses Massachusetts,the event has raised $375 million.Head JV Coach Plano West Lacrosse

EEdduuccaattiioonn:: University of Massachusetts

FFaammiillyy:: Wife – Susan, Son – Daniel 17 Ju-nior at Plano West Senior, Daughter – Han-nah 15 Sophomore Shepton High School


I love the school district and communityand am prepared to serve in a manner that

will assure the confidence ofthe community and respon-siveness it deserves. As mychildren have gotten olderand I’ve become more in-volved, I have grown increas-ingly concerned about theway some of our trusteesmake decisions and disre-gard parent and communityinput. Our community wasshocked when my opponentvoted to purchase an Acad-emy building without fiscaldue diligence costing $2 mil-lion above appraisal value onthe very same night that she

voted to lay off some of the 223 teachers letgo recently.

I’ve observed as my opponent thwartedefforts to allow parents to bring topics ofconcern to the school board in a publicforum and supported a non-existent relation-ship between the city of Plano and PlanoISD. I was also part of an effort asking ques-tions, seeking information and suggesting al-ternatives for a compromise solution to apoorly designed enrollment imbalance.These examples show the urgent need forcandid, courageous, fiscally transparenttrustees that will make decisions that putthe needs of our students and communityfirst.

My goals are to better partner with theparents and stakeholders, provide financialoversight that gives taxpayers confidencetheir assets are valued and prudently admin-istered, improve communication and dia-logue between Plano ISD and thecommunity.


I believe it is PISD’s responsibility to pro-vide the safest possible environment for allstudents, teachers and staff. “Plano ISD is themost safety and security conscious district wehave audited over the past 6 years”, recentlycommented a consultant auditor, but PlanoPD’s average response time to a Priority 1 in-cident is 4 minutes and 45 seconds so placingarmed officers in the elementary schools maybe the answer to our current security needs inPlano ISD. However, with that solution costing$3M annually from our reserve fund or raisingtaxes, I recommend we add the following tothe plan and strengthen the efforts of Studentand Family Services to: 1.) allow students/par-ents to confidentially report any issues and 2.)identify students who may be having a mentalhealth issue, are being bullied or are consid-ered a potential threat and connect them withappropriate services.

AAfftteerr tthhee aarrrreesstt ooff aa tteeaacchheerr aatt HHuunntt EEll--eemmeennttaarryy aanndd tthhee rreessiiggnnaattiioonn ooff tthhrreeee ccoouunn--sseelloorrss aatt HHaaggggaarrdd MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll,, aa nnuummbbeerrooff ppaarreennttss ccoommppllaaiinneedd tthhaatt tthheeyy wweerree nnoottaabbllee ttoo ggeett iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ffrroomm tthhee ddiissttrriicctt.. DDooyyoouu bbeelliieevvee tthheerree iiss llaacckk ooff ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonnbbeettwweeeenn aaddmmiinniissttrraattoorrss aanndd ppaarreennttss tthhaattnneeeeddss ttoo bbee aaddddrreesssseedd??

Yes, I believe parents have a right to knowwhat is going on in our school district and thatPlano ISD has an obligation to share the de-tails within their legal limitations.

AArreeaa sscchhooooll ddiissttrriiccttss ssuucchh aass AAlllleenn aannddLLeewwiissvviillllee hhaavvee pprrooppoosseedd ttaaxx rraattiiffiiccaattiioonneelleeccttiioonnss ttoo aaddddrreessss sshhoorrttffaallllss iinn ssttaattee ffuunndd--

iinngg.. WWoouulldd yyoouu ssuuppppoorrtt PPllaannoo IISSDD aasskkiinnggvvootteerrss ttoo iinnccrreeaassee ttaaxxeess aabboovvee tthheeiirr ccuurrrreennttlleevveell ooff $$11..0044??

With more than $1.2 billion dollars paidinto Robin Hood, and reductions of $59 Millionin funding in the last biennium, Plano ISD vot-ers need to voice their outrage to the TexasLegislature and demand change. Nobodywants new taxes, particularly for existing serv-ice levels. A detailed analysis of the budget,line by line, should be an ongoing process


The demographics of Plano ISD continue tochange and with that comes a new local, re-gional and international view of the needs andopportunity expectations of our taxpayers. Wemust meet these expectations if we are to con-tinue to be a Boldly Brilliant School District inan All-American City. Funding is a key issuefor PISD to address these expectations. Weare blessed to have a large corporate commu-nity to seek out partnerships for real-life ex-periences for students as they explore careergoals, job-training for our special needs stu-dents and research opportunities.


Classroom overcrowding is an issue both atthe elementary level and at the secondarylevel. Having smaller classroom sizes shouldbe a community goal and spending our avail-able tax dollars for additional, quality teach-ers is my priority.

SStteevveenn KKrraavviitt -- PPllaaccee 77



Documents

Collin County Voter Guide 2013