Candidates: Eggers Answers Progressive Questions

Question 1
Animal ordinances in Bryan are currently enforced through warrantless home inspections and searches, jeopardizing pet owners' rights. College Station is in the process of adopting a new set of animal control ordinances that are more respectful of rights to privacy. Do you support similar revisions of the City's animal control ordinances in Bryan?

Yes. While I believe warming on a global scale may one day be proven to be a miscalculation, I do believe in many of the ideas outlined in the Cool Cities program. Water and trees heat and cool more slowly than asphalt and brick due to difference in conductivity. Water and trees will be slower to heat up during the day, making it more cool in the afternoon. The trade off is that the temperature is a little warmer at night as it takes the water and trees longer to cool down. If you ever spent the afternoon in a parking lot on a hot day as it heats up more than the surrounding areas, you can appreciate the fact that we need to include more trees and water in the landscape.

Question 2
Do you believe that pedestrians, bicyclists, and wheel chair users should have complete and safe access to all places of residence, commerce and employment within the city? If this is to be achieved, a number of measures would need to be taken to improve connectivity in College Station, such as creating more dedicated bike lanes and crosswalks and enforcing traffic laws that ensure the safety of these users of our roads.

No. The word “all places” is one that I can’t get behind. For example, plans for a sidewalk on Northgate would eliminate more of the already severely limited parking at the Methodist Church. I applaud the city’s recent effort in creating bike lanes and crosswalks. The trails around Wolf Pen Creek, and the Wide bike lanes along Texas Avenue are good examples of what I would like to see more of. Encouraging pedestrian travel reduces vehicle emissions, reduces traffic, and promotes exercise. Let’s continue to make progress toward these goals without creating undue hardships on the churches and businesses.

Question 3
College Station has a successful curbside recycling program in place, but there is still a great deal of recyclable material going into our landfill. Do you believe the city should be promoting further actions to reduce waste and encourage reuse and recycling?

Yes. Most residents simply don’t know, or forget, that there is curbside recycling in the city. I can recall only one time that I have seen a bag by my street other than my own in the last 4 years. To raise awareness, I would like to propose that we have a small roll of recycle bags with instructions dropped next to every trash can, at least once a year.

Question 4
Farmers’ Markets can reduce transportation impacts of food, support local farmers, create community connection, increase the viability of surrounding businesses, and project our community character. Do you support funding for a permanent farmer’s market in a visible, central location?

No. I absolutely believe in local agriculture. When the nation relies on agriculture from a only a few locations, we are all vulnerable to the same shortages due to crop diseases, drought, and pests. Local agriculture encourages the growth of native plants which are easier on the soil, require far less fertilizers, require less pesticide, support the local economy, and require less fossil fuel to ship.
I don’t believe that running a business, or supporting a business, is a legitimate function of government. I do believe that a financial incentive, such as a low property tax assessment for the first few years, could be a good tool to encourage the development of a farmers market.

Question 5
Our community is sprawling to the south while more than 40% of the developable land within the city limits remains undeveloped. Urban sprawl drives up tax rates by increasing the cost of infrastructure and community services such as police, fire and ambulances. It also diminishes aesthetic appeal and increases traffic. Many cities have recognized the advantages of “Smart Growth” and taken measures to curb sprawl. Do you believe the city should take a proactive role in addressing this issue?

Yes. I would like to see more money spent on the older areas of College Station that are in bad need of repair. In Austin, Hyde Park is about the same distance from the university as South Gate is to Texas A&M. The lots are about the same size, and Hyde Park is prime real estate. Instead of letting South Gate get run down, we might buy a couple of lots for use as a park or attraction. With some new roads and development, investors might have incentive to build new houses on old lots and clean up the area instead of building on the outskirts of town and facilitating urban sprawl.

Question 6
While we recognize that City Hall needs to be expanded, the citizens of College Station voted last May against rebuilding at a site on Kranek Tap Road. Expansion at the current location could meet the city’s needs while also taking a positive step toward increasing building density in College Station, thereby decreasing the pressure for sprawl. Do you support the expansion of City Hall at its present location?

Yes. I voted with 66% of residents against building a new City Hall on Krenek Tap Road.

Question 7
T The first Paragraph of the fourteenth amendment reads:
"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. "
Do you agree?

Yes.

Question 8
Locally owned, independent businesses can provide economic stimulus, develop human resources, reflect community character and encourage tourism. Yet Bryan has encouraged large retail development by national chains with financial incentives, thus creating unfair competition for locally owned businesses. Other communities have taken measures to level the playing field, including stopping the provision of incentives to outside competition and putting restrictions on the size of retail outlets that can be developed. Would you support these or other types of initiatives to promote local, independent businesses?

Yes. Preserving and encouraging the growth of local small businesses in College Station is more important than encouraging large retail development. Small businesses never become “too big to fail”. Business owners see immediate results of their decisions and are able to tailor their businesses to meet local customer demand. Diversity among businesses also helps to ensure that if a business fails we can easily adapt. I would discourage financial incentives that would give national chains an unfair advantage against local business.