Candidates: Salome 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. Our city needs to increase its public transportation. There are so few people in College Station that even know where the bus stops are. Everyone knows where the Texas A&M bus stops are at but so few know where the College station bus stops are and that needs to be changed.

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.

Yes. Our city has already made great progress in putting in bike lanes in residential areas near the campus but we can do more. I would make a pact that all future streets that can afford to have a designated bike lane will have one.In our economic climate we need to make it safe for citizens who wish to not drive to use sidewalks and bike lanes.

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. We do have a curbside recycling. Nobody that I know of uses it. Why is it that so many things the city says it does doesn't reach the student population? There are 55,000 students who live here in College Station. That is a lot of generated waste. We need to reach out to those citizens and get them involved in curbside recycling because they live here too.

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?

Yes. How many times in the past two years has there been a food recall due to a salmonella outbreak in some far away state? We should have a farmers market in town so that not only are we getting fresh food but we are fostering a healthier environment for our citizens.

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. We need to start redevoloping some of our neighborhoods with taller and denser housing. I am not saying bulldoze the town and kill our history I am saying that we need to start in one of our neighborhoods that has many small run-down housing and develop a plan to enable a company to buy the housing in order to redevelope it. There would have to be extensive research done in our community before we procede with any plan.

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 understand that we need to expand city hall but I do not believe that now is a great time for the city to spend money on itself. The city should be limiting its spending to only necessary infrastructure needs. Why does the city council desreve a bigger city hall when we have roads with potholes so big you can almost drop a car into it?

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. I have a dream of owning my own business one day but that would be near impossible if I am competing with Big Corporation. I would not give incentives at all for any large retail place but instead pass ordinances that make it easier for mall business's to develop and grow.