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Mayoral Candidates Speak at SMDR Runoff Forum: Residents ask the candidates

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Editor's note: Mayoral candidates Jane Hughson and Juan Miguel Arredondo spoke at a runoff forum hosted by the Daily Record on Monday. This is part one in a two-part series showcasing what the candidates had to say. 

The two candidates answered six questions over the course of a half hour on Zoom with over 300 live views and more than 1,000 post-event viewers. 

The first three questions, written by the Daily Record staff, aimed to gather more information on where the candidates stand than had already been given in General Election forums and voter guides. The last three questions were submitted by voters, who were given three days' time to tell the Daily Record what they want to know most from the candidates. 

One curious resident asked what capital improvement projects the candidates would support throughout their term. 

Hughson cited the reprioritization of the capital improvement projects that occurred to save money during the beginning the pandemic. 

“We went through the capital improvement projects, and we parred down to those that were already under construction, or are very close, and we needed to keep the ones that we are doing for flood mitigation,” Hughson said.

Hughson supports flood mitigation projects, sidewalks, electric utility and wastewater projects, and cited the Victory Gardens street drainage project as one she would have supported even if it weren’t already underway. 

If elected, Arredondo said he will ask councilmembers to revisit the capital improvement projects that have been outlined for the next 40 years and consider something else; broadband internet service.

“Obviously, prioritizing flood mitigation projects and other things and projects that have been historically left on the back burner on the East side and are predominantly low income or Latino neighborhoods,” Arredondo said. “But now more than ever, we've seen how access to high speed broadband internet is something that everyone in our community desperately needs.”

Calling upon his colleagues to consider working toward becoming a community of the future, Arredondo listed benefits of internet services to the business community, students, and parents struggling to save money.

The next resident suggested question called on the candidates to discuss the status of Cite and Release; whether six months after its passage it should continue to be enforced as an ordinance, or if it should be reconsidered as a resolution. 

Arredondo said he would default to the vote decided by the councilmembers and  keep it an ordinance. 

He did continue to say that metrics and other measurements of success need to be part of the criminal justice reform conversation from the start. 

“I am ready, willing and able to participate in those conversations and look at how we can expand the success of the Cite and Release ordinance, or, you know, talk about policy to address some of the concerns brought forward by the police officers or even the Police Officers Association,” Arredondo said. 

He called out Hughson’s inclination toward a resolution saying that without enacting and establishing policy, support only in theory is just "lip service." 

Hughson disagreed with Arredondo saying it was too soon into the ordinance’s life to make any decisions. She acknowledged a new council might make a new decision.

“I would say let's leave it the way that it is and continue monitoring and see where we go, and I will disagree with my opponent to say that you can support something without necessarily saying that you have to have an ordinance for it,” Hughson said. 

Another question about working with City Manager Bert Lumberas, provided Hughson with an opportunity to speak to how things went in her current term as Mayor. 

“The city manager and I work well together,” Hughson said. “Now, I do meet with him every two weeks, we go over major projects, we go over things that will be on an upcoming agenda. We look at the five strategic initiatives we talked about where we are on that.”

She said there are very few disagreements, however, sometimes she may ask if something can be moved along faster. 

Arredondo emphasized that he would empower citizens as Mayor whether he is working on the agenda or working with the city manager. 

“I think oftentimes we put the responsibility or power into a mayor or in a city manager hoping that they do the right things, whatever those things might be, all of those things are so dependent on an engaged and active citizenry,” Arredondo said. “And so one of the first things that I'm going to ask the city manager, is to right now, virtually, open the doors to City Hall, and be more intentional about engaging our citizens ... so that the taxpayers and, more importantly, those historically underserved neighborhoods and communities have more to say.”

Arredondo closed with a message of advocating for the most diverse and economically disadvantaged segment of the community. 

“I'm running to amplify the voices of the historically underserved communities ... the Victory Gardens neighborhood that still has mailboxes in Lowe's paint buckets,” Arredondo said. “I mean it's things like that that need to change and that's why I'm running to be the next mayor of San Marcos.”

Hughson closed the evening with her experience on regional boards and time served as Mayor and previously as a councilmember of San Marcos. 

“I, and our city council, have been concerned about all citizens, for every year that I have served on council and those in between,” Hughson said. “We look to see which neighborhoods need help. We have spent our CDBG Community Development Block Grant Monies to help those who need help.”

The Daily Record thanks Hughson and Arredondo for participating in the first Runoff Election forum. 

Early voting begins Saturday and Election Day is Dec. 8.

San Marcos Record

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P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666