Vote 2020: San Marcos City Council Place 3 candidates discuss campaigns in Q&A
Editor's note: The Daily Record sent questionnaires to both candidates for San Marcos City Council Place 3 — Incumbent Ed Mihalkanin and challenger Alyssa Garza. Both candidates discuss their plans if elected to the city council.
Ed Mihalkanin
Incumbent
Q. What did you learn from your past term as Councilmember and what will you do differently if you are elected again?
Mihalkanin: San Marcos is vulnerable from events that begin far away from us. COVID-19 has hurt many people and businesses in our community. We need to realize that this virus will be with us beyond this year. The city government needs to plan a multi-year response to this virus and increase funding to social welfare agencies.
Q. What issue most inspired you to run for office and how would you address it as a Councilmember?
Mihalkanin: The threat to our community from COVID-19 led me to run for re-election. We need to follow the CDC guidelines. Further, the city government needs to investigate ways we can help our residents and small businesses directly within the constraints of state law. We need to be creative in finding ways we can help defray the economic costs that our fellow San Marcans have borne.
Q. Covid-19 will affect San Marcos residents for months to come, if not their health and daily activities, in their economic outlook. What do you propose going forward to prevent the spread while preserving economic vitality for the City of San Marcos’s budget and its residents?
Mihalkanin: I have asked the city council to discuss possible future options that would allow us to aid our residents more directly. Further, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area has a great facility in our community. We need to connect the people who need workforce training to that facility. The city needs to publicize that workforce training option and help people use it.
Q. How will you advocate for economic opportunity and preserve affordability in San Marcos? How would you amend the new city development code if given the opportunity?
Mihalkanin: We need to attract more high paying jobs to our community. The price of raw land in San Marcos is greater than in many surrounding communities and that has been true for decades. Actively recruit the companies we want to see here and provide incentives tied to higher paying jobs. Increasing the skills of our residents; new businesses with high paying jobs are the best ways to help home ownership.
Q. How will you address a changing climate in a city with risks of flooding and protect a beloved river projected to turn semi-arid?
Mihalkanin: We need to push forward and complete all of the flood and drainage mitigation projects that we have started. We also need to start on new projects and add to our green space given the increase in the amount of land now in flood zones and encourage water conservation.
Alyssa Garza
Q. What experiences most qualify you to represent the residents of San Marcos as
Councilmember?
Garza: My professional and academic background provide me with the skills necessary to interpret and understand complex social issues and policies that impact the well-being of our community and to conduct program evaluation to measure success and areas of growth. I am also passionate about and effective in community engagement. Among neighbors I am known for bringing people together to solve issues. I fundamentally believe we can improve the lives of the most vulnerable in our community by navigating and viewing feedback on areas of growth with a more asset-based approach. With years of experience researching policy and conducting evaluation with a community centered approach, I possess the training and passion to help shape a better San Marcos.
Q. What issue most inspired you to run for office and how would you address it as a Councilmember?
Garza: The need for a city council that more adequately and equitably represents all San Marcans inspired me.
Many lack basic needs such as housing, employment, and access to social services. To thrive we need, a diverse and resilient economy, quality social services, and quality development with public benefits. None of this is accomplishable without an intentional, inclusive, and engaging path forward. SMTX is rapidly growing and representatives must modernize how they engage with constituents. I view “equity” as a verb, it is about action and securing results. Engagement is not enough. We must investigate what structural systems can be put in place to truly empower the communities. I have what it takes to increase the ability of citizens to directly engage with their city government moving forward.
Q. Covid-19 will affect San Marcos residents for months to come, if not their health and daily activities, in their economic outlook. What do you propose going forward to prevent the spread while preserving economic vitality for the City of San Marcos’s budget and its residents?
Garza: COVID-19 has devastated the lives of many, particularly those who were already on the margins for survival. We must provide rapid emergency support and financial assistance to our neighbors. Similarly, we must support our local businesses and continuously seek creative solutions to help keep them intact while preventing the spread of COVID-19. We must be strategic about how we use our existing resources and work on securing additional funding. Cities nationwide are engaging in budget reviews to address inefficiencies and reprioritizing how spending is done moving forward. While challenging, this is an opportunity to reset and prioritize communities that have historically been underserved.
Q. How will you advocate for economic opportunity and preserve affordability in San Marcos? How would you amend the new city development code if given the opportunity?
Garza: We must begin by acknowledging that San Marcos is not affordable for many. Any amendments to the new city development code should be led by the community. The city has fallen short when it comes to securing diverse perspectives. Changes should not be driven by key players seeking to preserve their neighborhood or by developers alone. This does not mean that we take away their voice. This simply means that we need to create more space at the table for a much broader perspective.
Q. How will you address a changing climate in a city with risks of flooding and protect a beloved river projected to turn semi-arid?
Garza: As someone who was directly impacted by both historical flooding events while living in the Blanco Gardens Neighborhood I know, firsthand, what stems from a lack of intentional community engagement and thorough research. I will address a changing climate by leading with science, capitalizing on our existing programming, and expanding on initiatives that benefit our environment and our community. I will also take advantage of the assets and resources that exist at Texas State University to create more initiatives such as community engagement components.
