Name three main reasons you believe you’re the best candidate for this position?

Montgomery County government has a notorious history of being non-transparent, unaccountable, and only practicing conservatism for the cameras. This kind of behavior is unacceptable from the government which is directly accountable and responsible to the taxpayers of this county. I believe I am qualified to hold the position of County Judge for the following reasons:

Relevant Experience: This is not my first time holding public office. Previously serving as President for my local HOA and currently, as the Mayor of the City of Montgomery, I fully understand citizens expect limited government, and how to provide it. I understand the complexities of inner workings between cities and the County for services, and how these agreements can be structured to benefit all involved parties. I understand the bidding process and the necessity for it to be open to all who wish to participate. As Mayor, I have participated in four budget cycles, resulting in a $0.01 decrease in the city’s property tax rate and a first-time homestead exemption for Montgomery residents. My time as a public official has prepared me for the duties and responsibilities I will assume on a larger scale at the County level. 

Building Strategic Relationships: By building strategic relationships at the executive, developer, and operations levels, I have assisted key IT sales accounts in identifying new levels of software automation. As County Judge, my skills will bring a new perspective to county government. We need positive relationships between elected officials, taxpayers, businesses, county employees, and county vendors to deliver cost-effective county services. 

Transparent: Transparency of government is something that drove me to involve myself in politics, it is something I have wanted. I, personally, along with a lot of people are tired of being short-changed and thought of as “uninformed.” In my quest to become more informed about county business, I found true transparency is evading citizens and this is too important to take lightly. 

I am tired of vague answers to open records requests, consent agendas without public explanation, which get passed with barely the blink of an eye, and a County website with numerous outdated errors on the financial transparency section which prevent citizens from getting an accurate, up to date view on how the County is managing their money. We can do better as a county. 

It will be my goal to deliver what myself and so many have wanted for so long from government and that is integrity, truthfulness, openness, and trust. Please watch my video on my website: https://countryman4countyjudge.com/in-the-news/f/candidate-sara-countryman-answers-mctp-questionnaire

Do you favor term limits? Please explain why or why not.

When someone chooses to run for office, the terms for that office are known before you ever sign on the dotted line to run. As for the office I seek presently, Montgomery County Judge, if elected, I will execute that office for my initial four-year term, but probably will only seek a second four-year term, as I do have other political aspirations and a plan. If within eight years, I cannot better Montgomery County as a whole, then I most likely do not have what it will take to help Montgomery County on a state level. But it is an elected’s obligation to serve the people, and not to be an obstacle. And I have learned as a Mayor of the City of Montgomery, while I have done much for the city that has benefited all of my constituency, there’s only so much I can do as a Mayor to be of benefit to my City. And I feel that it is time to move on and possibly see my city get its next mayor, who will build upon what I have started and possibly keep the momentum going. 

The same applies to a County Judge, who in reality should serve all of their constituency, not just a few. In approaching this candidacy for County Judge, I have goals to bring accountability and transparency to the county government. Perhaps my successor will carry those goals further with their ideas and their own goals. It’s not an exercise in continual career politicians, but a continuity from one leader to another, always building on the successes and correcting the failures.

Will you vote to require a supermajority vote to approve bond elections?

I believe a supermajority has its place in government, specifically in regard to bond issues, yes, a supermajority of the members of the Court should be in agreement to approve bond elections. More importantly, bond money is taxpayer’s money, and the final say on bonds requires a vote from the citizens. 

Do you think the county needs to zone areas to control population densities and development patterns?

Definitely.

Under what circumstance will you vote to award any contract with less than three qualified bidders?

Under normal circumstances, you choose the lowest bidder who can provide the highest quality job and can complete the terms of the contract within the allotted amount of time, hopefully under budget.

However, the State of Texas and Montgomery County have been under a constant Declaration of Emergency since the coronavirus pandemic began. The state of emergency should not be used as an excuse to avoid bidders when there are plenty of bidders available. Under my administration, if there are bidders available, bids will be sought unless the situation mandates immediate action, like those caused and brought about during a natural disaster such as a hurricane, where supplies and labor in the region are impacted. 

Since TAC (Texas Association of Counties) is very unfriendly towards taxpayers, will you vote for or against including Montgomery county membership to TAC? Why?

The Texas Association of Counties has both a purpose and benefit to the County and taxpayers but how we choose to use those services and benefits is a decision that leadership and citizens should make together. TAC provides valuable training and information to Texas counties, but member counties should make sure TAC understands their role. All Texas counties should make it clear to TAC that lobbying against taxpayer-friendly policies is not allowed. 

Do you oppose the use of public funds, other than for needed infrastructure repairs, to subsidize the cost of private facilities such as stadiums, arenas, hotels and other such entities?

Yes. Public funds are something that truly benefits the public, and more specifically, the taxpayers of this County. Private facilities should provide private funding. The responsibility of the County Judge is to match local resources such as private funding with private ventures that bring amenities to Montgomery County without using taxpayer dollars.

Will you vote for or against Certificate of Obligation Bonds? When is a Cert. of Obligaton warranted? Though statutory(created by legislature), would you publicly condemn it's use?

I do not have an answer to that at present, but I will research further. 

Did you take a position on The Woodlands incorporating?   Why or why not?

No, I did not. It is not my city or my community. The role of the County Judge is to interact with The Woodlands Township whether they do or do not incorporate. The county should consider requests from The Woodlands Township the same way they consider requests from municipalities within Montgomery County.

Will you vote to limit budget increases to a factor based on population growth and inflation? Explain.

No, I will vote for programs that limit government. Montgomery County currently has a budget that is disproportionate with the current population. So, basing any budget increases on population growth and inflation would only continue to skew the budget. 

Do you support using zero-based budget practices for every governmental entity, elected and appointed?

Yes, but implementing zero-based budgeting will not solve all of the budget problems in Montgomery County due to the fact over 50% of the budget is salaries. 

What are the balanced budget “rules” for Texas counties in general and for Montgomery County in particular & how/when would you balance the Montgomery County budget & pay off debt?

The Texas Constitution outlines that the State Legislature must ensure a balanced budget is created every two years, going as far as to cite in Article 8, Section 22(c): “In no case shall appropriations exceed revenues as provided in Article III, Section 49a, of this constitution.” In short, Montgomery County should not be any different than the State in ensuring a balanced budget is passed each year, and Montgomery County does go through a week-long process to create a budget each year, ending with a balanced budget at that time. 

However, the county budget is often thrown off-balance through budget amendments which are put before the court in the middle of budget cycles. These amendments are more often than not passed, and the funding is taken out of whatever pot the court can utilize to fund the item, including fund balance. These items become part of the base budget in the next budget cycle, which only continues to expand our budget problems.

Do you support a requirement that any government entity require a two-thirds majority to impose any tax increase?

I would think two-thirds reasonable. But I find the question, even at that, a bit vague as it would at present require a potential expansion of government.

Senate Bill 2 already limits government to a maximum of 3.5% increase per year and outlines specific criteria when citizens vote on a tax increase. Maybe a better option would be to ask the legislature to reduce the maximum increase below 3.5%. 

Will you vote for increasing the public debt of your jurisdiction to fund road construction/maintenance?  Explain why/not.

Road construction and maintenance is the core function of the Commissioners, but in the case of what experience I’ve had as the Mayor of the City of Montgomery, it has been my practice to involve much more than just the councilpersons and myself and have put it to discussions with the involvement of leadership, community, citizens, and businesses. As for taking on debt without a more unified consent, that is actually betraying the trust of taxpayers. Citizens must understand the roads are not free and the materials to build them and maintain them are not free either.

It often takes a road bond to provide the funding for mobility projects so the project can be completed timely. The goal is to pay down existing debt so any new road bonds will not negatively impact the debt service component of the tax rate.

Do you believe the private conduct of a public official is relevant to that official’s suitability for office?

Indeed. Especially when it comes to intentional or reckless conduct. 

Is there anything in your background of an embarrassing nature that should be explained before your election? Arrests/Convictions? Bankruptcys?

Please see here: A Little Bit of History (countryman4countyjudge.com)

How much of a problem is county hiring based on the "good old boy" / "loyalty to leadership" instead of one's ability to efficiently and ethically perform their tasks and functions? and what can realistically be done about it?

I would love the opportunity to discuss that but unfortunately, I could probably write a fair-sized chapter on the hiring processes of Montgomery County. 

What's your position on Toll Roads?

Where possible, cost-sharing agreements with TxDOT and HGAC commitments should be used to build roads in Montgomery County. When these options are not available, citizens must decide if the transportation needs warrant building a road with tolls. 

What's your position on county using taxpayer money to fund Toll Roads, yet using toll fees for maintenance?

Tolls should be used to maintain the 249 Toll Road. Once the revenue bonds are paid in full, the tolls should be reduced to cover only the cost of maintenance once the repayment of the debt on the road is paid off in full. If a community already has a toll road, its focus should be to pay off the debt from its creation and then lower the tolls to maintain it. 

Will you agree to abstain from giving tax-payer funds to non-profits?

Possibly to some non-profits, but not all. Residents of Montgomery County have an obligation in a manner of speaking to take care of those fellow residents in Montgomery County that can’t, for example, our elderly, young, and disadvantaged. Certain non-profits assist these folks into a state of productivity and self-reliance, filling a need that otherwise, if not funded would still be a financial burden on the county, law enforcement, the Montgomery County Hospital District, and the taxpayer.

Before just handing over taxpayer funds to non-profits, under my administration, I would assist those non-profits in finding other funding sources. When county participation makes the non-profit eligible for double and triple the dollar amount in state and/or federal funding, county participation may be necessary. 

Do you consider the salary increases for County Commissioners over the past 10 years to be equitable in light of the salary increases for other county officials?

As I have stated before, I have an issue when any elected official makes more per annum than the Governor of the State of Texas. As a matter of fact, I have served the City of Montgomery for four years with zero annual salary, driven only by my passion to improve my community and my city. 

What would you do at the county level to protect citizens from the federal or state government?

I am afraid I will need you to be more specific as to what you mean by “protect the citizens from the federal or state government.” Protection from what?

In light of census data showing avg. MC taxpayer salaries of $40K, what salary would be appropriate for commissioners?

I do not currently know the average salaries of the commissioners in Texas, but I’m sure in due time I will be able to answer that. I can say that a 5% across-the-board salary increase to all county employees should not have included elected officials. 

Do you believe Americans should be forced to provide medical care and public education to people who are in our country illegally?

No.

Did you agree or disagree with the governors' mask mandate during the 2020 Covid 19 "epidemic"?  Would you have enforced it at the local level?  Why or why not?

I disagree with the mask mandates. I would not have enforced them at the local level. However, I would have informed the public of the safety precautions and CDC recommendations for mask-wearing. The government’s role is to provide information to the public so citizens can determine the best way to protect their own families.