What are the three main reasons you are running for this office? Do you see any potential conflicts of interest?

#1 I believe in public service and giving back to the community that has given us so much.

#2 My colleagues and I have accomplished so much over the last 2 years, and I want to build upon that. Some examples of our successes are:

• We lowered taxes by giving residents the first-ever Homestead Exemption tax credit of 3%
• We increased public safety funding and added 13 police officers patrolling our community
• We funded a new Fire Station in the Village of Sterling Ridge
• We passed a bill through the Texas Legislature that gave the Township access to our portion of the mixed beverage tax, which will bring in over $1.5 million in revenue to the Township in its first year
• We are now a voting member of the Houston Galveston Area Council (HGAC) Transportation Policy Committee, which increases the influence of The Woodlands in regional transportation plans
• We increased our hotel occupancy tax collections over 10% to a new record high, which mitigates the Townships’ reliance on residential property taxes
• We dedicated $1 million to the reforestation of The Woodlands, which will result in over 6,500 new trees being planted across our community
• We successfully leveraged our relationships within Tomball ISD and lobbied on behalf of residents to ensure an elementary school remained in Creekside
• We invested in our parks and pathways and funded and built 8 new pickleball courts

#3 My skill set is uniquely suited to benefit our community (see next question).

I do not see any potential conflicts of interest.

What are the three main attributes that make you the most qualified for this position?

I am a successful corporate professional with strong experience working with government officials at all levels. In addition to having been a business owner and a current vice president at a multibillion-dollar company, I have direct civic leadership background as a former City Council Member in Nassau Bay, TX. My record on the Township Board over my first term also speaks to my ability to secure innovative accomplishments for The Woodlands.

What three major changes would you like to see implemented by the Township?

I do not see any “major” changes that need to be implemented by the Township. However, The Woodlands is turning 50 this year, and some of our amenities and infrastructure are starting to show their age. We must ensure that we make the investments needed to meet (and exceed) the residents’ expectations concerning the beauty of our Township. This includes everything from upkeeping our parks and pathways, revitalizing our village centers, and continuing the reforestation efforts of our natural preserves.

What 2 things about your opponent do the voters need to know?

I don’t know anything about my opponent other than he is 25 and has never voted in a primary.

Are any of your family members employed by or working under contract to either The Woodlands Township or Montgomery County?

No

What do you think the Township Board should do with the property formerly occupied by GE Betz Laboratories, on the Sthwest quadrant of the intersection of Grogans Mill Rd and Lake Woodlands Blvd.

The GE Betz property is a prime piece of real estate located in the heart of our busiest commercial and entertainment district. It is almost 12 acres in size and attaches to The Woodlands Waterway. This is an amazing parcel of land that is not being used to benefit our residents, nor is it generating any taxes.

The Township has not made any ultimate decisions about this valuable property. At our August 28th board meeting, I motioned for a GE Betz property update to be added to the September 19th board meeting agenda. We welcome feedback and believe that this needs to be a fully transparent process. I believe that any redevelopment of this land needs to be done responsibly and transparently, with the goal of benefiting our residents and community.

Personally, I think the property could be best utilized as a performing arts center and/or museum, perhaps with an attached upscale boutique hotel. I also think this use could support additional restaurants and retail boutiques that complement the performing arts center and museum.

The Township has received many requests from residents for a performing arts center and a museum. In fact, over the last 10 years, prior Township Boards have done a lot of work developing a performing arts center/museum project.  This includes conducting residential surveys and meeting with potential community organizations that would use a performing arts center. 

From 2017 until 2019 the Township Board did an extensive study on the GE Betz property and hired Gensler Architects to design a performing arts center, museum, and city hall. While there are many aspects of this master plan that I think would be a great benefit to The Woodlands and could be a good use for the property, I (and the other members of the Township Board) remain absolutely open-minded to any and all considerations and options for its best use.It bears repeating that no decisions have been made to this point.

In my mind, the next step is to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to gather ideas on how we can redevelop this property to best enhance the quality of life for our residents.We will be open and transparent in that process and will look to gather community feedback.

This is a major project that will require extensive input from residents, businesses, community leaders, non-profit organizations, churches, etc. Additionally, we will need to work with surrounding businesses and property owners such as Market Street, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Montgomery County, Village at The Woodlands Waterway senior living facility, The Woodlands Water Agency and Howard Hughes Corporation.

Naturally, we also need to better understand the financial impact of a performing arts center or any other potential use of the property. I note that prior Boards chose not to move forward on this project, in part, because of a lack of financial viability. This Board will also take financial viability into consideration as a key factor in determining the best use for the property.

Further, parking in this area will also be a key issue in deciding its best use and the Township Board needs to be mindful to consider all parking options for this property, including underground parking. 

In sum, we need to look at all the best and brightest ideas, balance them with the desires of the residents, and examine if they are financially responsible before deciding on the best path forward.

Though we do not yet know what ultimate use this particular property will serve, I can say that I am not in favor of apartments or multi-family housing on the GE Betz property. I am not in favor of having any highrise buildings on this property. I am not for clear cutting all of the large trees on this property.  We need to take a page out of George Mitchell’s playbook and preserve every tree we can. It’s important that we make this development look like The Woodlands that Mr. Mitchell developed.

As a member of the Township Board, the residents are always my primary focus. I believe that government is of, by, and for the people and this core tenant is my North Star when making any government decisions.My position regarding the GE Betz property will be similarly guided by that principle.

I look forward to an open and transparent process as the Township works with all stakeholders and decides how to move forward with the GE Betz property.

List all civic, political or union organizations or individuals to whom you have contributed time or money in the last five years.

I have contributed a lot of time and money to many Republicans and conservative organizations over the last five years. Everything from block walking, to working polls to making a financial contribution. I have never donated any time or money to a Democrat. Also, I have raised/bundled over $6 million for President Trump. Because of this, I was appointed to the Trump National Finance Committee, representing Texas for the 2020 campaign.

What, in your view, are the positive and negative aspects of the Township's current governance structure?

The unique structure of The Woodlands Township governance is mostly positive. We have a limited government model that very few others have, and it works. Our form of government requires us to work hand in hand with our community partners. Admittedly, that can at times be frustrating. However, I believe having good working relationships with the local officials who have a direct impact on The Woodlands only strengthens our ability to serve our residents more effectively.

I am proud to have developed and grown relationships with several of the Montgomery County officials with direct impact on The Woodlands, such as Commissioner Pct. 3 (elect) Ritch Wheeler, County Judge Mark Keough, and Constable Ryan Gable, as well as the state level officials Senator Brandon Creighton and Representative Steve Toth, and our federal congressmen Morgan Luttrell and Dan Crenshaw, and others and will continue to do so for as long as I serve.

The township budget funds all reserves 100% yearly. What is the current surplus and should any of it be returned to the residents or retained in a rainy day fund and if so, how much and why? Any other options for the surplus?

Actually, not all of the Township Reserve Funds are funded 100% yearly. Currently, the Board is in the final stages of completing the FY2025 budget. If nothing changes, the current surplus of all of our Reserve Funds is $106,274,080. It is important to point out that our largest Reserve Fund is our Operating Reserve, which totals $34,844,898. Our auditors and the credit rating agencies require the Township to maintain a balance in the Operating Reserve of a minimum of 25% of the general fund operating expenses.

In 2023 and 2024, we were able to give all of our residential property owners a tax cut by passing the first-ever Homestead Exemption Tax (3%) in the history of The Woodlands Township. Additionally, we increased the senior/ 65 years and older and disabled tax rebate to $50,000 a year. Returning money to the taxpayers is a win!

A priority of the Township Board is keeping property taxes low by offsetting costs through sales, use, and hotel occupancy taxes. By diversifying revenue streams, the Board can mitigate the reliance on property taxes, offering a more balanced and equitable approach to funding Township initiatives.

Our commitment to fiscal responsibility has resulted in lowering the property tax rate over the last 2 years to 17.14 cents per $100 valuation. This means that a home valued at $500,000 equals $875 in annual Township property taxes.

With The Woodlands reaching full residential build-out, what do you think the Township should do to generate additional non-property tax revenues to maintain services without a property tax increase?

There are many things The Township can do to generate additional non-property tax revenue.

In my first term, I led the effort to pass HB 5311, which allowed the Township to collect the mixed beverage tax revenue that was going to the state comptroller, and not directly to The Woodlands. It is estimated to bring in over $1.5 million in new revenue to The Woodlands in its first year. Over 60% of The Woodlands’ revenue comes from sales, use and hotel occupancy taxes and now this mixed beverage tax. The more we can rely on these types of taxes for a revenue source, it ensures that residential and commercial property taxes remain low.

As Chairman of Visit The Woodlands, I see first-hand the benefits tourism brings to this community. The more the Township can rely on hotel occupancy taxes and sales taxes generated by non-residents, the less we need to rely on property taxes to fund our annual budget. We have grown hotel occupancy tax collections by over 12% in the last 2 years.

It is also important that we prioritize economic development by continuing to recruit new businesses and corporate headquarters to The Woodlands. With the recent growth of corporate mergers/acquisitions, some of our major employers have left The Woodlands, delivering a significant hit to our local economy. Robust economic development and a thriving business community can help generate additional non-property tax revenues, ensuring we will not need to raise property taxes on our residents.

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

There is nothing in my background that I am embarrassed about.

What are your thoughts about the community using the board to promote certain social justice agendas? Should the board maintain neutrality since they represent broad views of all residents?

I’m a little unclear what this question is asking. However, I do not agree with promoting social justice agendas or any efforts to institute Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs.

What are the 3 most pressing mobility issues in The Woodlands and what is your preferred solution to each?

Although The Woodlands is reaching full residential build-out, there is a lot of growth in the County and neighboring communities. As the Township, we need to ensure The Woodlands is not used as a cut-through for construction vehicles and for those traveling to neighboring areas. We will continue to work with law enforcement as well as county, TXDOT and HGAC officials to ensure the residents’ concerns are heard and The Woodlands remains an oasis in the forest for our collective residential and commercial community, and not a bypass for those traveling to surrounding areas.

The Woodlands Town Center is a thriving area for residents and tourists. This is a good thing! However, parking is now and will continue to be an issue that the Township needs to be proactive about. We need to look at how we can creatively add additional parking facilities while always being mindful to maintain the aesthetic beauty of The Woodlands. We will also continue to promote the use of our trolley system and sidewalks to take vehicles off the roads in this high-traffic area.

Lastly, with increased residential and business traffic comes noise pollution issues and road deterioration. In the FY2024 Township budget, we allocated $1 million to reforestation. Many of the 6,500 new trees that will be planted will go to enhancing the natural sound barrier between high-traffic roads and homes. The Design Standards Committee is also looking at ways that residents can assist in creating a natural sound barrier in their yards (higher fences, etc.) while staying in compliance with Township regulations. In addition, we promote the Woodlands Park & Ride and local trolley system, to not only assist residents with their transportation needs, but to lower the number of vehicles on the road. Furthermore, we work closely with law enforcement and developers in nearby communities to ensure that only construction vehicles going to local residents and businesses are on the streets.

The common thread in all of this is that the Township must continue to maintain good working relationships with all stakeholders to find solutions that best serve all parties and maximize the benefit to our residents.

Commissioner Riley is actively planning the extension of the Mansion's Way parkway. What should the Township do to prevent a flood of cut though traffic on Woodlands Parkway?

I travel on Woodlands Parkway every day and see firsthand how congested it already is. To the extent we can, the Township needs to leverage its relationships with the county, HGAC and TXDOT to clearly explain our objections and find constructive solutions to any and all infrastructure issues that are not in the best interest of our residents.

Having a seat on the HGAC Transportation Policy Committee is very meaningful since it gives us a direct line to amplify the desires (and objections) of our residents with respect to regional transportation planning.

I also think it is important for the Township Board as a body to continue passing resolutions opposing undesirable projects that affect Woodlands residents. This lets all the stakeholders and governing bodies involved know where The Woodlands stands.

Do you agree/disagree with MCTP Core Values?  Please explain if you disagree

I 100% agree with the MCTP Core Values – Acknowledgment of our Creator, Uphold the Founding Documents, Uphold the Free Markets, Uphold Limited Government, Fiscal Responsibility and Uphold Ethics.

What do you perceive to be the biggest threat to our community within the next 5 years?

The biggest threat to The Woodlands is rapid growth around our community. This brings mobility issues, a higher likelihood of crime and stress on our community services and natural resources

The Woodlands is basically built out, except for some land held by Howard Hughes Corp(HHC). Are you concerned they(HHC) may use that to build multi-family housing? And what are the pros and cons of that?

George Mitchell believed in the importance of having housing for people on every rung of the economic ladder as well as a diversification of types of housing. There are many different categories of multi-family housing ranging from low-income apartments to luxury high-rise condos. That being said, I believe we have enough apartments and I am not advocating for any more to be built in this community

Should the township be funding non-profit organization events such as Interfaith luncheons, senior pick-up services, Education for Tomorrow luncheons, etc...with tax dollars? Please explain.

As a Township Director, it is my job to represent this community and allocate taxpayer funds in accordance with resident priorities. When the Township is doing a good job taking care of our statutorily required obligations, then and only then should we consider venturing into spaces like funding non-profit organization activities.

Only when our house is in order can we consider doing things outside our statutory requirements. If the budget gets tight and we no longer have the ability to fund these types of activities, then we should reassess and cut back.

Additionally, as a firm believer in limited government, if the government can partner with the community or private sector to provide a needed service more efficiently and at a lower cost, then we should explore those opportunities.

What's your position on a Performing Arts Center in the Woodlands and what should the funding source(s) be & at what percentage?

I am in favor of having a Performing Arts Center in The Woodlands. However, a large project like this must be financially viable and include community input. For a more detailed answer to this question, please see my answer to Question #6.

Which current Township board member do you identify with the most and why?

One of the best things about the composition of the current Township Board is the fact that each Township Board director brings a different and unique skill set and set of strengths.Since the Board represents the concerns and voices of a diverse population, it is vital that the Board composition reflect that diversity.

It is impossible for me to single out any particular Board member as one who I most closely identify with. I have worked closely with each of them and value each of their respective perspectives equally. Therefore, I have to say that I identify with myself the most.

It is a privilege and an honor to serve the residents of The Woodlands—truly! I always strive to think strategically and to make decisions that are in the best interest of this great community. I live here. My children go to school here. I shop here, go to church here, volunteer here. I even recruited my parents to move here. I am invested in this community!

I am fiscally conservative and strive to allocate our budget in a smart way that benefits all residents.

I emphasize building relationships with businesses, government, and local organizations to ensure our actions benefit the community as a whole.

It is imperative to think outside the box for new revenue sources. I led the effort to change our enabling legislation and ensure The Woodlands could retain our mixed beverage taxes.

I continue to prioritize recruiting businesses and corporate headquarters to our area in order to lower the tax burden on our residents.

Maintaining this area's natural beauty and our residents' ability to enjoy it is paramount. During the FY2024 budget board discussions, I made the motion to more than double our reforestation budget to $1 million. In the FY2025 budget discussions, I advocated for the improvement, beautification, and revitalization of our parks/pathways and infrastructure.

On the GE Betz property, there were reportedly 4 underground storage tanks(3 concrete and one leaking fiberglass tank, with apparently no disposition. Is this acceptable? What should be done/

This questionnaire is the first time I heard about these storage tanks, so I inquired about this issue with Township staff and learned the following: The 2017 – 2018 Township Board of Directors approved the demolition of the GE Betz building. In 2018, TCEQ sent a letter to the Township stating that all storage tanks have been properly capped and there are no leaks.

Of course, if there are leaking tanks, then we should comply with all environmental regulations and properly clean any contamination.

What political party do you affiliate with? Do you believe in that party platform(all of it or % part - if %, please describe what you disagree with?

I am and always have been a Republican. I’ve been to 2 Republican Presidential inaugurations and hope to attend an upcoming Trump inauguration. Heck, I even met my wife at the Republican National Convention in 2012.

Over the years, the priorities of the local, state, and federal Republican Party platforms have fluctuated. As long as platform priorities fall in line with conservative principles and the spirit of our founding fathers, I can support the platform as a whole, even if I might not agree with every word in it.