What do you think is the most pressing issue El Paso is facing right now? How do you plan to mitigate?
I think the most pressing issue that El Paso is facing is the direction in which our city is moving and the paths that we are taking to get there. We need to be more engaged with the community in order to tap into a large pool of intelligent citizens among us by offering more community projects. Injecting tax dollars directly into the community instead of outsourcing
Under what conditions would you impose a COVID-19 related shut down of the city?
As soon as hospitals hit 70-80% capacity. We cannot allow our hospitals to be near any red zones. Emergency plans will be reviewed and improved on based on the lessons learned. I felt that the city was very vulnerable to any type of mass casualty incident and that more appropriate plans should be implemented for future events like COVID-19.
How would you have responded to the killing of George Floyd if you were the mayor of Minneapolis? How will you improve community relations with law enforcement?
Upon seeing the on-scene videos and how long Mr. Floyd was pinned to the ground before his death, 8 minutes and 46 seconds, I would have placed the officers on unpaid leave and under house arrest until the case was investigated. I also would have been clear from day one, through a live public announcement, that justice would be served based on all the evidence gathered and that the investigation would be transparent.
The anniversary of August 3rd recently passed, how are you planning to protect the city from race-related violence?
It is impossible to prevent out of town racism from coming into our city to perpetrate such acts of violence. Education and training are two important keys in preventing tragedies rooted in hate. One of the goals is going to be having more private citizens with life-saving emergency training.
August 3Rd was a terrible day for our city, specifically the families directly affected by this tragedy. Our city is not perfect but we are resilient and loving.
What will your strategies be to combat the flu and COVID-19? How will you work with school districts to protect students, faculty, and staff?
From this years’ experience in having to adjust my practices to provide the highest level of safety possible while coaching swimming, I learned Never to rush plans and to listen to all that will be affected by the change in the education delivery. Through my role as Mayor I will work with the school districts in the role as the voice of my constituents and make their concerns not only voiced but heard.
How will you work to invigorate the local economy that has taken a hit amid the pandemic?
We will be working with local trade schools to produce a larger work force of citizens and will be offering more specialized contracts for such trades. Community Projects will be just that, projects that will be designed and constructed by individual community contractors, injecting money directly into the community.
What makes you the best candidate? Why?
I will not deny my young experience in the private sector, I am a small business owner and Head of two swim teams. Through my time in the fire department and with my education, I believe that I have identified very real solutions to help our city grow not only outward but from within, leading to a more sustainable future for our city.
Latest from Border Report
