Pearland Edition- Meet the Candidate: Tony Carbone for Pearland Mayor

Pearland is growing fast so the big question is: can we keep what makes it special while everything scales up?

I sit down with Tony Carbone sixth-generation resident, CPA, longtime council member, and mayoral candidate for a real, no-nonsense conversation about the future of the city. We break down his four priorities: public safety, infrastructure, flood mitigation, and affordability, and what those actually mean for your taxes, water bills, and daily life.

We also get into the issues residents care about most traffic on 518, zoning debates, drainage after Harvey, and how technology is shaping public safety. If you want a clear, practical look at where Pearland is headed and what’s at stake in this election, this episode is for you.

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Transcript

Welcome And Mission Of The Show

SPEAKER_00 0:02

This is Charlie Mike, the podcast. Veterans Helping Veterans, talking about things happening in the veteran community, things we've experienced and overcome, such as addictions, PTSD, depression, legal trouble. And we also promote veteran-owned businesses. If you're talking about it, we're talking about it. This is Charlie Mike the Podcast.

Tony’s Pearland Roots And Produce Stand

SPEAKER_01 0:28

Yo, what's up, everybody? Welcome back to another episode of Charlie Mike the Podcast. As always, I'm your host, Ro. Today's a special one. Today is an episode, and this is about our future of the city. I've got Tony Carbone here in the studio, who is currently running for mayor right here in Paraland. Now, look, this isn't gonna be some stiff, scripted interview. This is just real conversation. I want people to hear who you are, what you stand for, and what you truly want for this city. Paraland is growing fast. There's a lot of opportunity, but also a lot of responsibility comes with that growth. And leadership matters. So today we're gonna talk about your vision, your experience, and why you believe you're the right person to lead Paraland forward. You know, first off, I appreciate you coming in and just spending time with me. Um tell tell us a little bit about yourself. Ooh, all right.

SPEAKER_05 1:25

I'll get started from the beginning. Uh born and raised here in Paraland, um, I'm the sixth generation or a sixth generation Parlander, so that makes my girls seventh, um, which is is quite rare. Um, so I was born and raised here on 518, uh corner of 518 in Harkey, kind of caddy corner from the Chamber of Commerce.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 1:46

Um that's there's it's a used car lot now. Oh, but that's the house that I grew up in. Oh wow. Yeah. Little uh 900 and something square foot house right there. And so how many you got brothers and sisters? Oh that's not an easy question. Oh uh raised raised uh only child or was an only child, and then when I was probably 14 or 15, um my parents big involved in church. Um, you know, God put this family with ours, and it was I think three sisters and three brothers. My parents would have loved to adopt all of them, um, but one of them stuck. And so she's my sister. So um yeah, love her love her to death. So not an easy yes no. Right, right. I understand. But yeah, but that house at one point had five people living in 900 square foot. 900 square foot, two bedrooms, one bathroom that was on a septic tank.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

So it's is it the same building that's on the car lot?

SPEAKER_02 2:45

Yeah, oh wow, that was the house. Yeah, yeah, Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 2:49

Yeah, so do you remember uh what what elementary schools did you go to? Do you remember all that?

SPEAKER_05 2:54

Um I know CJ CJ Harris CJ Harris, um Carlston, Jameson, East, Parrand. Oh wow, so that that was I'm sure I botched that, but that that was generally the the pattern. Um yeah, so so that um that house up front, we had a produce stand. So I I grew up working um with my parents. We were raising um uh hot house tomatoes back off of Harkey further back in some uh greenhouses, and so we'd sell um sell the number two, so they taste better than the the perfect looking tomatoes, but so we started doing that, that grew into Carbones Produce, um, where we sold to um retail folks off the street, then that grew into wholesaling, and so we would deliver produce to all the local restaurants around town. Nice.

SPEAKER_01 3:51

How how long did y'all do that for?

SPEAKER_05 3:52

Um, that was probably 10, 15 years. Yeah. Um, through my for through my high school period for sure, because I remember getting up at four o'clock, boating the truck, making a couple deliveries, and my dad would drop me off at at school on the way to work on the um after we dropped off some produce.

What Growth Has Changed In Pearland

SPEAKER_01 4:14

So uh running a business was just instilled in you, huh, from an early age? Yeah. And that hardly. I didn't know that, but yeah, looking back, I was like, wow. Yeah, yeah. That's that's that's amazing. Uh, you know, I don't meet too many people that were born here in Paraland and still here in Parland. So just imagine the the growth and the things that you've seen from your side. You know, well, so um tell me a little bit about that. What I mean, what what's what do you remember?

SPEAKER_05 4:43

Who um I remember um a couple big things. I can remember one of the floods um that I was walking down the middle of 518 and water was up to my knees. Jesus. Um it's so so that's vivid. And I remember the reconstruction of 518 when it went, I believe, from two lanes to four lanes. And um it's just it's been incredible the growth um on on on both sides, uh both sides of town.

SPEAKER_01 5:14

It's yeah. It definitely is. Uh I had left town for probably about about 10 years uh doing the military and doing different things, and I came back, I didn't even recognize the city anymore. So I mean, what is this place? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's crazy to just see the the the growth down Paraland Parkway, the growth on the other side of 288, just I guess five 518 in general.

SPEAKER_05 5:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

It's it's it's crazy.

SPEAKER_05 5:39

Yeah. And then you look at Magnolia, McCard, Rayleigh, and finally we're getting some east-west thoroughfares through there.

From Computer Club To Accounting Career

SPEAKER_01 5:47

But yeah. Yeah, my parents still got a house on Bailey, and uh we still call it 101. Yeah, you know. Yep. So I I have to say Bailey a lot because people don't a lot of people don't know what 101 or 89, 1120, you know, the oh yeah, the number roads. Yep. So um what uh growing up, was there did you have a profession in mind? Was there something that you wanted to be? What what did Tony say? I want to be when I grow up.

SPEAKER_05 6:13

No, no, I mean I uh I in Perry Land High School, um, I was the nerd. So I was in the computer club all the time, up in the computer lab. And I and actually that's where I met Crystal. So she was my high school sweetheart. Oh, wow. I was the the president of the computer club and she was the secretary. And so yeah, we're both big nerds. Um didn't know. So out of out of uh high school, went to U of H. Um, still lived in Paralleland, but commuted up there to Cougar High and um started in the math college college of math and got up to Cal two or Cal three, realized I didn't like it and there wasn't a lot of money unless I was gonna go do PhD and teach. I didn't see that. So I I walked down to uh Bauer College of Business and figured uh math accounting might as well. Yeah. So that's that's just kind of stump stumbled into it. Um took a couple of accounting classes, loved it, loved the application of the small business I grew up in and actually putting it into practice.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

So you're uh number, you're a numbers guy all day long. Yeah, yeah, that that's amazing.

SPEAKER_05 7:22

That's why I don't like talking.

SPEAKER_01 7:25

So you got your family, your your your mom and dad, you said six, you you're the sixth generation. Correct.

SPEAKER_05 7:31

Jesus. So my girls are seven.

SPEAKER_01 7:33

Yeah. So um how is it how is it being in the same city and just watching the growth and then raising your family in it?

SPEAKER_05 7:41

Um it's kind of surreal. I mean, sometimes um I don't know, you you're just living your daily life and you don't look up, then you you you stop and and look at the changes over time. You know, sometimes the city will put together one of those real fast videos that shows the explosive growth and the time lapse. Um I don't know, it it's it's neat to see the different influences. And I mean, we're one of the most diverse cities in Texas, and it it's cool to to see that. I was meeting with the um the the Indo-American community and the temple that's uh down off McLean. And that's celebrating uh 50 50 year anniversary here, uh, I think in 28. And um I don't know, it's just there's so many different um individuals and groups that uh we tend to live in our silos sometimes, but when you you stand back and look at everything, it it's pretty incredible.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Yeah, that uh the temple, I you know I I was here for a few years before I even knew it existed. Yeah, yeah, I think it's a lot of people don't even know. And then you get lost down McClane.

SPEAKER_05 8:49

Like, what is that? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:52

That's awesome. So you and your wife met during high school. Yep. And you knew right off the back she was the one?

SPEAKER_05 8:58

No, no, no. Um, we dated for a while. Uh so since you asked, I broke up with her one time. Um, and then she broke up with me six, seven, eight, twelve times after that. Yeah. Um, we got back together at my cousin's wedding, and at that point I knew. Um, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

That's that's amazing. Yeah. How long have you guys been married?

SPEAKER_05 9:19

Oh, don't ask me that on the record. Yeah, sorry.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

Uh oh three.

SPEAKER_05 9:26

I'm gonna go with 20-ish years. I should probably figure that out. That's a good answer. Twenty-ish. No, probably twenty-two. Twenty-two you don't have to edit that part out. Uh but no, so we got married, uh went through um went through some infertility stuff, and so had kids a little bit later in life. We had uh twin girls, and then um you know, God has a sense of humor, so 14 months later we had another one. Um, so we got three girls. Your girl dad, all day. Yeah, uh some people ask me what's like I I don't know anything different.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

Yeah, like, yeah, that's what I know. Um I'm in the same boat. I have a uh 21-year-old, and my my youngest is about 17 months. Okay, got a little spread in there. All right. I got two 14-year-olds too, but yeah. Cool. So it's definitely crazy the way life happens. Yeah. So me and my fiance, we actually met in at Jameson. Oh, wow. And we were going through, you know, middle school and then we did the whole junior high. We dated a little bit in high school, we went our separate ways. Uh, life's got a funny way working things out. Yeah. Wow.

SPEAKER_05 10:38

So I gotta ask, when did you graduate?

SPEAKER_01 10:39

I graduated in 01. Okay. Yeah, 01.

SPEAKER_05 10:42

I was 98, Crystal was 2000. Yeah, so we probably crossed paths. We probably did. If you came up to the computer lab, yeah. I'm sure we did then.

Civic Life And The Road To Council

SPEAKER_01 10:50

Yes. That that's that's awesome. I love I love hearing that that homegrown, um, you know, homegrown people staying, staying here, doing, doing what you you think is best and trying to be involved in in the city. Yeah. So so tell me when you started doing city council, when when when how long have you been doing that?

SPEAKER_05 11:11

Who um so uh this is my 13th year to serve on city council. Um so I'll fill in the gap gaps real quick. So graduated, high school went to U of H, out of U of H went to Deloitte and Touche, big four accounting firm um downtown, commuted for four years. Um, and then um I don't know how to say, God brought me back to a firm in Pareland. Um I was a I I remember praying about it, talking to some guys. I can still remember the day I walked through the the doors at then the name was um Johnston Harrington PC. I I walked through the door, I said, Hey, is Darren Harrington here? He walks around the corner, I shake his hand, and I say, Hey, I think God wants me here. And he's like, Great, we've been praying for a partner. And like, that's I'm not the guy. I don't I don't get up and pray on where I'm going to lunch. I don't I don't say God told me to do something, but I look back and that is one of the hallmarks in life that it was just God ordained and I know where I'm supposed to be. Wow. Um, and so that's that's what got me back to Paraland. And then from there got involved with rotary, um, chamber of commerce. I know you're big in the chamber. I got to plug leadership paraland. Yes. Um so leadership pairland, I did that. Um after that, that got me into the chamber. Um, of course, any CPA is gonna get tagged being the treasurer. So I was a treasurer for a couple years. Then I got cornered and moved into um into the chair elect and then chairman position. Um and kind of the the defining moment I can remember um after after me was Sue Flanagan. So Sue, if you go to the chamber, you can see her up there um on the edge. Unfortunately, she's got a little cross on her name. She's passed since uh since then. But at that time she was probably 80 years old, firecracker, with work circles around both of us marketing. Um, but she got up on the stage at the the annual gala and gave a speech and said um she wanted to like a base runner in baseball. She wanted a round third, head to home, um, heading into the grave with uh a bottle of red wine in one hand, a chocolate bar in the other, and leaving it all in the field. And at that point, we were Crystal and I were discussing running for counsel at some point, and it was that speech, you know, we we came home that night and made that decision. Like if why what are we waiting for? And so that's what that's what was kind of the driving factor to get me to run 13 years ago.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 13:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:55

So more than you asked for. No, no, no. That that's that's it. There so 13 years you've been in council. So are you the longest sitting council member?

SPEAKER_05 14:05

Um as of right now, yes, I believe so. Um so the council has term limits. So there's uh three-year terms with two term limits or two-term limit. Uh so I ran for six years, then I stepped down for a few months, then um Derek Reed ran for U.S. Congress, so that opened a seat up. And so then I ran for his unexpired term. So I filled his term, then I get I get to serve two more terms. So that's that's how you get to 13. Okay. Yeah, but yeah, so right now up there, longest, longest serving. Um, yeah, so I've seen some changes.

SPEAKER_01 14:49

And you definitely see some changes, especially in 13 years. You're involved in a lot of changes. Yeah. That that's um that's that's amazing. I got hats off to you. You know, that's something I I've always thought about. Um, especially because, you know, you want to be the the change in in the community.

SPEAKER_05 15:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:05

You want this this town has has um yeah, I mean, they seen me grow, they seen me mess up. Yep. They see me, you know, and then I remember when getting out of the military before I left, I said, I'm never gonna go back to Paraland. That's what my whole thing was, I'm never going back, never going back. No, when I was the day I was getting out, I was just like, I just want to go home to Paralyn. Yes. I just I just want to go home. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:30

And uh No, similar similar. I I never left. Uh I guess it was probably one or two months we moved out to Manville. Um, and then once we got married, Crystal and I moved right back to Harkey in 518. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:43

Wow. What uh what did what does your wife do, if you don't mind me asking?

SPEAKER_05 15:48

Uh what doesn't she do? So um she is currently the president of Peryland ISD school board. Um first of all, she's she's uh killer wife and and a better mother. Um we got three three girls, they're nine, nine, and eight. And so if you can imagine that's a full-time job. Yeah. Um so she keeps them them in line, tries to keep me in line. And also uh right now she's playing campaign manager. So she loves the the campaign and the politics. And so between all that, she serves on a couple state level boards. Um she's got a true passion for education. So whenever you're ready to talk about education, she she will uh she'll sit here for hours.

SPEAKER_01 16:30

You know, I I normally I normally don't do this, I like uh come in and and talk like politics or or things like that, but it's it's something that I I wanted to because I know that the impact it has in the community. Yeah. And I wanted the community to get to know who who you know who's running. Yeah. You know, especially because I know there's a lot of different, there's uh sometimes people on this, uh I don't want to say, is it West Side and East Side? I don't know.

SPEAKER_05 16:55

Uh the Mayor Mayor Cole shoot you if you say West Side.

Budgets Fire Services And Water Infrastructure

SPEAKER_01 16:58

So he got mad at me one time when we're talking about it. But uh so down down Broadway and down the other way. So uh tell me a little bit about this. Oh, so now you've well, first of all, let's talk about city council a little bit more. Let's talk about um what's what's some of the changes and some of the big uh let's say hard-hitting issues that have come across on the chamber side. Not the chamber side, the council side.

SPEAKER_05 17:22

Man, it's it's across the board. Um and it it's it's always I don't say unexpected, it's always very interesting the different issues that come up and when they come up. Um yeah, we've dealt with um you know signage issues. That was a big hot topic with the chamber back 10, 12 years ago. Um, LED signs. Um flooding, um, of course, after Hurricane Harvey. Um you know, there's there's been a big push, uh a big push there. Um continuing, I mean the the growth that we've experienced just trying to keep up with it. And it's a difficult balance because you you've got the citizens of Pareland that deserve and expect this high level of service and we gotta pay for that service, and we can't tax everybody out of house and home. So a lot of times it just comes down to that balance. And that's where um you gotta look back and what's what's the core services? What should we be doing? What should we partner with uh nonprofits and other entities and kind of staying in our lane and defining that? Um that's that's always the the the big debate. Um but yeah, so issues man, the probably one of the biggest ones budgetary um looking back over the years is um paralleling used to be a full volunteer fire department.

SPEAKER_04 18:56

Right.

SPEAKER_05 18:57

And so I don't know if Buck touched on that, but it was it was it was full volunteer, but we're a bedroom community. And so when all those volunteers you know drive into Houston, who's who's gonna man the stations? And so um you know, we now have transitioned to uh from full volunteer to a combined um uh uh volunteer and professional. Now we're a full professional, EMS and fire combined. That has been um huge to watch and to see all the leadership that's grown up there. But man, them trucks aren't cheap. I I could imagine. And the the the personnel on them, they're damn good, but they um they deserve and they're they're paid. Um they're you know they would say they're they're not paid enough. I would I would say and and argue that they're paid fairly, but again, it's back to that balance of of what citizens want and what we can afford and how to get there. But that's that's probably a big a big one over time. And then just the growth um here on the west side with the TURS Um and what we've been able to do with that financing mechanism. Um the main one being the Shadow Creek Library. I mean, that place is awesome. Yeah. And we were able to do it inside the TURS. Um so so the city had to temporarily fund that, but that that debt's gonna be paid off with the TURS. Um yeah, that that um just the four the foresight um coming up on 20 years ago to put that mechanism place. And then the other big one um is the surface water treatment plant. Um councils prior to me. So 15, 20 years ago, we secured water rights for uh 10 to 20 million gallons per day, which wrap your head around how much water that is. But we can pull it out of a canal. Um don't don't quote me on all the different canals, but we we pull it out of a canal, but we have to process it. And so that's been a a big one of the largest projects we've undertaken, but that's up and running. Um and I one of the pipes coming out of there, I think it's a 96-inch water line. Like that's a water line that means you can walk through. Yeah. Uh that's how much water it can uh it can produce. But uh that that's another one. Just managing that and the infrastructure. And I don't know, we grow up and you just take things for granted. You take it for granted that when you flush, well, I raised on a septic system, so Me too. Uh so it's not always gonna flush.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

My parents are still on a septic system. Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 21:37

But if you if you're tied into the city, then you you hope it all goes down when you flush, and you hope when you turn the faucet on it comes out. So um, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:45

My uh that that's that's um so with the previous, let's say the previous uh mayors, how how well did you know uh Oh, you're trying to get me choked up. Uh mayor read.

SPEAKER_05 21:58

Yeah. Um He was the mayor all my life. And so um, yeah, just a uh a genuine statesman. I served with him for probably close to 10 years in different forms, forms and fashions on different committees. And um, man, he loved the Parland. Loved Paraland. Uh he bled Paraland. And um, yeah, he uh Mayor Cole has bronze uh shoes on his desk with Mayor Reeds, um, because he's got some big footsteps to follow in.

SPEAKER_01 22:35

That's uh that's the truth.

SPEAKER_05 22:36

Yeah, and so it was um, you know, serving with him gave me really good perspective. And then um, you know, having Mayor Cole come in um good, different, um, as as we knew he would be, but certainly um it's been two two quality quality guys I've been able to look up to. Um if I can follow in their footsteps, great. Definitely. That's that's I want to do the the best I can.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

So with uh I'm gonna tell you a funny story with uh Mayor Mayor Reed. Um when when I was younger, he used to just, you know, he we I used to run into him at different places. And then uh when when I actually got going and started doing things on the right path, he he came up to me one time and was like, hey son, it's good to see you on this side. Oh, that's awesome. That's okay, yes sir. I got you. Oh, that's cool. That's cool. So and I actually got to to do the 21 Gun Salute at his at his funeral. I was with the VFW, and we we we had the honor of doing that.

SPEAKER_05 23:43

So that that's something that yeah, we that was a that was a tough funeral, yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 23:49

Oh yes, sir. With um so doing city council for for 13 years and then um what why now you now you're running for mayor of this this beautiful city of ours?

SPEAKER_05 24:05

Um why now? Um a lot of prayer, a lot of prayer. I mean, as you know, um you know, Matt Sebesta, the county judge, uh, he decided to to retire. So so that opened it up and that that kind of cascaded to Mayor Cole running for judge. Um we've got a resign to run provision. And so the seat was open. And uh after a lot of prayer, a lot of uh wise counsel, um, we decided now is the time. Yeah um excited for where we are. I've I've seen a lot. Um I got to serve with a lot of good people. And when I I not always agreed with with them, and that's okay. Like that's one of the things I don't want to I don't feel old, but like the more I talk, I make myself sound old. Like I enjoy having agreeable disagreements. Right. Um when stuff always goes so when I first go on council, it was uh five-person council, five member, and so there was a lot of uh four one, three, two votes or two, three, and we could almost cuss each other out on the dais respectfully, and then go outside and shake hands. As it should be, yeah, yeah. And so we've lost some of that over the years. Um one thing I always remind myself is we all have in our heart what's best for Pairland. Um we we may disagree sometimes, but we're all wanting to head in the same direction. Um and that that's what I hope I can bring is um just help to facilitate a dialogue. Um because the longer I do it, the more respect I have for the council as a body. Um sometimes I'm on the the the losing end of a vote or the winning end, but at the end of the day, you got to respect that that's the body that's made that decision and and move forward. And I I've I've said that. I've said that to I serve on a bunch of other different boards, education foundation. I think they think I'm nuts. Um because I always got excited when we had a a meeting and then somebody spoke up and disagreed. Like, let's have the dialogue, let's have it civilly, and I don't care if I'm on the winning or losing side, just let let's talk.

SPEAKER_01 26:30

Yeah, that that's uh, you know, a lot of times people forget that part, and it's it's okay to disagree. Yeah, but it I mean, let's shake hands and hug afterwards and just go about our life.

SPEAKER_05 26:42

And that's tough today's um social media. Yeah, it does. I mean, there's there you can hide behind a keyboard and say some mean stuff.

SPEAKER_01 26:50

And people do.

SPEAKER_05 26:52

They do. But at the end of the day, they might be fired up for something, but you got to sort through and figure out what what's underlying it. Because somewhere under there, there's a real concern and you want to address it, but a lot of times just the visceral response is to shout back. Yeah, and that's not who we are as a society, that's not where we want to be. I want to truly understand. I still might disagree with you, right? Right, right. But at least I want to I want to have that conversation and understand.

SPEAKER_01 27:18

Yeah. Are you are you ready and able to take some of that backlash that sometimes uh comes with the the position? I know uh I saw with Mayor Cole, and you know, not everybody agreed with what he did or what he's done. Well, I think he did an amazing job, and uh, and I'm hats off to him. Yep. But uh, you know, it's just I don't especially on social media.

SPEAKER_05 27:40

Yeah. Um you gotta have thick skin. Um, I don't like it. Yeah, but at the end of the day, we're not always gonna agree. And I hope um I hope to be able to explain why. You might not agree of where the tax rate is or where our debt level is, but let me add some facts and tell you how we got there. You still can be horribly upset, but at least let's have the discussion. We we are here because of A, B, and C. Why are our water rates here? Because of this, this, and this. You're not gonna like it any any more or any less, but at least let's let's add some some facts to the discussion. And a lot of times what I've seen, and I've I've caught it been caught up in it before, you think it's the evil city that is doing this. They're not giving me the permit, they're taxing me out of house and home, whatever it is. That city's run by people, just normal, regular day people, being you. And nobody has it out to to to screw this citizen or this small business or prevent them from no, there's there's reasons behind it.

SPEAKER_02 28:57

Right.

SPEAKER_05 28:57

And getting to the root of that, and if there is, let's root it out. If there's a bad actor, sh shoot, we're we're done. Um, but that's not that typically that's not the case. And what I've learned more and more, there's two sides to every story, and the truth is somewhere in the middle.

SPEAKER_01 29:15

Um how they say two sides and then the truth. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:19

Yeah. And uh in the I'll I'll copy Crystal and the Paralleland ISD. We're Parlam proud, but not Parlam perfect. We always have room for improvement. Um I I hope my track record would show that we're improving. Um but we're not perfect. And if you got issues, reach out to someone on council, reach out to City Hall, pick up the phone, send an email screaming on Facebook. It's human nature that people don't want to if somebody's gonna respond, they're gonna want to scream back and be defensive.

SPEAKER_02 29:55

Right, right.

SPEAKER_05 29:56

And that's we're trying to to to to show and and show something different in that regard. But if you got issues, pick up the phone. We'll get to it and and figure it out. Um this recent chlorine in the water is a prime example. Um everybody wants to post, and and I'm not making light of it, but you want to post a picture of your yellow bathtub. But when you follow up and say what's your address, you have trouble getting that.

SPEAKER_04 30:26

Right.

SPEAKER_05 30:26

If we can do a better job at getting getting that address to public works, they will go flush the line and and not resolve the issue, but make it exponentially better. And I don't know, there's something there, and I don't know where we're where we're headed. No, no, no, no. I'll get off that soapbox.

Zoning Battles And The Car Wash Vote

SPEAKER_01 30:42

No, that's it. So, you know, I have I've I like to I I jump in, listen to a city council meeting, been to a few of them, and they get pretty debated and pretty heated sometimes. Um my my question to you is no, I was gonna ask something silly, but I was gonna say, how do we stop the car washes from coming into Paradise?

SPEAKER_05 31:03

Uh well Monday night we do. Yeah. Um that that's a that that you you ask in Jess, but that's um it's it's a fundamental issue, and it's a tough one at general, generally, because we're a zoned community, and so the zoning is there to protect uh protect us from looking like Houston or Pasadena. Right. Um but at the same time, we've got landowner rights, and that's that's just the balancing act. And um, you know, a lot of people say we don't need any more development at all. Cool, but if you own the land that was the next one up to develop, how does that make you feel? Yeah, you're you're taking value away from that family, and so balancing that, um and it's always a pendulum. Um, you know, there was uh um gas stations um were were were coming in all over the place, so we put some limitations around there, and we haven't seen those come back as as much. Um we're kind of seeing it on car washes. Um, you know, I'm a CPA. I can talk about the the tax effects of why the the car washes are in high demand and all that tax strategy, but but there was a high demand for those in the secondary market, and that's driving prices up. And so you got folks out there trying to develop it. And it's it's a balance of kind of the free market property owner rights and the community. And personally, I'm I'm I lean on property owner rights, right? But I you gotta listen to the community. Yeah, and the and when the community comes out and consistently says something, that's why um this past Monday night there was a I think it was quick quack um there on 518 across from the Dixie Farm Walmart.

SPEAKER_01 32:58

Oh, yes, all the same.

SPEAKER_05 32:59

Um so they threw some technical issues, they didn't get their permits pulled in time, so they came back and said, Hey, we need to renew this conditional use permit. And it it failed zero to seven um because the quick quack there on 35. I mean you can go back and listen to the to the audio, but they were horrible neighbors during construction. Um they're they've got drainage issues on the site. I got calls when they had folks dancing in the mediums and duck suits trying to get people to pull in. All day. Yeah. And so that's not Parland. Right, right. And so yeah, when when they came back, uh unfortunately for them, but um yeah, it it was a 07, uh seven vote. So yeah, there's um those are tough ones. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:50

I was I was correcting the joke, but that's good. So so now they're not able to to build on the on the Harky site, right? Or are how does that work?

SPEAKER_05 34:01

How would you said that it was oh seven, so so um so yeah, so uh C UP, it's called a uh a conditional use permit. So it's in place for high intense uses. So the big ones are gas stations, um, car washes, vape stores, um, all those. And it's uh it's a process, it's a conditional use. So that means that you can't you just go do it by right. So if you own a commercial piece of property, you can open a uh a nail salon or a mattress store by right because it's not that intense of a use. People don't like them. Right. They think we have too many, but at the end of the day, it's not affecting neighbors around it. So that's by right. By conditional use is when you have to have a separate process because it's more intense. Um and so that conditional use permit expires after a certain amount of time if they didn't get their permits pulled. And so they didn't get their permits pulled, they came back before us, and we did not renew that conditional use. And so I don't know what their plan is, but they cannot move forward unless they they come back and get approval. Um it's unfortunate, but yeah, um be good be a good citizen once you get here.

SPEAKER_01 35:23

Right. And yeah, that's that's it. I mean, if that I'm I'm sure if 35 went a little bit um went better than that, that wouldn't have been an issue. Correct. So so I mean And it didn't help.

SPEAKER_05 35:33

They didn't have a good rep, they didn't have a corporate representative there to defend anything. Um and it just it yeah, that that's the way it goes.

SPEAKER_01 35:45

You think they thought they was just gonna get pencil whipped? I think so. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 35:49

Yeah, typically those would be. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, but but given the the pushback we've heard from the citizens and the issues with the other projects, right?

SPEAKER_01 35:59

Yeah. That's why we vote. Yeah, that's uh that's that's good to hear, actually. But I'm loving that Whataburger that's over there though. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:11

I haven't been through there yet. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:12

Uh yeah, so that's um so with uh let me tell you. Uh so 10 years ago, or let's say let's say 10 years ago, when you started with city council, did you imagine the growth that you're seeing currently? Did you imagine that we'd be placed in, you know, with growth in general, being placed at the top what top city in the state of Texas and top third in the nation?

SPEAKER_05 36:38

Right. No.

SPEAKER_01 36:39

It's amazing.

SPEAKER_05 36:39

No, um not at all. And it's kind of surreal. Um I'm not taking any credit for it at all, but I'm along for the ride. And and to look up and and see that stat, it it's it's incredible. Because you know, we strive to do better every day. And in our house, especially during during crazy times like campaign and tax season, and you get overwhelmed, we and we we tell the girls you gotta do the next right thing. And I think that's what council and staff have have been attempting to do. We miss the mark sometimes, but what's the next right decision? Balancing um tax rate and planning and everything else. And um yeah, and and one stat doesn't change anything, but it it's kind of surreal to look up and and get that recognition. Um but at the same time, like I say, we're paralleling proud, not parallel imperfect. And so we we've got groom to room to grow and and always to get better.

Four Priorities: Safety Infrastructure Flooding Affordability

SPEAKER_01 37:38

Yeah. With with um so what what is your let's say what what are you running your campaign on? Yeah. Let's let's talk a little bit about it.

SPEAKER_05 37:47

Kind of the the the four big priorities, uh number one is public safety. Um yeah, you can't if if we're not safe, I don't care how green the parks are, I don't care about streets. If if you're not safe stepping outside or going to shop, right, we got issues. So public safety, and and I believe that's a core fundamental service of local government, period. Um so gotta take care of public safety. Um next up is infrastructure. Um we've got the let's call it the new side, um, the the West End Um Shadow Creek ranch area. In some ways it feels like, hey, that's the new side of Pearland. That's getting to be 20 years old. And so we've got we've got to make sure that we've got the infrastructure taken care of because our new infrastructure is fixing to be old and required repairs. And so um taking care, taking care of that, whether that's water, sewer, streets, drainage, um, drainage is the the third priority um is is flood mitigation and working through that. And that's that's an interesting one. Um I could talk for about 30 minutes on that. Um yeah. Um you know, after Harvey, and you know, if I can tell you a quick story.

SPEAKER_01 39:11

No, yes, please.

SPEAKER_05 39:13

Um so we got the twins on the ground. We we look we so we started kind of in the middle of Paraland, moved west to uh to over by Dawson High School, so right down the street from the the PD, Hurricane Harvey comes in. I got um I don't know, two two girls under a year old, and my wife's eight months pregnant, and um Harvey hits. And so trying to take care of them. Also, because I was so close, I was able to uh sneak down to the second story of the police department, the emergency operations center, and see what the the men and women were doing to take care of the citizens. I mean, you've got um yeah, police and fire, but you have public works, and so you had public works drivers driving dump trucks with fire and PD in them back rescuing folks. And I mean that's um seeing that in operation um kind of puts everything in perspective and then kind of leads into to flooding and drainage and um whether we're gonna be ever we're never gonna be able to prevent that much rainfall from having catastrophic effects, but but we can do better.

SPEAKER_04 40:28

Right.

SPEAKER_05 40:28

Um so out of Harvey Um came um ultimately in 2021 we passed a fairly large bond program that focused on drainage. But leading up to that, there was a big um committee work group of diverse cross-section across pairland that came together to to ferret out. I think we had like$250 million worth of projects to sort through and rank and figure out what ultimately to take to the voters. And so um had the opportunity to serve through that. Um again on that one, there's some folks I completely polarized and disagree with them, but we were able to have a respectable debate and hash it out. At the end of the day, we all agreed these are the 15 or 20 projects we're taking to the voters. And so um from there we go through to the um to the 2021 bond referendum, and we're we're still consistently working through that. Um and so that's that's a long way to say that's the third priority is is on the flooding side. Um all with the asterisk or caveat, we can only do so much till the core um works on Clear Creek, because all our water runs down to Friendswood. Um Clear Creek starts somewhere over here um in a little stream, um, you know, right to the west side of Parland. Um and so until we get that and we can get the water cleared out to the Gulf, um we're gonna make incremental improvements, but that'll be the big uh the big push. So that was the third priority. The fourth priority is uh making and keeping Parland affordable. So we got these three massive um priorities, but at the end of the day, like I said earlier, we can't tax people out of house and home.

SPEAKER_04 42:24

Right.

SPEAKER_05 42:24

And that's um uh house and home as well as business. And there's there's always the the competing um business versus residential, and the more relief you do on one side, it affects the other. And so balancing all that with um kind of keeping keeping our focus at the core uh and delivering the service to the expectations that our citizens deserve. Right. I love um fielding an issue a couple weeks ago, and uh it was somebody was upset that the grass wasn't replanted in their yard. And it kind of comes off a little odd. Yeah, but uh they had a water main break in front of their house, and we were out there that same night, dug up the yard, the street, got it repaired, and it took it took a month or two to get the side laid back out there. Right. And and at first I I thought, man, we got bigger fish to fry, bigger issues. But you know what? That's the level that that folks deserve, and that's what they seek, and I love it. Like you talk to PD, and you know, they get um they'll they'll have citizens call for what you'd think are small things, but that's the level of service that that we deserve, the citizens deserve and expect. And so balancing all that, keeping it affordable, that's the the kind of the the Fourth priority. And that's where my background in being a CPA and having the history with the city. Again, you might not like the results, but I at least hope that I can sit down and explain to you how we got here and what we've done to improve over time.

SPEAKER_01 44:24

I talk highly about Perlin and the PD. I've had my ups and downs with them. And I still talk real highly about that.

SPEAKER_05 44:33

So have you done the the Citizens Police Academy?

SPEAKER_01 44:38

I did see it. And uh I I'm a I'm a big fan of the hard work they do. So I see the firefighters out there all the time as well. And we have quite a bit of accidents. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And I I I see those as well. Um, you know what, what's what's your vision? Tell me what you see.

SPEAKER_05 44:56

Um, yeah, my vision for Pairland. Um I I think we're on the right trajectory. Um, and I want to keep um keep the ship headed in the right direction. Um stay focused on those four key priorities. I think if if you stay in that box, we're we're gonna continue to head in the right direction. There's gonna be stuff that comes at us, whether it's opportunities, challenges. Um, but I trut back to to council and the body itself. I trust that the seven elected members up there will make the right decision. And what I hope is I can bring leadership to help uh navigate that dialogue. Um and and and I I trust the corn, I trust the process. I trust what they're doing. Um city staff gets bashed all the time. We got some good folks in city staff that are are um that are are leaving it out there from from top to bottom, from police, fire, public works. You look at some of the the public work calls that the guys have to go on and when it's freezing outside and they're they're playing around in a big pit full of water because Waterman broke. Um so yeah, so my my vision um is just to continue that good path um and be a good represent representative of the people, um be a cheerleader for the city. Um and then also the big um the the big piece of being mayor is also intergovernmental relations, working with uh state reps, senators, HGAC, neighboring mayors. Um because we're we're in this Houston-Galveston region and a lot of our issues are bigger than us.

SPEAKER_04 46:44

Right.

SPEAKER_05 46:45

Um at the same time, you know, you go down to Brizouria County, you know, they look up here at Pearland and they think we're part of Houston. And um, but you talk to the sheriff's department, you talk to to law enforcement, and they need us to hold the line from from Houston. Um and so we're working with the partners, um, partners in the region um to to help keep us on the right track.

SPEAKER_01 47:09

That's yeah, that that's uh so with what what do you feel uh currently is one of the biggest challenges that that Paraland is facing?

SPEAKER_05 47:18

Oh um it's the uh the the squeeze, the affordability. Yeah. Um it it's delivering again the high level of service um at a at a at an affordable price and and managing through that. Um whether we're talking property tax rates or we're talking water rates. Um just keep keeping that in check. Um at the same time keeping our eye on the future um in terms of infrastructure and making sure that we're taking care of what we need to today so it doesn't come back to haunt us X many years. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:03

That's uh I I love the I love the fact that you're you're looking at a lot of things from the number aspect. I guess that's kind of who you are, yeah. But uh that that's always a good thing. Uh with um the growth of Paralyn, what how do you I mean it's it's crazy.

SPEAKER_05 48:20

It is, it is, and it and and what what's kind of been a curveball over time from a city planning standpoint is you know, we develop um master plans for uh for PD, for fire, for water, for sewer, and it always looks to the surrounding area, the ETJ. Um but then the the the state kind of changed the rules on us, imagine that, um, several years back that that made annexation much more difficult. And so that's caused us to um to have to revisit some of this. We don't we don't necessarily need to to provide for an extra 40 square miles of ETJ because the odds are we're never gonna annex that. And so um keep keeping an eye on that.

SPEAKER_01 49:13

I guess being like if I guess if you were not if you were, but like if the previous councils many years ago uh I guess was to get more of the land, you know, before it became what it is, we would probably be I mean like because I know one of the biggest concerns they say is like the building. They're building everywhere, they're building this and this.

SPEAKER_05 49:34

But I mean, it's it that's that's tough. Um we've got some I've got some ideas on on that um in terms of of open space and um and parkland and you know the city has acquired some additional parkland through a a creative strategy. Um and so continuing to lean on on on that, because yes, everybody wants that, but at the same time, if they owned a piece of property, um then they're gonna want to develop it. And if we come in and say no new development, we're we're killing these folks investments.

SPEAKER_03 50:15

Right.

SPEAKER_05 50:16

Um so it's that balancing, it's that balancing act. And so um at the same time holding the the development to high standards, um, yeah, it's all it's all balancing acts. Yeah.

Traffic Pressure And AI Signal Timing

SPEAKER_01 50:30

That's uh with um I know another big complaint is they talk about the traffic. That's something that that everyone talks about. I mean, I I don't mind it. I love the quiet time, but you know, it is what it is. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 50:47

Um yeah, don't know we're ever gonna solve it. Right, right. Um, you know, the and not to go back to zoning. No, yeah. You know, we've got um McCard, Magnolia, Bailey, and and and then 518, uh, all the east-west corridors. And so um, you know, getting getting folks east-west through the city, we got to give them a reason to get off of 518. And so that's where some of the rub has come and will come when you talk about zoning cases on McCart or Magnolia or Bailey. Um, because we got to get some more commercial develop. There's an argument to get commercial development onto those to take some relief off of 518. And so, you know, uh TechSot's coming through with 518 expansion um from 288 through to kind of the the edge of old town site or culling and then cullen to old town site. Eventually it's gonna be from there all the way to Friendsway.

SPEAKER_01 51:46

When when TechSot comes in like that, that that that y'all can't say anything, right? Or how does that work?

SPEAKER_05 51:53

Oh, there's technically always public comment. Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 51:55

Um but does it is it effective?

SPEAKER_05 51:57

Uh because tech stu might listen. Yeah, sure it is. Uh no, it's um what what is effective and what we've done is is is not fighting the project, but trying to work with it. Right. Okay. Um so we've got the economic economic development corporation. So they'll come in beside the text out project and say, hey, let's let's make sure we're we're cognizant of these business issues. Let's make sure that when you come in and your standard cross section of this street is gonna be X. Well, can we can we team up and make it look better? Um But yeah, it's still a textile project. Um we'll do the best we can to work with them. Right. Uh one of the byproducts is that that 518 construction is gonna push people to Micard Magnetic Valley. So uh it'll be interesting to see kind of um habits of how people traverse east-west after that.

unknown 52:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 52:57

I definitely started using Macard more, especially coming from that side of town to this side of town. You know, it's kind of a lot easier to just jump right there. Um so with uh one more thing on traffic.

SPEAKER_05 53:09

I forgot to mention. Um kind of excited, met met with the traffic uh traffic experts about a month ago, and you know, AI is infiltrating everything. Um we're working um and going through some pilot tests and observing some other cities. Um instead of having traffic lights um be be physically programmed, um, having uh AI component that can start to learn travel patterns and know that, okay, during this period of time, oh wow, you've got you've got school um traveling this way, so we're gonna we're gonna defer to that timing pattern um more so. And so that's coming um to more efficiently get traffic through. Wow. Uh which uh that's what I love about the city. You can dive down into anything. It's fascinating. It's fascinating the power that's in those silver boxes um and and what works and what causes them to flash red and and how do we reset that to how do we program the timing and with the cameras and and through all that. So at some point we will get start to see some relief from from the AI side, but um you got to proceed with caution. Right. Um and so we don't we don't want to be kind of the the first adopters. Yeah, you never want to. So let's let's let you know Sugarland or Galveston, somebody else test it. And if it's successful, then we'll start implementing it.

Policing Tech Drones And License Plate Cameras

SPEAKER_01 54:40

You never want to be number one. Yeah. Well, and that yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, you know, Paraland has always been a a safe, safe place, and and I love that about it. And you know, that's why I honestly I don't think I leave Paralyn unless I go to a sporting event, you know, at NRG, Toyota Center. Um and it's true because everything is here. You know, how do we we keep it safe?

SPEAKER_05 55:06

Whew, keep it safe, affordable. It's safe affordable. We could we could double our police force, right? But that's gonna be a huge impact on our tax rate. Um one of the key things that that PD's done very well is leveraging technology. Um they've they've got uh when it was rolled out, it's one of the first ones in the nation for the uh unmanned aerial vehicle. So they can they can launch them from a couple of fire stations, from the police station, and get eyes on a scene quicker. Um the flock cameras, they are um probably a hot topic. I'll probably get blowback from this, but um what they can do in terms of tracking um when a uh a crime's committed to be able to quickly dive in. And if something happened to you and they said there was a uh it was a white Chevy headed this way, they can hone in on that um to get that evidence. But even more importantly, um, and again, I know I'll get tons of uh flack for this, but it reads license plates, just like um uh some of our police officers' cars do.

SPEAKER_04 56:21

Right.

SPEAKER_05 56:21

And it alerts if it's a warrant. And so the the you know, Parreland's always been known as the safe city, and you know, HPD, I would always joke, you know, HPD will run them down 288 because they know Parallel will stop them. Well, Parallel's starting to get the reputation that don't go through there if if you've if you got a stolen car or you've got a warrant out, because that flock will will alert any units in the area and they'll get on them.

SPEAKER_01 56:48

I think so. That's a good reputation.

SPEAKER_05 56:50

I like it. Stay out of here. We can debate other things, but no, I think it's great. And so leveraging the technology um to get more bang for our buck. Um and a lot uh we're also doing a a lot more around data and and and analytics to make sure we've got the officers where they need to be. Um, where they need to be when they need to be. Um and so yeah, that's um uh a shameless plug. I am endorsed by the Paralyland Police Officers Association and the Paralyland Professional Firefighters Association. And so uh had had to get that in there.

Helping Small Business With Clearer Rules

SPEAKER_01 57:31

That's that's amazing. That's amazing. You know, you said you were talking about the I guess the the aerial, the unmanned. Yeah. I I see them uh training over there off of uh I think it's walnut and behind the VFW. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They're always they're always out there training, so that that's awesome to see. Yeah. How are we gonna continue to, with all these bigger businesses coming into town, um, just continue to support small business?

SPEAKER_05 57:58

Whew, that's tough. Um Yeah, I was I I said I was born and raised in the chamber. Um and so my heart is for the the small business. Um back in the produce stand um days, it was the the evil city, and I can remember if a strong wind came in and blew down a sign, we'd have to go put it back up on the weekend before the city saw it because we're out of compliance. And so uh we we've done some things to to get to get better. Um at the same time, we've still got room to grow. Our big um our big guys that come in and lower Kirby that are paying millions of dollars for the consultants and um and know the the formal process they don't have many issues. It's the small mom and pops that don't want to go pay somebody 20 grand to hold their hand through a process. Right, right, right. Um so right now we're we're rewriting the UDC, and that is um it was originally written by attorneys, and it just smacks of attorney speak through the whole thing. And this definition, you gotta go 12 pages back to this definition to this chapter. And so we're going through that um through that process right now, trying to make it more user-friendly um to to help small businesses be able to grow and expand. Um and then really working with the chamber through the innovation hub. The chamber um holds the the brep contract, business retention and expansion. Um and and so continuing to lean on that. Um, but I tell you the the the tax base is nice when the big boys come in too. Yeah, I can imagine. And what falls off of them for our small business.

SPEAKER_01 59:51

The innovation hub you spoke of, and and uh they're actually right here in spacious.

SPEAKER_02 59:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 59:56

So we we love having them here and they they they do a lot of amazing work.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:00

Yeah.

Old Town Revitalization And Festival Streets

SPEAKER_01 1:00:01

So that that's amazing to see. I have a question. How do you feel about the uh old town revitalization? Revitalization?

SPEAKER_05 1:00:10

This is the third plan, maybe fourth plan. Um we've intentionally tried to keep it onto some actionable projects this time. Um and and I think constantly what you've heard from council is we don't want to waste money on another plan unless we're gonna be able to execute. Yep. Um, and so that's um that's what I hope we look up and is different um this time than than prior times. Um why do I think it's different? I I kind of get excited. Um, you look at um what Sullivan Brothers is doing with those um those, they look like row houses there in Old Town site.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:51

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:51

Um I'm I'm hoping that the rooftops will help some commercial development. Um the chamber puts on um, I think they call it dinner on grand. That was one of my the most favorite events I've been to last year. Um they shut the street down right there in front of Zelensky Park. The weather was absolutely perfect. And legit, you had dinner on grand. Um Magnolia Cajun Comfort catered it. It was it was just an awesome night, and it really gave you a vision for what's to come. And turn I think they they call it a festival street where it's easily shut down and you can come in and and have you know weekend festivals. Um yeah, so it it's exciting. The execution, um, the execution, it's it's gonna be in the details, gonna be the devil's in the details, and the execution will be we'll have to keep our eye on, but it's it's pretty exciting.

Being Accessible And Keeping Politics Local

SPEAKER_01 1:01:48

That's that's amazing. I I love that the fact that that that is even happening. What are some of the concerns that you have coming in? What is something that you you see that you want to change? Or I don't know necessarily change, but I want to be um I'm accessible.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:01

I live here, I work here, I don't leave Paraland. Like, like you, unless I'm going to NRG or going to a game or something. Um, I don't leave Paraland, so I'm accessible and I want to I I I I want to hear other sides. I want to take uh it on any issue, it always feels like it's uh us versus them. And it it I don't know if that's just where we are as a society, but let's sit down and have a uh honest conversation and talk about the facts. And I don't know. I I I I firmly believe, and maybe I'm naive, that if if two parties can sit down and you can explain the other side, at least you can walk away with an understanding. That that's some of the toughest times I have on council is when I can't I can't even understand why they approach it that way. Right. Like that that I will lose sleep over. Like I don't care if we agree or disagree, but I I always want to be able to argue the other side. Um Yeah. Probably didn't answer the question.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:08

No, you actually answered my next two questions. Yeah. So uh my my next question was gonna be like, how how do you engage with the residents? How are you going to engage with the residents to keep them informed? Yeah. You said you're accessible.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:20

I'm accessible, always here. Um my cell phone's out there. More people have it. Um I I'm I'm I'm accessible. I'm in the community. I don't leave. Right. Um I'm at every, not every event, but you know, that that's a good thing. Um, you know, I ran for council and then Crystal ran for school board. We're out there. Um we're normal people. I don't we're not public figures, like we are, but we're normal people. You got an issue, holler at us. Like let's talk about it as rational adults. And if there's something we can do, we can. We will. Sometimes the city's not gonna solve it, the school's not gonna solve it, but let's have the discussion. Maybe it's a nonprofit. Um, what Crystal's awesome about doing is is putting people together. Hey, you have this need, oh wait, there's this organization over here that that can help fill it. And I don't know, bridging that that gap and having the relationships. Um I don't know, that's that's the I don't want to say difference. That's where um I want to do better. We can always do better. I think it comes down to the communication piece.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:40

Why should the Paraland residents vote for Tony?

SPEAKER_05 1:04:45

Um I mean clearly I'm not the the the the most well spoken. Um I care. I love Paraland. Um I feel like Paraland raised me and uh I want to give back. I want Paraland to to raise my girls. And so um you you you're seeing what you're getting. I I'm not one person here and somebody else and love to sit down and have conversations. Um we're we're people like we're doing the best, we're not perfect, I'm not perfect, city's not perfect, school's not perfect, but we can always do better. And I I think coming with that mindset, um and and we're uh at a place and you know my priority is being the the husband and the best father. Done. Period. If I can be the leader of Pareland, I want to be the best leader if that's what the voters decide. Um, but it's not gonna get to my head. Like we're just people, and that's what we remind our girls all the time. Hey, it's just a title. We're council, yeah, yeah. Your mom's the president of the school board, your dad's city council. No, we're people, yeah. Like there's so we're accessible. We're here and real and uh you know ready to engage. I don't like um the you know you got the national politics that come all the way down to the local level and it sucks. Like we if your toilet doesn't flush, that's not a Republican or Democrat issue. Like that, and that's uh that's that's the frustrating part. And I've seen it, you know, I mentioned Derek Reed ran for Congress. He he was on the Democratic ticket. Uh at the same time Greg Hill um was on the Republican ticket. And I friend good friends with both of them. And and both sides suck. Sorry. Like and that's I think more and more people see that. You go to to social media and and this this far side screaming at this far side. In the middle, you got people that just want their stuff taken care of with some common sense. Yeah, and that's that's what I hope hope to bring. Have the conversation, add some common sense.

Voting Dates And Final Charge

SPEAKER_01 1:07:04

You know, that's that's uh that's amazing to hear, to be honest with you. I I look forward to it and I I uh I wish you the best. When when is voting and where or not where but when is voting?

SPEAKER_05 1:07:16

So early voting starts April 20th.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:18

April 20th.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:19

Um and it runs that's on Monday. It runs through the following Tuesday. Um, and then election day is May 2nd.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:26

May 2nd? Yep. So you guys, y'all be sure to get out there and vote and vote, do your research. Uh definitely I'm looking forward to to seeing what Tony does for Paralyn in the future. I it was great to meet you and talk a little bit. Do you have anything you'd like to say?

SPEAKER_05 1:07:45

Um, thank you for your the time. No, I appreciate you. Uh kind of a little anxious getting behind the mic, but I uh you're a better speaker than you think you are. Well, I hope I delivered some value to the listeners. Um we're accessible. If you got issues, we're accessible. The city's accessible, school's accessible. Reach out. Screaming on on social media doesn't do you any good. We try to respond as much as we can, but if you got an issue you want to dealt with, pick up the phone, call me, shoot me an email. Like let's get to the bottom of it. Um anyway, so I I'll get off that, but I I truly appreciate your time. No, thank you. Thank you for thank you for your time.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:25

I appreciate it. Tony, I appreciate you coming on and taking the time to sit down with me and have a real conversation. At the end of the day, this is what it's all about. And most importantly, get out and vote. Early voting begins April 20th. So get out and vote. And voting day is on May 2nd. This is our community, our future, and our responsibility. Again, as always, Charlie Mike. Thank you all for listening to Charlie Mike the podcast. This is me, Soulja Hall with Red Con One Music Group, and we out.