Bill Richardson, Candidate SMD1 San Angelo City Council, Press Release

Press Release, March 10, 2014

 It is time to spend the "4B" (1/2 cent) sales tax on San Angelo tax payers. We need to reinterpret the 1/2 cent sales tax to the best of our advantage to fix our infrastructure and retain local jobs.

The "4B" sales tax can be used to repair Bell Street.  Bell Street qualifies because it leads to a sports complex.

San Angelo  had an average rain fall in 2013, however the overgrowth  of invasive plant species such as Salt Cedar, Willow Baccharis and Mesquite hindered the runoff of rain water into the Twin Buttes reservoirs.

As a water conservation project the "4B" sales tax,  the Lake Nasworthy fund and state funding available to municipalities can be used to eradicate invasive plant species in the Twin Buttes watershed.

Lake Nasworthy depends on the Twin Buttes reservoirs for water. If there is no water in the Twin Buttes reservoirs there will be no boat races or other recreation activates on Lake Nasworthy.

I am against water rate increases. Water rate increases never solve the problem, they merely pass the cost of San Angelo City Council's mistakes on to the backs of San Angelo Tax Payers.

One part of the solution of San Angelo's water shortage problems is to eradicate invasive plant species in the Twin Buttes watershed. The answer to that problem has been presented in the document "Integrated Pest Management Plan  for Twin Buttes Restoration Project, San Angelo Project, Texas.

This study and its recommendations was initiated and paid for by U.S Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation, Great Plains Region, Oklahoma-Texas area office, the City of San Angelo, Texas, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, and the Upper Colorado River Authority, March 2010

There are a large number of car enthuses and car clubs in San Angelo. I believe we can support a  Midland, "Desert Thunder" style racetrack here in San Angelo. This is a doable "4B" recreation project which will attract participants from all of West Texas and enhance tourism.

The revitalize downtown San Angelo plan needs  to be presented as part of the whole, city wide economic picture. It is time stop favoring only a few business.

San Angelo City Council's negative rhetoric against oil field works needs to be toned down. We want them spending money here. The large increase in homeless people in San Angelo shows that city council has mishandled the need for temporary living quarters.

San Angelo City Council needs to clarify to San Angelo RV retailers that their businesses  are welcome in San Angelo.

Building a new police headquarters, maintaining police vehicles and providing the San Angelo Police Department with adequate funding and the latest technology must be a top priority in the next year.

We have difficult and challenging issues facing San Angelo.  It is time for pragmatic leadership on San Angelo City Council. I can provide that leadership. It is time to invest in what we have instead of constantly reaching for what we do not have.

 

Bill Richardson

Candidate for San Angelo City Council

Single Member District One