Gibson, Tunstall focus on sidewalks in Missouri City District C contest
By ZEN T. C. ZHENG
Houston Chronicle
Kevin Tunstall
. . . Tunstall, who has openly criticized city government on a variety of issues, calls himself an "independent voice.
"It's time for a change. Some of the people have been sitting in the office for 10, 20 years and they become complacent, and complacency begets neglect."
Among the issues concerning Tunstall is proposed expansion by Allied Waste of the landfill in east Fort Bend off FM 521. The proposal has triggered strong protest by residents.
Missouri City has an agreement with the waste management company that endorses the plan. Tunstall said if he were elected, he would initiate a review of the agreement and reverse it.
Tunstall said the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone concept should be visited as a possible avenue for the revitalization of Texas Parkway and Cartwright corridors, an idea frowned at by some city officials, who said a TIRZ is not set up for revamping shopping centers.
Tunstall criticized the city for creating a TIRZ on a commercial development by NewQuest near the intersection of Fort Bend Parkway and Texas 6.
"That area is a prime commercial realty in my opinion and doesn't qualify for a TIRZ," he said. "A TIRZ is better suited for Texas Parkway. Had a TIRZ existed there, commercial activities would be there and Quail Valley Country Club would not have had its problem."
On April 16, Tunstall told City Council that he found out from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts that the city had never registered the two TIRZs it created with the state office nor provided any financial reports on the TIRZs to the office in violation of state law.
R.J. DeSilva, a spokesman for the Texas Comptroller, confirmed Tunstall's report.
On Monday, City Manager Frank Simpson told City Council that the city failed to file the appropriate reports with the state office and that steps are being taken to correct the mistake.
Tunstall said the incident is an illustration of how such mistakes can give the city a bad image.
He described as unnecessary Mayor Allen Owen's initiative to hire a company to study ways to boost the city's image, including a controversial idea of a possible name change.
"Why does the city have to pay a PR firm to revamp the image of the city? If there is a bad perception of the city, whose fault is that? Mr. Owen needs to take that responsibility," he said. "We must move away from the power plays and pandering to special interests that now control our civic agenda and get back to doing people's business."
In addition, Tunstall said he is concerned about the lack of a hospital in the city and wants to study possible financial incentives to attract a health-care provider.
& This Chronicle Piece On the Griffin & Reiter Race:
Griffin challenges veteran Reiter in Missouri City District A race
By ZEN T. C. ZHENG
Rodney Griffin is challenging 13-year District A incumbent Eunice Reiter, saying she has done little to save the Texas Parkway corridor and older neighborhoods from deterioration.
While acknowledging the need to revitalize the corridor, Reiter, 69, an accountant who has lived in the city for 43 years, called her opponent's assessment of her unfair.
"When I learned that Rodney decided to run for the council, I called him after he filed for the race. We agreed that we would conduct a gentlemanly campaign, and I plan to do that," she said.
Reiter said she doesn't see Griffin's bid to seek her seat as negative.
"There has not been a District A election in 10 years. When there is a contested race, more people will come out and vote, get involved in the political process and are exposed to the issues faced by the city. I think this is a good thing," she said.
Reiter cited the city's economic development and increased services that she attributed to a "collective leadership effort," of which she has been a part.
"The council has achieved much over the last 13 years," she said. "The council had a vision, and we implemented that vision."
She said the city has gone from a bedroom community more than a decade ago to one now supported by commercial and industrial developments, with nearly $5.7 million generated a year in sales-tax revenue.
"As a result, we've been able to keep our property taxes low over the last 10 years," she said.
Griffin, 60, who has lived in the city for 28 years and runs a financial service firm, sees a less rosy picture, especially on the Texas Parkway corridor.
"Missouri City has the promise of a great community, but at the same time I have seen the city going in the opposite direction," he said. "There is deterioration in the far east end of the city.
"Texas Parkway is a gateway to the city and the county," Griffin said. "When you come down and see nothing but chicken joints, barbershops and nail salons, what kind of message are we giving to prospective businesses and residents? Are we able to attract new businesses and new residents?"
Griffin claims the city leadership's "lack of political will" is responsible for the community's deterioration.
City officials have directed "a lion's share of tax dollars" to the city's more affluent areas, such as Texas 6 while overlooking the Texas Parkway corridor, he said.
Griffin vowed to push for incentives and involvement of government and business entities to bring the older area back to life.
Reiter dismissed the notion that City Council has neglected Texas Parkway, citing a market study the city plans to fund to investigate demographics and other data to determine how the corridor can be revitalized.
Reiter described herself as instrumental in establishing zoning and other measures to protect property rights, green space and a comprehensive plan to guide the city's development. Architectural criteria she promoted for Texas Parkway have become part of the standards for all of the city's major corridors, she said.
In addition, she said she has pushed to bring a Houston Community College campus to the city — college officials broke ground last month for a Sienna campus — and for an additional recycling center in the south part of the city.
"I hope my experiences count. I am running for the love of this job, and there is so much still to do," she said.
Griffin said he is concerned about the immediate needs of the community, such as aging infrastructure, lack of sidewalks, unkept shopping strips and crime. He said Reiter has not been responsive to the community concerns.
"It's the perception of the people that they don't see her out in the community," Griffin said.
Reiter dismissed the allegation, saying she had served as the president of the Fonmeadow subdivision homeowners association for seven years, and as a council member has been regularly attending meetings of all the homeowners associations in the district.
Griffin said he can do more.
If elected, he said he wants to improve communication and cooperation with the school district, county and other local government agencies and private organizations and act as a liaison between them. He also wants to enhance public and private partnerships to develop public safety programs.
In addition, he wants to let taxpayers and voters have a stronger voice in decisions city government makes. . .(follow the link below for more)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/4794195.html
Labels: post-election analysis, reform candidate
