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30 | NEWS | Community Impact Newspaper • Round Rock/Pflugerville/Hutto Edition
2012 ELECTION COVERAGE
Williamson County district attorney
Ken Crain, D
Q. Why are you running for district attorney?
A. I saw the opportunity to perform some public service. I
was paying attention to the Michael Morton case, and quite
frankly got angry. ... It made me think that I could do a lot
better, and Williamson County citizens deserved a lot better.
Q. What makes you the best candidate for the position?
A. I think that I’ve got a lot of experience in Williamson
County and the justice system. I’ve been a lawyer since
November 1984. I was a prosecutor in Williamson County
prosecuting misdemeanor cases for Billy Ray Stubblefield
in 1985 and ’86. I’ve been in private practice doing criminal
defense work and family law cases since 1986.
Q. What experience would you bring to the job?
A. I’ve been a prosecutor, and I’ve been a defense attorney.
I think having seen things from both sides gives you
a little bit better perspective. I’ve had clients before who
were put in terrible positions where they might have been
guilty of something. ... Having been a defense attorney and
a prosecutor, it gives me a better perspective.
Q. What will be your first order of business if elected?
A. Well, the first order of business would be getting ready
to take the oath of office on Jan. 1. I’ve had a private practice
for 26 years, and I would have to transfer my cases to
somebody else or shut down my business and hopefully
take a little time off.
Round Rock ISD board of trustees
Place 2
Charles Chadwell
Q. Why are you running for the Round Rock ISD board of trustees?
A. I am running for re-election to continue the progress
of the last few years and expand the accomplishments
of RRISD. The district enjoys steady growth because new
families are attracted to the area and want quality schools.
I want to continue serving as a trustee and to provide guidance
for economic development in the area. RRISD and the
surrounding businesses have a history of collaboration.
Q. What qualifications would you bring to the position?
A. After being on the RRISD board for over four years, I
have developed a deep understanding of what is required
to oversee a successful school district. Every year I have
exceeded the number of training hours required by law and
have voluntarily attended education seminars and conferences
across the state and in Washington, D.C. Before joining
the board of trustees, I was on a bond study committee
and active with the PTA at my sons’ schools.
Q. What do you see as major priorities for RRISD in the coming years?
A. There are two topics that impede local control: school
finance and high-stakes testing. I am in favor of accountability
and testing students to measure their progress, but
the current STAAR and [end of course] requirements are
proving to be counterproductive. Regarding school finance,
this board will need to continue being fiscally responsible
so we can manage financial challenges as they arise.
Jana Duty, R
A. As a wife, mother and now as a grandmother, I want
to make sure that Williamson County remains a safe and
secure place to live, work and raise a family. I believe the
people of Williamson County deserve a district attorney
with a proven record.
A. I have a proven track record of prosecuting misdemeanor
and felony crimes in Williamson County as the
county attorney for the past eight years. I’m proud to
have the endorsements of the Williamson County Sheriff’s
Association, the Cedar Park Police Association, the Austin
Police Association [and more].
A. I have served as the elected Williamson County attorney
since 2005. During that time, I have more than doubled
the amount of protective orders for victims of family
violence and brought in expert attorneys to represent Child
Protective Services so that vulnerable children get the best
representation possible.
A. One of the first things I will do is create a true open
discovery policy which will help prevent another Michael
Morton case from ever happening again. I will also seek
justice for victims of family violence. Victims of crime
deserve better.
Terence McCann
A. I believe school board members should represent the
values of all members in the community: the students, parents
and taxpayers. My values represent the broader fiscal
conservative values of the Round Rock school district. I
intend to bring those conservative values to the school
board and keep the board accountable to the taxpayer.
A. I am a certified public accountant (CPA) with more than
23 years of accounting and management experience. I was
raised in the Round Rock school district, graduating from
Westwood High School in 1984. I have experienced the
excellence and growth of the district as a student, parent
and taxpayer.
A. Managing the moderate growth experienced in the
past couple of years while prudently planning for a return
to higher growth rates will be very challenging. Over the
past two years, the district growth has slowed with total
enrollment at elementary schools declining. The district has
significant areas that are not growing, while some areas
are growing rapidly.
Pflugerville City Council
Place 2
Tom Anker
Q. Why are you running for City Council?
A. I am running for City Council out of a sense of community
service to a city that has provided a wonderful
environment in which to raise a family. There are no issues
facing our city that cannot be handled through proper management
of resources and prioritization of those resources.
I will continue to be part of a council that respects the tax
rate and continues to investigate more efficient ways to
maximize the services to our city.
Q. What is the biggest issue facing Pflugerville?
A. Our city remains on the cusp of extraordinary residential
and commercial growth. How we navigate through the
process of that growth, from short-term and long-range,
will affect the future of Pflugerville and determine how we
define “quality of life.”
Q. What makes you a good fit for Pflugerville City Council?
A. As a member of the Board of Adjustment for a few
years and the Planning and Zoning Commission for the last
five years, I have had the pleasure of working very closely
with city staff, businesses and citizens. In addition, I have
been a board member of numerous homeowners associations
over the last 10 years and have experience in dealing
with limited resources while reducing expenses to ensure a
successful operating association.
Place 7
Pauline Law
A. I am passionate about the education of our children;
they are our future. I am product of both public and
private education; therefore, I understand the importance
of providing the best public education, as many families
in this current economy cannot afford to provide private
education. I will advocate for teachers and students so that
the best public education will be provided.
A. Although I chose a career in business, my first course
of study was education. I was in the classroom instructing
the children. Due to my background in education and business,
this has provided a unique perspective to see issues
from both points of view. I will provide the district with a
well-rounded trustee who has the ability to understand the
full picture of our community’s needs as a whole.
A. Funding curriculum first and making teachers and
our children our No. 1 priority. Teachers must have the
necessary tools to teach. They should never have to spend
their money to provide our children with the basic supplies
they need to learn. We must have board members who are
fiscally responsible. We have to stop investing in brick and
mortar and start investing in our teachers and children.
Omar Pena
A. I want more for the community. My vision for Pflugerville
is for it to be a great place to live, work, shop and
eat. I’ve been involved with the Pflugerville Community
Development Corp. for the past three years, and we are
working on many initiatives to make Pflugerville that kind
of utopia.
A. I see three major issues facing Pflugerville today:
growth, water and taxes. Pflugerville has grown by 200
percent in the past 10 years, and we are dealing with the
growing pains. ... The second issue is water. The current
agreement between the city and Southwest Water [Co.]
expires in April. We have a lot of ground to cover to ensure
that our citizens are taken care of. ... Taxation is another
important issue for Pflugerville.
A. Through the work I’ve done with the PCDC, I’ve come
to know the current members of the City Council as well
as the city staff. I can leverage those existing relationships
to work efficiently and effectively and help move the city
forward.
Eric Pav
A. I have been involved in the school district for a number
of years in various volunteer capacities. After attending
many board meetings last year, it was apparent the divisiveness
was impeding the focus and timeliness of board
decisions. Students, educators and taxpayers of this district
deserve to have a board that is objective, rational and
focused on the priorities the district will be debating.
A. I served the district as a member of the bond oversight
committee, the school naming committee, citizen’s bond
committee and citizen’s boundary committee. I am also
an active PTA member. In the community, I served 10
years with my neighborhood [homeowners association]
and in various leadership positions with the Boy Scouts of
America. I have been a people manager for 16 years leading
global organizations from 10 to 300 individuals.
A. Major priorities include: remain fiscally responsible with
the taxpayer dollar, manage student growth, drive clarity
around local processes and policies for mandated state
testing (STAAR and EOC), pursue solutions to address state
funding shortfalls, ensure that students have access to
curriculum and courses that allow for college and career
readiness, and maximize local accountability.