NPT District 3 Questionnaire: Naomi Gonzalez

Editors note: NPT emailed the questionnaires to the candidates, and received answers from four out of the five. The same questions were asked of all the candidates, and, since this is the Internet, there were no space limitations placed.

---

Biographical info:

-- Name: Naomi R. Gonzalez

-- Age: 29

-- Education: BBA from Our Lady of the Lake University, JD from St. Mary’s University

-- Occupation: Attorney

-- Length of Residence in District: 20 years

-- Relevant Experience: As an attorney I have worked with different government agencies. As an Assistant County Attorney I am an advocate for survivors/victims of domestic violence. I am qualified for this position because I bring advocacy skills as well as knowledge of the legal workings of governmental agencies.

-- Website: www.nrgfordist3.com

---

Questions (no word limit):

1) What is the role of a member of City Council?

The role of a City Council Representative is to represent the interests of the members of the District. In addition, a City Council Representative should work to improve the City of El Paso.

2) What are the five most important issues facing the district? How would you address those?

Improving infrastructure – There are many roads in District 3 that are in poor repair. In addition, there are streets that experience flooding when it rains. We need to address these concerns as these conditions can create hazards to drivers and pedestrians. The City Council Representative for the District along with the citizens in the District need to work with the Streets Department in order to address problem areas and come up with solutions to fix these problems.

The Medical Center of the Americas – District 3 contains the Paul L. Foster Medical School. In addition, this same area contains Thomason Hospital, and as we know, the County of El Paso funds Thomason Hospital. The area is going to be a hub for border health research and will address border health concerns. Both the City and the County need to develop an economic plan that will responsibly guide the growth that this area is experiencing.

Traffic Issues – During this campaign I have met many residents in various parts of the District that state that speeding and poor traffic flow is causing property damage in their neighborhoods. In many instances what is happening is that drivers will avoid a major arterial street in order to bypass slower traffic. They will then turn on to a side street, speed down that street and in turn create a hazardous environment for children in the neighborhood. In addition, if the street winds or curves the speeding drivers at times lose control of their vehicles and this loss of control results in property damage to residents. To address this issue, I would work closely with residents and the Engineering Department to add speed bumps, narrow lanes, post barriers, to fix these growing traffic problems.

Re-zoning/development – There is an area in District 3 that is going to possibly be re-zoned to allow a developer to come in and add multi-dwelling housing to this area. The community that is the subject of this re-zoning request has legitimate concerns about the proposed development. The developer says that it will bring affordable housing to the area if allowed to go forward with construction, the residents in the area are skeptical that the housing will truly be affordable. In addition, the residents believe that the area cannot support these new multi-dwelling units. In addressing this issue I would voice the concerns of the residents to the developer and ask if there is another feasible sight for their project.

Tax Burden – District 3 is certainly a diverse area of the city. But what unite most of the residents that I have met during this campaign are their concerns over taxes. City Council is faced with the challenge of providing services to the residents of El Paso while at the same time attempting to keep taxes level. I believe governmental entities such as local school districts, the County and the City need to examine their budgets and determine if tax dollars are being used efficiently. Furthermore, we need to examine the possibility of consolidation and inter-local agreements as ways to try to make better use of our tax dollars.

3) What are the five most important issues facing the city? How would you address those?

Economic Development – The City of El Paso needs to bring in solid, responsible businesses that will contribute to our local economy and increase our tax base. In order to address this issue I think it is important to review what other cities have done to help their ailing economies, devise a marketing plan for El Paso, and begin to cultivate relationships with businesses nationwide in order to attract investment to our city.

Tax Burden – City Council is faced with the challenge of providing services to the residents of El Paso while at the same time not increasing taxes. I believe governmental entities such as local school districts, the County and the City need to examine their budgets and determine if tax dollars are being used efficiently. Furthermore, we need to examine the possibility of consolidation and inter-local agreements as ways to try to make better use of our tax dollars.

The Medical Center of the Americas – District 3 contains the Paul L. Foster Medical School. In addition, this same area contains Thomason Hospital, and as we know, the County of El Paso funds Thomason Hospital. The area is going to be a hub for border health research and will address border health concerns. Both the City and the County need to develop an economic plan that will responsibly guide the growth that this area is experiencing.

Infrastructure – El Paso is absorbing a small city with the troops that are coming to Ft. Bliss in many ways El Paso is not ready for the population increase. We will need better roads, more hospitals, more courts, and possibly more schools. I think the city is going to have to seek state and federal aid to help foster this growth.

BRAC – We need to be prepared for this growth, we have to use this opportunity to make our city attractive so that the soldiers who are going to be stationed at Ft. Bliss will want to make El Paso their home. In order to address this issue, the City needs to foster good working relationships with the commanders at Ft. Bliss.

4) What are the largest businesses in your district?

Western Refinery, Phelps Dodge, UPS, Fed Ex.

5) If you could bring any business to your district, what would it be?

I don’t have a specific business in mind but any business that is going to pay living wages, pay medical insurance, provide 401k or some other retirement investment possibility, and will generally be a good corporate citizen is the type of business I would like to attract to District 3.

6) Do you think public amenities and services are being fairly distributed among the eight city council districts, including libraries, parks and facilities for youth and adult sports and street paving and improvement projects?

I think that District 3 has lagged behind in receiving some public amenities, for example the Cedar Grove/Lakeside area would like a community center, which I think is a reasonable request. They would also like some park space; again, I think that is a reasonable request. Cielo Vista residents would like lighting for Ponder Park and should have received lights for Ponder but for some reason the funds for the lights were diverted to another area of the District. Thus, I don’t think that the requests of the residents in the District have been heard and if the Representative is not bringing up these requests to City Council then I think it makes it difficult to obtain public amenities.

7) Do you support impact fees (that would require developers and, ultimately, home and commercial property buyers in new developments to pay more of the costs to provide those areas with water service, police and fire stations and amenities) on new development?

Yes, I think at this point I would support impact fees. The property buyers are going to be experiencing the benefits of the water service, police and fire units; therefore I think they should also be the ones to pay for them. The City, ultimately the tax payers, have been paying for these services and I think its time that the individual property buyer step up and pay for the services that they will be receiving.

8) Would you support a definition of blight as a precursor to use of eminent domain that evaluates blight property by property, rather than by neighborhoods or districts?

I would not be opposed to a definition of blight as a precursor to use eminent domain that evaluates blight property on an individual basis.

9) Do you support the eventual use of light rail and other mass transit options that will be competitive to private auto use?

Yes. As gas prices soar we need to be thinking of alternative methods of transportation. El Paso and Texas as a whole have poor mass transit systems and I would like to see El Paso lead the state in developing an effective mass transit system.

10) If so, how much emphasis would you put on supporting new roads in El Paso versus building a mass transit system that more people would choose?

That is a good question because by developing a mass transit system we are attempting to change individual attitudes about transportation. As such, there are going to be many individuals that want to use their car verses a light rail, for example, and in some instances it might be more practical to drive than use mass transit, so there is still going to be a need for roads but the City is going to have to find a balance of creating new roads but at the same time encouraging mass transit use.

11) Do you support the city's efforts to keep Asarco from reopening?

The City has already invested lots of time and money in keeping Asarco from reopening that at this point we are already invested in this effort and we need to see it come to whatever conclusion it comes to.

12) Do you believe Western Refining or Phelps Dodge poses a threat to the health of nearby residents, and how would you deal with that?

Yes, I do believe that both Western Refining and Phelps Dodge pose a threat to the health of nearby residents. While Western Refining and Phelps Dodge may be good corporate citizen we cannot escape the fact that their businesses emit pollution into the air. I think that in order to deal with the health issue the City needs to work with the TECQ and EPA in order to make sure that these business stay within their pollution boundaries. Perhaps when the Medical Center of the Americas comes into fruition we can set up health clinics to monitor the health of the nearby residents to ensure that the residents either remain healthy or get treated for health concerns related to the pollution.

13) Do you support the Medical Center of the Americas concept? What would you do to limit its impact on the neighborhood, or, conversely, what would you do to support its growth, or both?

Yes, I support the Medical Center of the Americas concept. I think that there is going to have to be some planned growth and lots of communication with the residents of the surrounding neighborhoods in order to make sure that as many people as possible benefit from this great opportunity. In order to support its growth, I think a five to ten year economic plan should be developed in order to have responsible growth in the area.

14) What is your view of the Public Service Board’s new stormwater utility and the monthly fees that homeowners, business owners and apartment dwellers are being charged to finance it?

I am not sure that the PSB did enough to solicit public option on how a stormwater fee should be assessed to homeowners, business owners and apartment dwellers. In addition, there was a lack of communication of the part of PSB in explain how their fee formula was generated. The public at large I think felt frustrated that they were stuck with a large fee but with no real explanation of how the fee was formulated. In general, I think the stormwater utility serves a good purpose but the way the fee was implemented to support the utility was handled poorly.