.City Council and Mayoral Candidate Questionnaire For The San Antonio Current By Dr.

Gloria Rodriguez Candidate, City Council District 7 April 9, 2013 Current employment (if retired, please describe your previous career): I am currently retired, but am Founder and was President/CEO of AVANCE for 32 years. AVANCE is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization providing parenting and early childhood education with proven positive results in very poor communities. I am an author/speaker/consultant on issues related to children and families. Reason for becoming a candidate in this election: I have a passion to serve, solve problems and make a difference in peoples lives. I have lived in District 7 for 32 years and know the issues. I have the desire, time, energy, experience and capability to be responsive and address the concerns of the residents of District 7. You must answer 10 of the following 15 questions. 1) Could the Citys recent ethics reforms be better enforced? Should there be more of a focus on potential conflicts of interest among City Council members as well as City staff? Yes, I believe that recent ethics reforms should be better enforced and the laissez-faire culture regarding conflict of interest change. I would also recommend better training, awareness and clarification of ethics rules and regulations and ongoing refresher workshops to provide guidance and clear up any ambiguities about potential conflict of interests. In addition to the potential conflict related to contracts, there needs to be a focus on the potential conflict of interest that could occur during election season where the citys resources can be used for personal gain or to manipulate and influence votes. For example, City Council representatives can find themselves in their official capacity during an election season taking seniors from city sponsored senior centers on trips/outings, giving them gifts for bingos, sponsoring special events for them during Fiesta, and then the centers offer them transportation to the polls. When I ran a nonprofit, we were told by the City that we were not allowed to take our participants to the polls because of potential conflict of interest. Should incumbents attend Neighborhood Association Meetings as a City Council Representative while at the same time promote their re-election? Should political materials and promotion of their candidacy be allowed at an event that is sponsored with city resources or while in their capacity as City Council representative if the other candidates are not present? Should an incumbent use tax dollars on an expensive mailer during campaign season to reach all 1

the residents of the District? I am recommending that there be a moratorium for at least three to four months before an election where the candidate cannot use his/her position as an advantage over other candidates. If we want our Democracy to work, there must be equity fairness, transparency and clear ethic rules on conflict of interest regulations related to how the City conducts business during an election. 2) Whats your opinion on encouraging economic development and cultural/nature programming via public/private partnerships, especially where public land, such as Hemisfair Park, is concerned? I am in complete agreement with using public/private partnerships for economic development, cultural/nature programming. It is a good way for the city to leverage its local funds to expand services and programs for citizens. I used public private partnerships in funding AVANCE and in the historic renovation of the Heimann Building which became AVANCEs headquarters and is now a catalyst for community revitalization in a blighted Cattleman Square area. As far as public land is concerned, it is important that the people have input on how the public land is to be used. It should benefit the public with parks, museums, civic centers, event spaces, plazas, promenades, open green spaces and places where people from throughout the city can meet and congregate. If there is mixed use on the public land, where economic development will be done with abatements and tax breaks, an agreement should include certain conditions, such as livable wages, and an agreement to remain for a set period of time, otherwise they have to use a portion of the abatement. . Also, as a candidate for City Council Representative of District 7, I ask, How will the residents of District 7 benefit from this abatement? If elected I will be persistent in seeking funds to address the many needs in District 7, such as sidewalks, drainage, curbs, street bumps, crosswalks, sidewalks, and enhancing our own parks, like Woodlawn Lake. Some cities use Linkage fees to link development to an existing fee that will be used to address unmet needs in the city. I understand that $9 million was shifted from the 2007 Bond savings to make up for underestimating the cost of Hemisfair Park Development. If the money was shifted from District 7 and not redirected to address unmet needs in the district, then I feel that there should be some linkage fee paid for each square foot of development to go back to the district where the funds originally came from, to address basic needs in our city that have been ignored for years. 3) Should the city establish an independent police monitor to better oversee the San Antonio Police Department? Why or why not? Currently, there is a Chiefs Advisory Action Board, which includes seven civilian members, who review the cases and presents its findings to the Chief of Police. Instead of considering an independent Police monitor or the current Chiefs Advisory Board, the City could consider creating an independent citizen board. It would be interesting to learn more about this model from other cities that use it and how effective it is on number of complaints, police relationship with the community and whether the complaints go down or up with time. 2

4) Do you support the way the health department currently regulates food trucks? If not, how could the regulations be changed to better serve San Antonians? I support the way the health department currently regulates food trucks. The city established rules and regulations to monitor and control the quantity and quality of vendors and to protect the health and wellbeing of the people. Some of the regulations include: paying a $400 annual fee, making sure there is commercial general liability insurance in the amount of $500,000 and designating specific city-controlled properties where the vendors can sell. 5) How can the City support sustainable transportation options? The City can support sustainable transportation options by creating a seamless, accessible, affordable, fair and efficient transportation systems that protects the environment, promotes economic development and addresses social, physical and mental health conditions of residents. If we believe that we should protect our environment and improve our air quality, then we need to develop sustainable transportation strategies that will reduce fuel consumption, reduce green house gas emissions, and reduce the number of miles cars travel, or reduce the number of cars in the street. If we want our transportation system to include good social, physical and mental health benefits, then we need infrastructure improvements that include pedestrian facilities where people can walk on wide sidewalks, lanes to ride and park their bicycles, where the streets are safe with adequate street lights, shelters that protect people from inclement weather, trash receptacles, benches and green spaces. If we want our transportation system to promote the economy, then we need to make sure that our transportation system is accessible, affordable, and efficient; that it will enable residents to want to use public transportation system for work, shopping and entertainment that will increase our tax base. People will want to relocate and shop in a city that has a good transportation system. To eliminate the number of cars that are on the streets we should have carpool transit, flexible schedules and ability for some employees to work from home. We will need to have access to a safe public transportation in all parts of the city for all people, especially for the elderly and the handicap with protected crosswalks, proper lighting, push buttons to cross on brightly defined lines. For those that have cars we need safe and easily accessible park and ride stations. The ideal transportation system is one that is seamless where one can get from one form of transportation to another within and outside the city. We need a fair public transportation system that is affordable and efficient, paid through public private partnerships, and where the transportation needs of all the people are considered equally. That includes the rich, poor, the San Antonio resident and the tourist, those with cars and those without cars, the central city and each district. If elected, I will want District 7 to have the same benefits as are being proposed for the Central City District. We will begin with the basics that include curbs and sidewalks to get to the bus stops. Safety is tied to public transportation. In October 2012, a 92 year 3

old senior on a wheel chair was killed on Fredericksburg Road getting off a public bus in District 7. Three months later another senior on a wheel chair was killed on Fredericksburg Road crossing the street. We need a good transportation system that will protect people on busy streets like Fredericksburg Road, especially our seniors on wheel chairs with crosswalks, lighted streets and defined lines and push buttons to cross the street. District 7 has many infrastructure needs that been neglected for years, and we have a lot of catching up to do. 6) What value do you think the arts (visual, performing, literary, etc) bring to San Antonio? In what ways can the City support local arts organizations and individual artists? The Arts bring many benefits to the citizens as well as to the city as a whole. Among them are: * economic benefits as a source of employment for people that work in the arts, for industries that supply the arts and that provide services to people that attend the arts, such as food and parking. * revenues from taxes. *attract individuals and companies to a particular city that supports the arts. *a higher quality of life for its citizens giving them a sense of aesthetics, learning, community, improved mental and physical health, pleasure and creativity. The City can support the local arts organizations and individual artists with funding, offering events and places where people can come together to support the arts. Supporting arts programs to help improve the mental, social and physical health of the very young with special needs, seniors and children from high-risk communities is a good investment of public funds. The city can also encourage children in schools to develop their talents in the arts. I applaud what Mayor Castro did by naming Carmen Tafolla as the first Poet Laureate of San Antonio; she will inspire and motivate others to develop their interest and talents in the arts. 7) Is it important for the City to strengthen its non-discrimination ordinances to protect LGBT citizens? Why or why not? Yes, I believe the City should strengthen its non-discrimination ordinance to protect LGBT citizens. Every person should be respected and treated equally under the law. Government should not discriminate based on sexual orientation. I will continue to practice my belief in equality, fairness, inclusiveness, human and civil rights and freedom for everyone, including LGBT citizens. 8) Is Animal Care Services doing enough to increase its live-release rate? Is ACS' public-private partnership model working? If not, what else could be done?

The live release rates are calculated as the percentage of Adoptions + Rescues +Return-to Owner (RTO) out of the total number of pets released. The Animal Care Services is working very well with partners like Petco, the San Antonio Area Foundation and Best Friends. They increased their live release rates 61% in 2012, or a 38% live release rate. This was the highest in the departments 60 year history. The department was able to send 12,657 pets to rescue which is an increase 9654 (76%) from FY 2011 to adopt out 6,101 pets a 29% increase. 9) What would you do to address the high vacancy rate in downtown buildings? I am in agreement with the recommendations put forth by HR&A Advisors in the Center City Strategic Plan for the Center city area. They state that it will require a thoughtful balance between stimulating small business, attracting national retailers, improving the physical environment and addressing conditions related to public safety and parking adequacy. Some recommendations they mentioned that worked in successful case studies include: traffic calming strategies such as safe and pedestrian friendly streets that include cross-walks, medians, on-street parking, widened sidewalks, benches, planters, trees, high quality lighting, and faade improvement. In addition, they recommend providing technical assistance to small businesses. In addition, HR &A also recommend to scale back on the number of hotel developments and implement some zoning ordinances to stabilize the property markets and enable, encourage and support small businesses to thrive. 10) Is the Citys million-dollar incentive for the creation of a downtown grocery store appropriate? Why or why not? Is there a better way to bring a grocery store downtown? I believe that the million-dollar incentive to build a grocery store downtown needs to be reconsidered until a cost-benefit analysis is conducted regarding the citys investment and the economic benefits it may bring. While I applaud Mayor Castro for attempting to revitalize downtown, are there other alternatives that one could do to bring the needed grocery services downtown? For example, if the city is promoting street cars, in the downtown area, can one route be from the downtown area to the HEB on Fredericksburg Road or the HEB Marketplace, partially supported by HEB? Should the City encourage small businesses to build smaller grocery stores, paid for by private sources as is done in the East Coast? Should we not let the free market take its course? I feel that there are better usages of the million dollars, such as for basic curbs, sidewalks and street humps that are greatly needed in District 7. My community has been requesting these for years, and recently got them in two communities only after a tragedy occurred. We need to make sure that priorities are set in our budget and that the peoples taxes are well spent. 11) How can San Antonio balance economic development with historic preservation?

San Antonio is a beautiful unique city because it has been able to preserve its history and historic splendor. It is important that residents and developers understand the importance of doing whatever they can to preserve historic structures and faades whenever possible. Also, it is critical that the community be engaged and have input; that there be transparency and an open process and dialogue to ensure that there is a balance between economic development with historic preservation. One positive example is the historic renovation of the Bihl Haus on Fredericksburg Rd, where the community worked with the developers to save a historic building that was partially made with bricks from the Alamo. It was saved from demolition and restored as an art and social service center of an adjoining apartment for seniors. The AVANCE National Office was another positive example where we were able to preserve and restore the beautiful Heimann building to its original splendor through public private partnerships, including using New Market Tax Credits for our Headquarters. It now is a catalyst for further economic development. A negative example of how these principles were not applied in District 7, was last year, when a historic building on Bandera that was formerly a Nursing Home was destroyed and will be replaced with a Wal-Mart. There was no public input nor discussions of ways to try to save and restore the building. As a member of the Donaldson Terrace Neighborhood Association where the building was located, we did not have a formal presentation about the development from our City Council representative. Part of the history and the beautiful architecture of the building was destroyed. As a resident from my district told me.the memory of children from local schools going to the Nursing Home to sing to the elderly will die with us. 12) Do you support union organizers' push for a Tip Integrity Act for the downtown hotel and restaurant industry? Yes, I have already signed the pledge to support the ordinance to protect workers tips. This ordinance would require corporations to be honest and transparent with both customers and workers regarding the distribution of tips and service charges. There is a 22% service charge fee for dinners at events at the Hyatt, but the customers and workers do not know where the tip money is going. It is only right that this be disclosed to the customer and the workers, especially after the City of San Antonio gave the Hyatt a $207 million dollar subsidy. This was not good economically for the workers and their families who work at the Hyatt nor is it good public relations for San Antonio when the Hyatt was cited by the Federal Government for these wrong practices. 13) What is the Citys role in making consumer solar power affordable for residents as well as local businesses? The Citys role in making consumer solar power affordable for residents as well as local businesses is offering tax breaks, subsidies, rebates, long term financing plans and education. The city can promote and encourage solar power usage as an alternative renewable energy source to protect our environment, produce jobs and reduce our

dependency on oil and coal. If it is successful in achieving this goal, however, the city will lose some of the revenue that it gets from CPS that goes into the operating budget. 14) Is there more the City could do to protect the Edwards Aquifer in terms of building restrictions, funding conservation easements or other means? The City needs to protect our major source of water. I would support those regulations recommended by AGUA: a. Regulating the impervious cover limits over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone to no more than 20%. B. Increasing buffer zones for significant recharge and critical environmental issues. The setback would be between 100 to 400 foot setbacks, depending on the floodplain that could potentially affect pollutants into the Aquifer. C. Prohibiting hazardous material and activities over the recharge, transition and contributing zones. D. Use the zoning powers to enforce other regulations to protect the aquifer, prohibit hazardous land uses in the contributing zone, and to create lowdensity residential uses. E. Tighten permit expiration rules to reduce grandfathering. F. Banning tax incentives for businesses locating the Recharge Zone and sensitive areas of the Contributing and Transition Zones. G. I would also support the tree ordinance. 15) What are the most critical components to implementing Pre-K 4 SA? Are there any other opportunities for the City to support education? The most critical components are: *providing an effective age-appropriate and culturally relevant curriculum/program at the Education Excellence Centers *providing parental involvement and family support where parents receive the support and education they need to fulfill their critical role as teachers of their young children *provide transportation services if needed for the children and parents *administer an adequate annual performance audit and assessment to ascertain the shortterm and long-term effectiveness of the program/curriculum; *provide an effective training component for the teachers and staff; *provide a public relations component where the community is informed of the importance, progress and successes of the Pre-K 4 SA initiative. *provide fiscal oversight of the $3 million annually by a governance board. *provide an educational continuity of services for both children and parents. The City of San Antonio is already supporting education services for young children by partially funding parenting/early childhood services for parents and children before the age of four. There should be a seamless continuity of learning before and after the PreK4SA initiative for both parents and children in high risk communities. Parents of the children attending PreK4SA should be encouraged to pursue their own education through partnerships with other educational institutions and nonprofit organizations that provide English and literacy classes, GED and college courses. The City can encourage and support all students to do well in school, graduate from high school and further their college education. Caf College and programs like the Prep Program are great assets in our city. If education is stressed at the family and community level, one will see lasting 7

outcomes. Lastly, it is my desire that after eight years when it is up for reauthorization, this initiative will be able to prove its effectiveness and that it will be expanded to serve more young children in November 2020. Over and above the PreK4SA program, the City can encourage volunteers and businesses to support and get involved in education and continue to offer programs and initiatives that promote education. Education is the key to a bright and prosperous future for the people, District 7 and the city. An effective education system will create a strong workforce; productive and contributing members of society and our future leaders. As a former school teacher with my principals certification, my doctorate degree in early childhood education, and my 32 years managing a multi-million dollar nationally recognized educational organization, I am ready to share my knowledge, education and experiences to improve the educational outcomes of the residents of District 7.