My name is Mark Allen & I am a local leader in Guadalupe County with over 7 years of experience as an elected official within Precinct 4. The great citizens of Guadalupe County entrusted me to lead within our community first as a city councilman & most-recently as the Mayor of Cibolo. I’d love to earn your vote to be our next Guadalupe County Precinct 4 Commissioner. My commitment to our citizens remains to help bring additional great businesses to our community, to improve our roads, & to help keep our property tax rate low.
Q&A Responses
1. Infrastructure and economic competitiveness
Q: How will you prioritize road, bridge, and infrastructure investments so businesses can move goods, serve customers, and grow without delays or added costs?
A: It remains extremely important to economic development within Guadalupe County for businesses to have improved roads which their customers may use to drive to their business as well as their suppliers to deliver new products to their business locations. As County Commissioner, I will ensure that County tax revenue is being spent throughout Guadalupe County, & not just within the unincorporated areas. We must support our growth engine in our County & that is always economic development. With increased sales tax revenue, the burden is lessened for homeowners to provide the majority tax revenue for both Guadalupe County & the cities within our County. Interstate 10 cuts through Guadalupe County like a belt & we must continue to work with our partners at TxDOT to improve I-10, both from 1604 to 130 & beyond 130 to the border with Caldwell & Gonzales Counties.
2. Fiscal policy and predictability
Q: How will you balance responsible budgeting and tax rates with the need to invest in services and infrastructure that support a strong business environment?
A: In over 7 years of service to our community as an elected official, I have never once voted to raise the tax rate. As a fiscal conservative, I feel it is important to put the taxpayer first when making decisions on tax rate changes. I remain a champion of increasing economic development within Guadalupe County & I feel that expanding the footprint of businesses within our community is the very best way to increase our tax base by increasing sales tax revenue through the addition of more fantastic businesses within our community.
3. Growth management and development certainty
Q: How will you support sustainable growth while providing clear, consistent policies so businesses and developers can plan and invest with confidence?
A: I feel that both County & municipal regulations need to be clearly written & easily understandable for both large & small business owners, so that they do not experience burdensome barriers to entry when opening a business in our community. I will work to ensure that guidelines are written both clearly & effectively on the County level to ensure a level playing field for current & future business owners. I want business owners to feel comfortable & confident with their investment in our community.