PLATFORM

"I come from a proud working-class family that has been involved in public service for as long as I can remember. I will be a full time city representative that diligently works for your family. We need to create more living wage jobs, improve our crumbling infrastructure, make our city safer for EVERY El Pasoan, invest more into critical city services (like Animal Services and Streets), and ensure that we have a city government that listens and acts - especially when tackling inequality and lack of equity."

We need to come together to end the abuse of tax incentives, end the control over our city politics by big-money donors, uplift local businesses, protect our sacred environment from overdevelopment; and as a city, we must stand up to the bureaucrats in Austin who systematically leave us out!

"With nearly a decade of government experience and public advocacy, I know I have what it takes to find solutions, navigate the complicated governmental agencies, and get things done."

LIST OF ISSUES

Responsible Government

The people of El Paso deserve a local government that represents them, not special interest donors or developers! It's time we push for real and honest change while preserving what makes El Paso shine.

As your City Representative, I will:

Hold City Leadership Accountable - Our City Manager & City Attorney need to remember they work for us! When El Pasoans were still getting back on their feet, they got a pay raise, advocated for wasteful spending, and provided lackluster recommendations to OUR City Council.
Be an advocate for city employees - Our city workers and support staff need our help! As your City Rep, I will advocate for a living wage, affordable health care, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and fair longevity pay!
Fight for increased transparency - We owe it to the people of El Paso to have a government that is open and honest! I will advocate for ending the abuse of executive sessions, working with local media to increase coverage of local issues, ensuring easier access to how your City Rep votes on items, and amending the charter to place more restrictions on developers! As your city representative, I will have office hours in the district, have an open-door policy, and make myself and my team readily available to address your concerns.
Lend a helping paw - We've seen firsthand what an underfunded Animal Services has done to our community. From unaccountable backyard breeders, a massive stray population, mauling of people and their pets, an undersized and staffed Animal Services building (that is often overflowing), and an administration that more times than not ignores accountability, it's clear to us help is needed NOW! We're going to work in tandem with the Animal Services Advisory Committee (ASAC), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Non-governmental organizations, and members of the public to create and enforce public policy that works best for our community because our animals deserve it!
Create governmental partnerships - There is a lot that our city, county, and educational institutions can do when we work together! I will push for a partnership between the city and our education institutions to create a school of veterinary medicine/animal clinic to help reduce our sick stray population and our population at the shelter.

Taxes

I understand the burden that has been placed on our people due to pet projects, the overdevelopment of our city, an unfair 60/40 tax base, and an out-of-control tax rate. It's time to deliver real and honest tax relief to the people of El Paso!

As your City Representative, I will:

Advocate for a no new revenue tax rate - It's time we reimagine our city's budget and focus on critical needs before wasting money on pet projects! We owe it to every El Pasoan to deliver real tax relief.
Look into freezing taxes for our seniors - No one is feeling the impact of properly taxes harder than our seniors, it's time to give them a break.
Fight to Fix the 60/40 Tax Base- El Paso is home to the 60% Residential and 40% Commercial Tax Base. It's time we work toward making that Tax base more equitable and fair to every TAX Payer.
I will work with our state Representatives - Our leaders need to push harder for the state of Texas to increase investments into Public Education (our largest tax base) and Reform the Central Appraisal Distirct!
Holding Developers Accountable - Currently, developers use and abuse tax incentives given to them by our city government via 380 agreements. These incentives have led to irresponsible sprawl without a growing tax base, a lack of investment in certain areas, and a strain on investment on our people! If we give a developer/ company a tax incentive, we must ensure it is fair to taxpayers. I will push to ensure that all tax incentives are closely monitored, require recipients to hire local talent, ensure all workers are paid a living wage and proper benefits, and that recipients don’t take shortcuts.
Push to increase Impact Fees - Developers haven't paid their fair share in decades, and this has caused our utility bills to rise while they get rich quickly. We will push to ensure an equitable rise in impact fees as our city grows in order to ensure our critical infrastructure doesn't get ignored.
Head to Austin - Make no mistake, as your City Representative I will hold our state government accountable, just like I did as your State Democratic Executive Committeeman. Our state government needs to deliver real tax relief and not false promises that Defund critical services like public education!

Affordable Housing

The overgrowth and unchecked for-profit short-term rental market in El Paso are quickly leading to an unsustainable housing crisis, which puts low-income families, veterans, and both the young and elderly members of our community in danger of being forced to live on the streets.

As your City Representative I will:

Work with Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to establish Affordable housing opportunities - It's imperative that everyone in our community has access to accessible and affordable housing, regardless of their socioeconomic status. I will work with our council to advocate for smart growth and tiny home communities to ensure accessible and affordable housing opportunities can be met.
Rent Control - Let us be clear that Renters deserve to be treated like tax-paying citizens of our community. If COVID taught us anything, it was that housing markets could easily be exploited to make a profit. Renters were hit the hardest by this! It's time we implement rent control that ensures that rent can only be increased by no more than 5% a year, incentives for rental properties to go green, and we create a City Renters Commission to hear the concerns of renters. As your City Representative I will go to Austin to fight for every El Pasoan and ensure Democrats and Republicans deliver real tax reform!

Investing in our city!

We must bring businesses that will invest not only in our local economy but also in our people. When we do this, we keep future generations invested, involved, interested, and dedicated to El Paso!

As your City Representative, I will:

Create a small business office- It's time our local government understands that small and locally owned and operated businesses are the foundation of our community. We failed to keep them afloat during COVID-19, create simple guidelines to help people better understand the processes involved, and left working-class families behind.
fight for increased benefits for working-class families - It's time our city catches up to other parts of the state by instituting paid sick, parental, and mental health leave. When we give businesses generous tax breaks, we need to make sure they are treating their employees fairly.
Define Public Safety - It's long past time that we recognize El Paso can be safer! Proper public safety ensures we have walkable, accessible, well-lit streets and robust community-driven neighborhood watches. It includes coalitions that equip the community with solutions, equity in response times by first responders, and a strategic stray pet program.
Invest in Public Safety - I will advocate for a new fire station to better serve the families living in the Future Land, Mesquite Hills, and Campo Del Sol neighborhoods. Advocate for our first responders by pushing for a much-needed pay raise via a language differential. Push for more public-private partnerships to address street lighting and accessibility studies and lend a helping paw to animal services.

Environment & Streets

El Pasoans deserve a city that makes its streets one of its highest priorities! In talking to residents of District 4, it is abundantly clear that they want our roads to be safe to drive on, maintained medians, and roads that don't easily flood when it rains.

As your City Rep, I will:

Advocate for greater investments in our roads - It is time we deliver our promise of maintaining our infrastructure. We can only expect more significant investments from businesses in our city if our roads are maintained. We will continue to fight for a better system, more innovative investments in materials, and better public planning.
Advocate for accessibility- Our city needs to continue supporting our disabled community. We must ensure our community is accessible. It is also vital that Sun Metro begins to collaborate more effectively with disability advocates to better our systems so we can invest in more inequitable transportation.
Safety corridors - I will work with my constituents to establish safety corridors on well-traveled streets (this includes better-lit crosswalks and streets) and to establish a District Taskforce on safety to ensure that we reduce the amount of traffic-related fatalities.
Responsible Development - Our mountains add to our city’s beauty and uniqueness; we must better protect and preserve them. I will advocate for responsible, smart growth, sustainable tiny home communities for the homeless, green infrastructure that addresses flooding, and making sure that our city takes steps to minimize our carbon footprint.

Signed your friend and ally,

Wesley Lawrence
Wesley Lawrence
Candidate for El Paso City Council District 4