Maloney's Platform

Taken from maloneyformayor.com

OPEN GOVERNMENT

Let’s embrace true transparency in government. Why not record all Executive Sessions not dealing with personnel, and make these tapes available after the issues are no longer time sensitive? You have the right to know how city money is being spent behind closed doors, and the reasoning behind council decisions. The States of Florida and Georgia mandate this transparency. We should do no less.

NEIGHBORHOOD INTEGRITY

Before I left office in 2005, the city manager and staff were working on creating a model for neighborhood associations that gives homeowners a voice in redevelopment and lifestyle issues within their neighborhoods. This initiative has been abandoned, yet the City of Bryan adopted a similiar plan and is currently having success.

There are things that we can do to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Code Enforcement should be proactive rather than reactive. Let’s investigate the feasibility of privatizing Code Enforcement. Provide the tools needed to preserve the character of our Historic Southside and Eastgate neighborhoods. And for the newer neighborhoods, provide them the option to create covenants that shape redevelopment and lifestyle issues. Whenever we are considering commercial developments adjacent to residential areas, make certain that vested homeowners are equal partners at the bargaining table. TAXES I am as frustrated as you are when it comes to seeing property taxes rise because of increased tax appraisals. When I was a councilmember, I was appointed to the Texas Municipal League Legislative Committee. This state-wide committee lobbies for laws that benefit cities. As mayor, I will rejoin this committee and lobby to restrict annual county tax appraisal increases to the rate of inflation or 5%, whichever is less. (Current laws allow appraisals to increase up to 10% each year.) While a city councilman I succeeded in passing the following proposal when serving on the Texas Municipal League Legislative Committee: Allow all Texas cities the right to impose a two (2) cent per gallon
gasoline tax that must be used for transportation improvements within the city collecting that tax. During the two years that I have not served this city, legislation of this proposal has been neglected.

TRANSPORTATION ISSUES

Let’s look at transportation as a complete system, not simply an issue of building roads.

I do not support my opponent’s idea to build an additional traffic loop around our city. The dollars spent diverting business from our city, ought to be spent improving transportation within our city.

Examples of how to spend this money are: Coordinate our traffic lights and install red light cameras at dangerous intersections to move traffic more safely and effectively. Install dedicated right turn lanes at busy intersections such as 2818 at Welsh Ave; 2818 at Southwood; 2818 and Longmire. Install pedestrian crossing safety features at busy intersections, such as Rock Prairie Rd. at Longmire, FM 2818 at Welsh, George Bush at Wellborn Rd. Increase and improve dedicated bicycle lanes. We now have a better than average amount of such lanes, but many of them are unsafe and simply disappear when the bike rider approaches busy intersections. Build the railroad grade separations needed at 2818 and Wellborn and at George Bush and Wellborn. Partner with the railroad and make the safety improvements at railroad crossings so trains can pass through College Station without sounding horns. Explore partnering with TAMU Transportation to expand its routes and system to include non-student riders and thus relieve some congestion on our roads. Partner with the university on strategies to alleviate rush hour and special events’ traffic around campus. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT New development and redevelopment should be guided by a comprehensive plan created by all stakeholders in our city. Costs of new infrastructure (sewer, water, electric, roads) should be financed by developers, not taxpayers. City participation should be focused on oversizing infrastructure requirements to accommodate future growth according to the comprehensive plan. Special consideration may be given to redevelopment projects to protect older areas of town from blight. Our parkland dedication policy needs to be updated to provide incentives for developers to value green spaces and discourage clear-cutting development sites.
As mayor, it will be a top priority to bring together the taxpayers, the development community, and the council to create a fair and equitable policy that benefits all parties. When we create this solution, we won’t become another city that is home only to concrete, parking lots and chain stores.