El Paso Matters – Q&A: City of El Paso mayoral candidates in Dec. 14 runoff election

Candidate Questionnaires

Candidates were asked to limit their responses to 100 words. Responses have been lightly edited for grammar.

What is your vision for the city of El Paso for the next 10 years and what needs to be done to get there?

Renard U. Johnson: For too long, El Paso has been passed over for opportunities that have gone elsewhere. As a result, those higher wages, and our local graduates, have also gone elsewhere. Meanwhile, our property taxes continue to increase. My vision relies heavily on economic development in industries like aerospace, tech and medical to bring higher wages and opportunities to help us create a more vibrant and competitive El Paso. With additional commercial base, we can ease the burden of residential property taxes.

Brian Kennedy: I can’t emphasize enough the impact of an ethical, financially stable, safe city that is well-run and never forgets it’s your money, your future. We created $112 billion in economic development and 5,200-plus new jobs in the last two years. More of that. We held the line on no-new-tax revenue two years in a row; tripled the number of police recruits with changes in pay and benefits; held people accountable on tax breaks. Now, we work toward retail/sports tourism opportunities that have huge potential.

What role can the city government play in increasing private sector wages to help keep skilled workers in El Paso and attract new skilled workers?

Renard U. Johnson: The mayor should play an active role in recruiting businesses. My connections as a CEO and across Texas and the U.S. gives me an advantage to bring new industries here. I’m a CEO, I speak business, and I know what it takes to make businesses consider our city first. We need to focus on modern industries in aerospace and tech to retain our graduates and create higher paying jobs for everyone. We also need to work with local higher ed to build new programs to support these industries.

Brian Kennedy: We need to continue the kind of economic development that we are already doing that attracts higher paying jobs (Schneider, Eaton, Amazon, Meta) and match the skills needed with our educational institutions to train up so we are able to fill the positions from here in El Paso. It’s a win-win. Industry knows their staffing can be filled when they look at moving to El Paso; educational institutions fill a vital role and you and your children have the opportunity for better paying jobs.

Over the past 50 years, only two U.S. cities have warmed more rapidly than El Paso. What steps should the city government take to address factors causing rapid warming?

Renard U. Johnson: We have great data that shows where we need to invest in environmental programs to create more equity across the city. Heat maps show us places like South El Paso need more tree canopies, that we need heat abatement projects across large asphalt areas, and throughout the city, we need additional infrastructure for electric vehicle charging, matching the upswing in the sales of EVs. Other cities have experimented with great solutions like topping payment with coatings that lower temps. We need to adopt what works well in other cities, and adapt it to fit ours. 

Brian Kennedy: We’ve largely overlooked one of the simplest tools available to us, which is the cooling effect of creating green spots with the proper use and care of native plants, and native and adaptive trees that create shade. Trees in particular combat climate change by creating shade, cleaning the air, providing oxygen, and preventing erosion. Across a community, it can have a great effect on heat, create habitats and enhance our unique Southwest beauty.

The city of El Paso since 2004 has had a council-manager form of government, limiting the mayor’s power. In the past year, the city manager’s authority over auditing and other functions has been removed. How do you balance power between elected city officials and the city manager?

Renard U. Johnson: The role of the auditor needs to report to both the council and the manager so that person is able to remain unbiased. Further, we need clear roles and responsibilities for both the City Council and the city manager. What El Pasoans have been asking for is transparency and accountability in City Hall and we need better checks and balances, especially for elected officials. In addition to clear roles, we need additional oversight across the board perhaps with independent oversight committees.

Brian Kennedy: The reporting structure of the internal auditor was changed to report to the chairman of the Financial Oversight and Advisory Committee (FOAC) because it was inappropriate to have the internal auditor answer to a city manager that oversees 95% of the functions being audited. You don’t answer to the person you’re auditing. The balance of power is created by the city officials who determine and guide the strategic direction of the city. The city manager is responsible for implementing that vision.

How important is an arena to the revitalization of Downtown? What capital projects are needed, if any, to improve economic development in the city?

Renard U. Johnson: The Downtown area is the front door to your community. Twelve years ago, voters said they wanted an arena. This hasn’t happened, and now it’s going back to the voters without additional info or effort from the city to secure private funding, federal grants, other revenue sources. Additionally, we need improved infrastructure (roads, airport, affordable housing, and more) to create strong economic development. These elements are carefully considered by businesses and families considering relocation.

Brian Kennedy: There’s always more than one way to achieve an objective. The objective is a vital Downtown.  I favor the development of a Downtown walking district to create an old town that celebrates our unique history of three cultures with incentives for mom-and-pop shops that will attract visitors to hotels, restaurants and retail 365 days a year not just on game day. Tourism is found money.  Every penny of sales tax collected through tourism lifts the load of property tax carried by homeowners.